The main goal of the proposed research is to determine if age-related alterations in female reproductive cycles are preceded by, and the result of, a loss in the synchronization of neurotransmitter and hormonal rhythms necessary for the expression of normal reproducive cycles. The aging female reproductive system will be used as a model in these studies because reproductive senescense occurs fairly early during the life span of an animal, and thus, the effects of age on brain functions can be examined in the absence of other age-related pathologies. The results of the proposed studies will provide a better understanding of how neural events are synchronized to produce normal reproductive cycles in young animals, and how this synchronization is disrupted during aging. More importantly, these data will yield information about the general mechanisms responsible for age-related alterations in the rhythmic activity of neurotransmitter systems throughout the brain. Because many age-related problem, such as depression and disturbances in the sleep/wake cycle have been attributed to alterations in neural transmission, understanding mechanisms responsible for these changes may be useful for developing treatments to alleviate these problems.
