Because early hormonal exposure, whether endogenous or exogenous, may have long-lasting effects on the behavior of an organism, such as maturation, reproduction, and cognition, it is important to understand these changes. The presence of maternal hormones in vertebrate eggs suggest a hormonal link between the mother and the offspring which may allow the mother to differentially influence offspring fitness. The present proposal is designed to specifically investigate the role of maternal androgens in the organization of the developing brain and the effects on behavior using the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, as our working model. Our hypothesis is that maternal hormones deposited in variable amounts in the avian egg influence brain differentiation during development leading to differences in behavior among siblings and broods of birds. Using radioimmunoassays to measure androgen levels, and immunocytochemistry in in situ hybridization to detect androgen receptors, this study will examine the ontogeny of behavioral differences relating to individual fitness. This study is unique in that it will examine individual variation at multiple levels. In addition to neuronal differences, I will also be examining hormone levels, physiology (weight, plumage) and behavior (aggression, courtship, reproduction & cognition) to determine if variable amounts of maternal hormones provide a selective advantage to specific individuals.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32HD008542-02
Application #
6402665
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-2 (01))
Program Officer
Freund, Lisa S
Project Start
2001-08-01
Project End
Budget Start
2001-08-01
Budget End
2002-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$41,996
Indirect Cost
Name
Washington State University
Department
Zoology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
041485301
City
Pullman
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
99164
Schwabl, Hubert; Holmes, Donna; Strasser, Rosemary et al. (2012) Embryonic exposure to maternal testosterone influences age-specific mortality patterns in a captive passerine bird. Age (Dordr) 34:87-94