Dopamine, Amygdala, and Social Behavior

描述（由申请人提供）：雄性草原田鼠表现出交配诱导的配对结合，表现为对熟悉伴侣的偏好和对同种陌生人的选择性攻击，因此可以作为研究配对结合神经生物学的极好模型。中枢多巴胺（DA）参与草原田鼠的成对键形成。有证据表明，DA，特别是杏仁核（AMY）中的DA，可能在攻击性调节中发挥重要作用。AMY是众所周知的，它在处理情绪相关的线索，包括侵略性的互动，社会认可，和压力反应在各种哺乳动物物种，包括田鼠的作用。我最近的神经解剖学数据说明了一个独特的模式DA细胞在田鼠的AMY和激活这些细胞在选择性侵略。此外，有一个增加AMY DA的含量在成对的雄性草原田鼠显示对陌生的雌性草原田鼠的选择性侵略。在本申请中，我建议集中在AMY测量DA释放和DA受体mRNA和结合在选择性侵略，并检查受体特异性机制的药理作用DA交配诱导的侵略在雄性草原田鼠。这一系列的实验将揭示攻击性的神经化学基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Male prairie voles display mating-induced pair bonding indicated by preferences toward familiar partners and selective aggression toward a conspecific stranger, and thus serves as an excellent model for the study of the neurobiology of pair bonding. Central dopamine (DA) is implicated in pair bond formation in prairie voles. Several lines of evidence have indicated that DA, particularly DA in the amygdala (AMY), may play an important role in the regulation of aggression. The AMY is well known for its role in processing emotionally related cues including aggressive interactions, social recognition, and stress responses in a variety of mammalian species including voles. My recent neuroanatomical data illustrate a unique pattern of DA cells in the vole's AMY and activation of those cells during selective aggression. Further, there is an increase in AMY DA content in pair-bonded male prairie voles displaying selective aggression toward unfamiliar female prairie voles. In the present application, I propose to focus on the AMY to measure DA release and DA receptor mRNA and binding during selective aggression, and to examine the receptor-specific mechanisms underlying pharmacological effects of DA on mating-induced aggression in male prairie voles. This series of experiments will shed light on the neurochemical underpinnings of aggression.