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EDRI Federal Project Inventory:
Neuropeptide Control of Steroid Hormone-sensitive Functions and Behaviors
- Sponsor Organization: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
- Project Title: NEUROPEPTIDE CONTROL OF STEROID HORMONE-SENSITIVE FUNCTIONS AND
BEHAVIORS
- Project Focus: HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS
- Description: The brain employs a host of chemical substances to facilitate
communicationbetween cells resident therein. One class of effector
molecules are small proteinscalled neuropeptides and although, the
presence of these molecules has been knownfor sometime, their true
function as messenger molecules remains ambiguous. Thereis virtually
no neuropeptide system for which the inputs and outputs are mapped;
forwhich the stimuli that regulate activity are identified; and of
which the physiological andbehavioral consequences of changes in its
activity are known. Dr. DeVries will utilize aunique, well
characterized and sexually dimorphic biological system to unravel the
roleof vasopressin, a neuropeptide, as messenger molecules in the
brain. Vasopressin-containing neurons have been implicated in a
variety of functions, such as thermo- andosmoregulation, sexual
behavior, aggression and memory. Dr. DeVries willcharacterize the in-
and outputs of subsets of vasopressin-containing cells and theresponse
of these subsets of neurons to various stimuli associated
withvasopressin-mediated behaviors. In addition, because the
vasopressin-containingneurons are sexually dimorphic, the gonadal
steroid milieu dictates the activity of theneurons. This feature of
these neurons will be employed to examine the role of theseneurons in
several physiological functions and behaviors in a coordinated manner.
These studies will characterize the anatomical and physiological
importance of awell-characterized neuropeptide system of the brain.
Potentially, this basic informationabout neuropeptides will enhance
our understanding of animal behavior and mayfacilitate animal
husbandry. Additionally, these studies have immense implications
inthe diagnosis and treatment of human psychopathological disorders
where multiplephysiological and behaviors are disrupted.
- References:
- Category: MODELS
- Subcategory: BASIC RESEARCH
- Keywords for Experimental System/Species: RODENT, MAMMAL, IN VIVO, LABORATORY STUDY
- Keywords for Experimental Endpoints: NEUROLOGICAL, REPRODUCTIVE, HORMONE MEASURES, SEX STEROIDS, PEPTIDE
HORMONES,PHYSIOLOGY, BREEDING BEHAVIOR, MOLECULAR, STRESS RESPONSE
- Chemical Agents: Sex Steroids
- Performing Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Contact: Geert J DeVries, Amherst, MA 01003 413 545-0111
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