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EDRI Federal Project Inventory:
A Model System for the Development of Behavior
- Sponsor Organization: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
- Project Title: A MODEL SYSTEM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIOR
- Project Focus: HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS
- Description: Sex differences in reproductive behavior in mammals are determined not
only by thegenes and by hormones produced in adulthood, but also by
steroid hormones secretedby the gonads during perinatal development.
Although it is known that testicularandrogens play an important role
during perinatal development, androgens aremetabolized into estrogens
within CNS target cells. Responses to specificenvironmental stimuli
change in predictable ways. Often these changes involveincreasingly
complex behavioral responses that involve learning. The goal of
Drs.Fahrbach and Robinson is to understand how changes in bran
structure relate to thedevelopment of behavior, particularly behavior
that is characterized by a high degree ofplasticity. Dr. Fahrbach and
Dr. Robinson will test two hypotheses that explain the roleof
neuroanatomical plasticity and behavioral plasticity. The first
hypothesis predicts thatchanges in brain structure occur in
anticipation of changes in behavior, perhaps as aresult of a specific
neuroendocrine signal. According to this hypothesis,
theneuroanatomical changes are necessary to support the transition to
a more complexbehavior. The second hypothesis predicts that changes in
brain structure occur as aconsequence of changes in behavior.
According to this hypothesis, theneuroanatomical changes are necessary
to support the continued performance of amore complex behavior. Drs.
Fahrbach and Robinson will explore these hypotheses bystudying brain
structures insects after endocrine and experiential factors
areexperimentally manipulated. Studies of brain region volumes,
synapse formation andmolecular events leading to neural plasticity
will be undertaken. The principalsignificance of this research will
be to contribute to our understanding of theneuroanatomical basis for
hormone-mediated behavioral plasticity in adult animals andhumans.
- References:
- Category: MODELS
- Subcategory: BASIC RESEARCH
- Keywords for Experimental System/Species: INVERTEBRATES, IN VIVO, LABORATORY/FIELD STUDY
- Keywords for Experimental Endpoints: NEUROLOGICAL, REPRODUCTIVE, HORMONE MEASURES, SEX STEROIDS, PEPTIDE
HORMONES,PHYSIOLOGY, BREEDING BEHAVIOR, MOLECULAR, GENE EXPRESSION,
- Chemical Agents: Sex Steroids
- Performing Institution: University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign
- Contact: Susan E Fahrbach & Gene E Robinson, 801 South Wright Street Champaign,
IL 61820 217 333-2186
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