Domain-specific regulation of auditory processing

听觉处理的特定领域调节

• 批准号: 6999004
• 负责人: PETER V LOVELL
• 金额: $ 4.99万
• 依托单位: OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-08-01 至 2008-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6999004
• 关键词: aromatase; aromatase inhibitors; auditory discrimination; behavioral /social science research tag; behavioral habituation /sensitization; brain morphology; estrogens; ethology; fluorescent in situ hybridization; gene expression; laser capture microdissection; memory; microarray technology; neural information processing; neurogenetics; neuropsychology; neuroregulation; postdoctoral investigator; songbirds; stereotaxic techniques

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study will examine the role of aromatase in the formation and storage of auditory song memories in the zebra finch caudomedial nidopallium (NCM). The NCM is postulated to play a role in song discrimination and in the formation of auditory memories. In songbirds, the caudal domain of NCM is defined by the expression of estrogen synthesizing aromatase, suggesting that the NCM consists of 2 domains, 1 rostral and 1 caudal, whose function is likely to be influenced by locally synthesized estrogen. The goal of the proposed study is to identify whether rostral and caudal NCM constitute molecularly, structural, and functionally distinct domains, and to determine whether aromatase expressed in the caudal NCM influences the formation of auditory song memories. This study will contribute to our understanding of the role that estrogens synthesized in the brain play in long-term memory formation, and allow us to understand the molecular, structural, and functional organization of the NCM in birds. In Aim 1, we will determine whether the rostral and caudal domains of NCM differ in their molecular, structural, and functional organization. We will first identify whether rostral-to-caudal differences in NCM response properties correspond to differences in the expression of a song-regulated gene, zenk. Microarray studies will then be used to identify novel genes that are song-evoked and differentially expressed across rostral and caudal NCM. Anatomical tract-tracing studies will be used to identify features of domain-specific connectivity. In Aim 2, we will determine whether aromatase expressed in the NCM is involved in the storage of auditory memories. The role of estrogen in an auditory processing task will be investigated by measuring the effects of an aromatase inhibitor on the song-specific induction of auditory-evoked zenk.

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究将研究芳香酶在斑胸草雀尾内侧巢状皮质（NCM）听觉歌曲记忆的形成和存储中的作用。假设 NCM 在歌曲辨别和听觉记忆的形成中发挥作用。在鸣禽中，NCM 的尾部结构域由雌激素合成芳香酶的表达来定义，这表明 NCM 由 2 个结构域组成，1 个喙部和 1 个尾部，其功能可能受到局部合成雌激素的影响。本研究的目的是确定喙侧和尾侧 NCM 是否构成分子、结构和功能上不同的域，并确定尾侧 NCM 中表达的芳香酶是否影响听觉歌曲记忆的形成。这项研究将有助于我们了解大脑中合成的雌激素在长期记忆形成中的作用，并使我们了解鸟类 NCM 的分子、结构和功能组织。在目标 1 中，我们将确定 NCM 的头侧和尾侧结构域在分子、结构和功能组织方面是否存在差异。我们将首先确定 NCM 响应特性中从头端到尾端的差异是否与歌曲调节基因 zenk 的表达差异相对应。然后，微阵列研究将用于识别由歌曲诱发并在吻侧和尾侧 NCM 中差异表达的新基因。解剖束追踪研究将用于识别特定领域连接的特征。在目标 2 中，我们将确定 NCM 中表达的芳香酶是否参与听觉记忆的存储。通过测量芳香酶抑制剂对听觉诱发的 zenk 的歌曲特异性诱导的影响，研究雌激素在听觉处理任务中的作用。