Understanding the regulation of social behavior through an interplay between internal and external chemical signals is of great current interest. Drugs that modulate or interfere with metabolism or the normal action of amines can affect human behavior (e.g. cocaine, etc) and loss of certain amines (e.g. dopamine) can cause serious illness (e.g. Parkinson's disease). In addition, recent studies have begun to imply olfactory regulation of human behavior and hormonal state (e.g. menstrual synchrony). This proposal is for research to elucidate the mechanisms of hormone and pheromone effects on behavior, and in particular the functional and chemical relationship between hormones and pheromones. For technical reasons and because of a rather extensive literature the lobster, Homarus americanus, is a superior model for this study. The collaboration within a program project with Dr. E.A. Kravitz and others lends great strength to this mostly behavioral project. The following experiments are proposed. 1. Develop a quantitative behavioral measure of """"""""aggressive state"""""""" using models, boxing matches, and observations in naturalistic environments. This includes detailed analysis of postures and fight patterns. 2. Establish a correlation between aggressive state and hormonal state using hemolymph samples from animals in known molt and behavioral states. We will consider both molt regulating hormones (e.g. ecdysone and methylfarnesoate) and neuromodulators (e.g. serotonin, octopamine, etc. and their mixture ratios). 3. Test to what extent courtship, aggression and dominance are regulated via urine pheromones and identify the fractions of urine that serve as chemical signals in courtship and aggression. 4. Establish if and how pheromones influence hormonal and behavioral states, and vice versa. 5. Test to what degree the olfactory organs are involved in behavioral and hormonal responses to pheromones. The project requires behavioral, neurophysiological, and electrochemical techniques. Biochemical analysis will be done in collaboration with E.A. Kravitz. The results are likely to be broadly applicable in two different directions: the principles of chemical regulation of (social) behavior, and the identification of interesting regulatory chemical substances involved.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 44 publications
