Abstract

The general goal of this research is to examine developmental influences on social behaviors and the neuroendocrine mechanisms of these influences. Using as a model the prairie vole, we have observed that apparently minor changes in the manner in which families are """"""""manipulated"""""""" in early life can have life-long consequences. We propose to study the relationship between early experiences, including the influence of parental stimulation, and the later tendency to show social behaviors including alloparental behavior, the capacity to form a partner preference, the tendency to show same-sex aggression (possibly indicative of mate guarding), as well as reactivity to stressors. We also propose to test the hypothesis that the behavioral changes we have observed reflect modifications in neuropeptides, including central and blood levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OT) or corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), and the steroid hormone, corticosterone (CORT). Receptor autoradiography will be used to examine the effects of early experience on later regional receptor binding for the OT, AVP (Via), and CRH (type 1 and 2). Intergenerational effects of these experiences will be examined as well.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH073022-03
Application #
7286690
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-J (02))
Program Officer
Simmons, Janine M
Project Start
2005-09-25
Project End
2010-07-31
Budget Start
2007-08-01
Budget End
2008-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$297,912
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Illinois at Chicago
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
098987217
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60612

  Publications

Greenberg, G D; van Westerhuyzen, J A; Bales, K L et al. (2012) Is it all in the family? The effects of early social structure on neural-behavioral systems of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Neuroscience 216:46-56
Hostetler, Caroline M; Harkey, Shanna L; Krzywosinski, Tarin B et al. (2011) Neonatal exposure to the D1 agonist SKF38393 inhibits pair bonding in the adult prairie vole. Behav Pharmacol 22:703-10
Hostetler, Caroline M; Kowalczyk, Alex S; Griffin, Luana L et al. (2011) CART peptide following social novelty in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Brain Res 1414:32-40
Carter, C Sue; Porges, Eric C (2011) Parenthood, stress, and the brain. Biol Psychiatry 70:804-5
Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein; Partoo, Leila; Yee, Jason et al. (2011) Effects of social isolation on mRNA expression for corticotrophin-releasing hormone receptors in prairie voles. Psychoneuroendocrinology 36:780-9
Hostetler, Caroline M; Harkey, Shanna L; Bales, Karen L (2010) D2 antagonist during development decreases anxiety and infanticidal behavior in adult female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Behav Brain Res 210:127-30
Stone, Anita Iyengar; Bales, Karen Lisa (2010) Intergenerational transmission of the behavioral consequences of early experience in prairie voles. Behav Processes 84:732-8
Stone, Anita Iyengar; Mathieu, Denise; Griffin, Luana et al. (2010) Alloparenting experience affects future parental behavior and reproductive success in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Behav Processes 83:8-15
Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein; Partoo, Leila; Sanzenbacher, Lisa et al. (2009) Social isolation modulates corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptor, urocortin 1 and urocortin 2 mRNAs expression in the cardiovascular system of prairie voles. Peptides 30:940-6
Campbell, Joshua C; Laugero, Kevin D; Van Westerhuyzen, Julie A et al. (2009) Costs of pair-bonding and paternal care in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Physiol Behav 98:367-73

Showing the most recent 10 out of 21 publications