Neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of sexual behavior

在这项申请中提出的研究的目标是继续我们的特定神经解剖学和神经化学系统的识别，这些系统是雌性和雄性大鼠性行为的食欲和完美性方面的基础。将结合神经药理学和分子技术来研究单胺(多巴胺和5-羟色胺)、小分子(谷氨酸和GABA)和神经肽(阿片类药物、黑素皮质素、催产素)在中脑边缘和下丘脑区对不同类型的性刺激的反应。这些刺激将包括信息素提示和生殖感觉刺激。在体微透析将被用来表征性交过程中中脑边缘和下丘脑区域的多巴胺、谷氨酸、GABA(或不同的神经肽)。这项研究将集中在控制性唤起、欲望、奖励、抑制和去抑制的机制，并将重点放在雌性大鼠的引诱和起搏行为，以及雄性大鼠的性预期和追逐行为，以及传统的经度和攀登行为的消耗性测量。性欲行为的发展和维持似乎需要在雄性大鼠射精或雌性大鼠有节奏的迷走神经刺激后激活性奖赏系统。我们以前的工作表明，下丘脑的内侧视前区和腹内侧核、中脑的腹侧被盖区和几个杏仁核之间存在相互作用，以致性奖励期望的产生。除了对食欲性行为的研究外，通过将性活跃的大鼠与不接受性行为的伴侣配对，通过检验性不稳定或发情终止的机制，以及通过检验性不奖励在动物第一次性行为经历中的影响，将开始阐明构成性抑制的神经系统。这项工作将为大鼠的食欲和完成性行为的神经控制提供新的见解，这些行为可以被视为人类性唤醒、欲望和交配行为的模型。

The objectives of the research proposed in this application are to continue our identification of specific neuroanatomical and neurochemical systems that underlie appetitive and consummatory aspects of sexual behavior in female and male rats. A combination of neuropharmacological and molecular techniques will be used to examine the role of monoamines (dopamine and serotonin), small molecules (glutamate and GABA), and neuropeptides (opioids, melanocortins, oxytocin) within mesolimbic and hypothalamic brain regions in response to different types of sexual stimulation. These stimuli will include pheromonal cues and genitosensory stimulation. In vivo microdialysis will be used to characterize dopamine, glutamate, GABA (or different neuropeptides) in mesolimbic and hypothalamic regions during sexual interactions. The research will focus on the mechanisms that control sexual arousal, desire, reward, inhibition, and disinhibition, and will focus on solicitation and pacing behaviors in female rats, and sexual anticipation and chasing behaviors in male rats, in addition to traditional consummatory measures of lordosis and mounting behavior. The development and maintenance of appetitive sexual behaviors appear to require the activation of sexual reward systems following ejaculation in male rats or paced vaginocervical stimulation in female rats. Our previous work has indicated an interaction between the medial preoptic area and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain, and several amygdala nuclei in generation of sexual reward expectancies. In addition to studies of appetitive sexual behavior, the neural systems that underlie sexual inhibition will begin to be elucidated by pairing sexually active rats with nonreceptive partners, by examining the mechanisms of sexual refractoriness or estrus termination, and by examining the effects of sexual nonreward during an animal's first sexual experiences. This work will provide new insights into the neural control of appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors in rats, behaviors that can be viewed as models of human sexual arousal, desire, and copulatory performance.