PI: Marler, C. IBN-973309 Behavior plays a crucial role in interactions between an animal's internal and external environments. While significant progress has been made in understanding how social interactions can influence adult hormone levels, we know little about the impact of the early social environment on behavior, particularly factors influencing aggression. The PI proposes to investigate the plasticity in behavior in response to significant changes in parental behavior, as well as the physiological mechanisms underlying such plasticity. To examine the effects of both paternal and maternal effects she proposes to work with Peromyscus mice because it is one of the few mammalian model systems in which males make significant contributions to raising the young and also because there is considerable variation among the different species of Peromyscus. The PI will alter levels of parental care by allowing offspring of one species to be raised by the parents of the other species. If this causes changes in aggressive and parental behavior of the offspring once they have matured, then she will examine physiological underpinnings for these changes in behavior. The neuropeptide arginine vasopressin and the steroid hormone testosterone will be studied because these are important biochemicals influencing social interactions of adults, including aggressive interactions and parental behavior. These studies will allow testing of the plasticity of vasopressin both within and between species in response to changes in the social and hormonal environments. A theme that runs through the PI's research is the integration of several different scientific fields. This is an approach which she employs in her teaching as well. The PI uses animal behavior to introduce basic concepts of biology to psychology students and emphasize how animal studies contribute to our understanding of physiological mechanisms influencing human behavior. PROJECT SUMMARY 3
