Neurobiology of Hormone-Mediated Behaviors

描述(由申请人提供)：性功能障碍，包括性欲、性唤醒、性高潮和性疼痛的障碍，影响大约40%的美国女性，通常会对生活质量造成严重影响。尽管患病率很高，但女性性功能障碍的原因仍然知之甚少，因此治疗也很有限。女性性功能的动物模型侧重于性相互作用的机制，例如前凸反射，限制了这些发现对于理解女性性功能障碍的概括性。这项拟议的研究的目标是利用动物模型提供的易驯服能力，但扩展我们的分析，以包括对女性性唤起和伤害感的综合评估，即适用于女性的性功能方面。目标1的研究将测试内侧视前区(MPOA)在麻醉雌性大鼠性唤醒中的作用。此外，还将测试磷酸二酯酶5(PDE-5)抑制剂对女性性功能的影响。在目标2中，将测试外周雌激素受体在阴道伤害性感受中的作用。从这些研究中获得的结果将解决女性性功能生理学知识的空白，这可能会提高诊断和治疗女性性功能障碍的能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Sexual dysfunction, including disorders of sexual desire, arousal, orgasm and sexual pain, affects approximately 40% of American women, often with significant consequences on quality of life. Despite the prevalence, the causes of female sexual dysfunction remain poorly understood, and treatments are accordingly limited. Animal models of female sexual function have focused on the mechanics of sexual interaction, e.g., the lordosis reflex, limiting the generalizability of such findings for the understanding of sexual dysfunction in women. The goal of the proposed research is to take advantage of the tractability afforded by animal models, but to extend our analysis to include an integrated assessment of female sexual arousal and nociception; facets of sexual functioning that are applicable to women. Studies in Aim 1 will test the role of the medial preoptic area (mPOA) in sexual arousal in anesthetized female rats. In addition, the effects of inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) on female sexual functioning will be tested. In Aim 2, the role of peripheral estrogen receptors in vaginal nociception will be tested. The results garnered from these studies will address gaps in knowledge of the physiology of female sexual function that may improve the ability to diagnose and to treat sexual dysfunction in women.