Stress and Sex Effects on Learning and Dendritic Spines

压力和性别对学习和树突棘的影响

• 批准号: 6627737
• 负责人: BENEDETTA J LEUNER
• 金额: $ 2.98万
• 依托单位: RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIV OF N.J.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-07-01 至
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6627737
• 关键词: association learning; dendrites; estrogens; gender difference; glucocorticoids; hippocampus; histochemistry /cytochemistry; hormone regulation /control mechanism; laboratory rat; neuropsychology; predoctoral investigator; radioimmunoassay; stress

Numerous experiments in our laboratory have shown that exposure to an acute stressful experience facilitates associative learning in male rats and dramatically impairs learning in female rats. We have also found sex differences and opposing effects of stress on dendritic spine density in the hippocampus of males versus females. In males, spine density is enhanced after exposure to an acute stressor, while the density of dendritic spines in females is reduced. Based on this series of observations, we have proposed that the stress effects on learning are mediated by the stress effects on spine density. To address this hypothesis, I will test whether the opposite effects of stress on earning in males versus females. In males, the stress-induced facilitation of learning is dependent on the stress-related adrenal hormones, glucocorticoids. The stress-induced impairment of learning in females is not dependent on the stress-related glucocorticoids, but is dependent on the ovarian hormone estrogen. Thus, the goal of my proposal is to determine whether glucocorticoids in males and estrogen in females contribute to the sexually opposed stress on dendritic spine density.

在我们的实验室中进行的许多实验表明，暴露于急性压力的经历有助于雄性大鼠的联想学习，并极大地损害了女性大鼠的学习。 我们还发现了性别差异和压力对男性海马与女性海马中树突状脊柱密度的影响。 在男性中，暴露于急性应激源后，脊柱密度增强，而女性中树突状棘的密度则降低。 基于这一系列的观察，我们提出应力对学习的影响是由应力对脊柱密度的影响介导的。 为了解决这一假设，我将测试压力对男性与女性赚钱的相反影响。 在男性中，应力引起的学习促进因素取决于与压力相关的肾上腺激素，糖皮质激素。雌性学习的压力引起的障碍不取决于与压力相关的糖皮质激素，而是取决于卵巢激素的雌激素。 因此，我的提议的目的是确定女性中男性和雌激素中的糖皮质激素是否有助于对树突状脊柱密度的性压力。