小柯机器人

近日，美国斯坦福大学Nirao M. Shah及其课题组揭示了神经回路的周期性重塑参与调控雌性性行为的时间。该项研究成果2019年11月14日在线发表于《细胞》。

行为与内部状态密不可分。研究人员确定了一种将雌性性行为与发情（发情周期的排卵期）联系起来的神经机制。研究人员发现在腹内侧下丘脑（VMH）中表达孕激素受体（PR）的神经元是活跃的，并且在此行为过程中是必需的。然而，激活这些神经元并不会引起非发情期雌性的性行为。

研究人员发现，PR阳性VMH神经元对前腹侧室旁核（AVPV）的核改变在整个5天的小鼠发情周期中发生变化，并且发情期间的末端和功能连接增加了约3倍。这种连通性的周期性增加是在成年雌性中发现的，而在雄性中没有，并且由PR阳性VMH神经元中的雌激素信号传导调节。研究人员进一步表明，这些联系对于雌性的性行为至关重要。因此，成年雌性大脑中行为显著连接的雌激素调节结构可塑性将性行为与发情周期的发情阶段联系起来。

附：英文原文

Title: Periodic Remodeling in a Neural Circuit Governs Timing of Female Sexual Behavior

Author: Sayaka Inoue, Renzhi Yang, Adarsh Tantry, Chung-ha Davis, Taehong Yang, Joseph R. Knoedler, Yichao Wei, Eliza L. Adams, Shivani Thombare, Samantha R. Golf, Rachael L. Neve, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Jun B. Ding, Nirao M. Shah

Issue&Volume: November 14, 2019

Abstract: Behaviors are inextricably linked to internal state. We have identified a neural mechanismthat links female sexual behavior with the estrus, the ovulatory phase of the estrouscycle. We find that progesterone-receptor (PR)-expressing neurons in the ventromedialhypothalamus (VMH) are active and required during this behavior. Activating theseneurons, however, does not elicit sexual behavior in non-estrus females. We show thatprojections of PR+ VMH neurons to the anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) nucleuschange across the 5-day mouse estrous cycle, with ～3-fold more termini and functionalconnections during estrus. This cyclic increase in connectivity is found in adultfemales, but not males, and regulated by estrogen signaling in PR+ VMH neurons. Wefurther show that these connections are essential for sexual behavior in receptivefemales. Thus, estrogen-regulated structural plasticity of behaviorally salient connectionsin the adult female brain links sexual behavior to the estrus phase of the estrouscycle.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.10.025

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)31175-4