Abstract

This is a request for an Independent Scientist Award. This grant aims to add to our understanding of the neural basis of sexually dimorphic brain function by focusing on a sexually dimorphic system that has been implicated in parental and other sexually dimorphic behaviors and functions. The hypothesis driving this grant is that sex differences in the brain not only serve to generate sex differences in centrally regulated processes and behaviors, but also may enable males and females to show remarkably similar behaviors even though their physiological and hormonal conditions differ dramatically. It does this by studying the role of the sexually dimorphic vasopressin-immunoreactive projections of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medical amygdaloid nucleus in parental behavior. The strategy is to compare two species of voles: prairie voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), a monogamous species in which both males and females provide parental care, and meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), a promiscuous species in which only females provide parental care. This strategy allows comparison of the AvP-ir projections not only between males and females but also between males that show different parental involvement. The research will entail psychopharmacological, hormonal and developmental manipulations, anatomical and cell biological analyses of reproduction-related changes, and behavioral observation. By virtue of its topic this study will contribute to understanding both sex differences in the brain and the neural basis of maternal as well as paternal behavior. The last contribution will be new to the field since virtually nothing is known about neural structures underlying paternal behavior. Research Career Development support is requested to free the PI form teaching and administrative duties. This will allow him to develop new anatomical, cellular, and molecular strategies to assess the contributions of the sexually dimorphic vasopressin projections to parental behavior.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research (K02)
Project #
5K02MH001497-02
Application #
2889916
Study Section
Psychobiology, Behavior, and Neuroscience Review Committee (PBN)
Project Start
1998-06-01
Project End
2003-05-31
Budget Start
1999-07-01
Budget End
2000-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
153223151
City
Amherst
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
01003

  Publications

de Vries, Geert J; Södersten, Per (2009) Sex differences in the brain: the relation between structure and function. Horm Behav 55:589-96
de Vries, Geert J; Jardon, Michelle; Reza, Mohammed et al. (2008) Sexual differentiation of vasopressin innervation of the brain: cell death versus phenotypic differentiation. Endocrinology 149:4632-7
Rood, B D; Murray, E K; Laroche, J et al. (2008) Absence of progestin receptors alters distribution of vasopressin fibers but not sexual differentiation of vasopressin system in mice. Neuroscience 154:911-21
Rosen, G J; de Vries, G J; Goldman, S L et al. (2008) Distribution of oxytocin in the brain of a eusocial rodent. Neuroscience 155:809-17
de Vries, Geert J (2008) Sex differences in vasopressin and oxytocin innervation of the brain. Prog Brain Res 170:17-27
Rosen, Greta J; De Vries, Geert J; Goldman, Sharry L et al. (2007) Distribution of vasopressin in the brain of the eusocial naked mole-rat. J Comp Neurol 500:1093-105
Hayes, UnJa L; De Vries, Geert J (2007) Role of pregnancy and parturition in induction of maternal behavior in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Horm Behav 51:265-72
De Vries, G J; Panzica, G C (2006) Sexual differentiation of central vasopressin and vasotocin systems in vertebrates: different mechanisms, similar endpoints. Neuroscience 138:947-55
De Vries, Geert J (2005) Sex steroids and sex chromosomes at odds? Endocrinology 146:3277-9
Lonstein, Joseph S; Rood, Benjamin D; De Vries, Geert J (2005) Unexpected effects of perinatal gonadal hormone manipulations on sexual differentiation of the extrahypothalamic arginine-vasopressin system in prairie voles. Endocrinology 146:1559-67

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