Effect of testosterone on the distribution of vasotocin immunoreactivity in the brain of the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata castanotis

Kimura, Tadashi; Okanoya, Kazuo; Wada, Mitsuru

doi:10.1016/s0024-3205(99)00415-4

Cited by 36 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The number of VT͞VP neurons in the BSTm is sexually dimorphic (males Ͼ females) and steroid-dependent in most vertebrate species thus far examined (4,5,30), including songbirds (31,32). In contrast, zebra finches have not been consistently found to exhibit sexually dimorphic or testosterone-dependent immunostaining (33,34), and we here found no evidence for sex differences in any of the estrildid species examined, either in their numbers of VT-ir neurons or Fos responses to social stimuli. We did however observe a substantial difference in constitutive VT-Fos colocalization between zebra finches that had been housed in same-sex cages (Ϸ12% of VT-ir neurons expressed Fos in control subjects) and those that had been housed in mixed-sex breeding cages until 2 days before testing (Ϸ60%; Figs.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 49%

Valence-sensitive neurons exhibit divergent functional profiles in gregarious and asocial species

Goodson

Wang

2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

119

160

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The medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTm) influences both social approach and social aversion, suggesting that this structure may play an important role in generating motivational and behavioral differences between gregarious and asocial species. However, no specific neurons have been identified within the BSTm that influence species-typical levels of sociality or that mediate approach and avoidance. Using five songbird species that differ selectively in their species-typical group sizes, we now demonstrate that vasotocin-immunoreactive (VT-ir) neurons of the BSTm exhibit very different immediate early gene responses to same-sex stimuli in gregarious and asocial species. Exposure to a same-sex conspecific increases VT-Fos colocalization in gregarious species while decreasing colocalization in relatively asocial species. We additionally demonstrate that these neurons are selectively activated by social stimuli that normally elicit affiliation (positively valenced social stimuli) but not by stimuli that elicit aversion (negatively valenced social stimuli). Constitutive Fos activity of the VT-ir neurons is also significantly greater in the gregarious species, and the two most social species express significantly more VT-ir neurons. These findings demonstrate that the properties of valence-sensitive neurons evolve in relation to sociality and indicate that gregarious species accentuate positive stimulus properties during social interactions.amygdala ͉ sociality ͉ vasopressin ͉ vasotocin T he medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTm) is anatomically and functionally conserved in the land vertebrate classes (1-3), and in virtually all species, a subpopulation of BSTm neurons produce vasotocin (VT) or its mammalian homologue vasopressin (VP) (4, 5) (see Fig. 1). These neurons project to multiple areas of the basal forebrain [e.g., ventral pallidum and lateral septum (5, 6)], where VT͞VP influences a variety of social behaviors, sometimes in a potent and highly species-specific manner (4,7,8). For instance, differential expression of V 1a receptors in the ventral pallidum is both necessary and sufficient to account for species differences in monogamous pair-bonding (9), and V 1a receptors in the lateral septum are both necessary and sufficient for the display of social recognition in mice (10). However, despite the vast literature on VT͞VP functions, receptor distributions, sexual dimorphisms, and steroid sensitivities (4,5,7,8), almost nothing is known about BSTm VT͞VP neuronal activity as it relates to stimulus parameters, social context, and species-specific aspects of social structure. Indeed, to our knowledge, the only relevant data come from monogamous male voles, in which VP mRNA increases in the BSTm after cohabitation with a female (11).The present experiments were therefore conducted to test the hypotheses that (i) VT-immunoreactive (VT-ir) neurons in the BSTm are responsive to stimuli that elicit affiliation, and (ii) responses of these neurons evolve in relation to sociality. These hypoth...

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 49%

Valence-sensitive neurons exhibit divergent functional profiles in gregarious and asocial species

Goodson

Wang

2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

119

160

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“…One study reported an absence of sex difference in the number of VT-ir cells or fibers in the septum and BSTm of this species (7), whereas significant differences were observed in another study in several telencephalic and diencephalic regions (35). However, these sex differences were eliminated by treatment of adult females with T, suggesting an activational origin in this songbird species (35). Additional studies would be needed to clarify this discrepancy, but it seems clear already that species differences will be found in the expression of VT and its control by steroids within birds.…”

Section: Effects Of Gonadal Steroids In Adult Birdsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Conflicting results have been obtained in zebra finches. One study reported an absence of sex difference in the number of VT-ir cells or fibers in the septum and BSTm of this species (7), whereas significant differences were observed in another study in several telencephalic and diencephalic regions (35). However, these sex differences were eliminated by treatment of adult females with T, suggesting an activational origin in this songbird species (35).…”

Section: Effects Of Gonadal Steroids In Adult Birdsmentioning

confidence: 90%

The parvocellular vasotocin system of Japanese quail: a developmental and adult model for the study of influences of gonadal hormones on sexually differentiated and behaviorally relevant neural circuits.

Panzica

Balthazart

Pessatti³

et al. 2002

Environ Health Perspect

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Vasotocin (VT; the antidiuretic hormone of birds) is synthesized by diencephalic magnocellular neurons projecting to the neurohypophysis. A sexually dimorphic system of VT-immunoreactive (ir) parvocellular elements has been described within the male medial preoptic nucleus (POM) and the nucleus of the stria terminalis, pars medialis (BSTm). VT-ir fibers are present in many diencephalic and extradiencephalic locations, and quantitative morphometric analyses demonstrated their sexually dimorphic distribution in regions involved in the control of different aspects of reproduction. Moreover, systemic or intracerebroventricular injections of VT markedly inhibit the expression of some aspects of male sexual behavior. In adult animals, circulating levels of testosterone (T) have a profound influence on the VT immunoreactivity within BSTm, POM, and lateral septum. Castration markedly decreases the immunoreaction, whereas T-replacement therapy restores a situation similar to the intact birds. We observed no changes in gonadectomized females treated with T. These changes parallel similar changes in male copulatory behavior (not present in castrated male quail, fully expressed in castrated, T-treated males). The restoration by T of the VT immunoreactivity in castrated male quail could be fully mimicked by a treatment with estradiol (E(2)), suggesting that the aromatization of T into E(2) may play a key limiting role in both the activation of male sexual behavior and the induction of VT synthesis. This dimorphism has an organizational nature: administration of E(2) to quail embryos (a treatment that abolishes male sexual behavior) results in a dramatic decrease of the VT immunoreactivity in sexually dimorphic regions. Conversely, the inhibition of E(2) synthesis during embryonic life (a treatment that stimulates the expression of male copulatory behavior in treated females exposed in adulthood to T) results in a malelike distribution of VT immunoreactivity. The VT parvocellular system of the Japanese quail can therefore be considered an accurate marker of the sexual differentiation of brain circuits mediating copulatory behavior and could be a very sensitive indicator of the activity of estrogenlike substances on neural circuits.

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“…Kimura et al [1999] showed that T treatment of female zebra finches can increase VT cell counts within the BSTm, but treatment levels were supraphysiological, producing circulating T levels three times that of control males. In contrast, Voorhuis and de Kloet [1992] found that T manipulations did not alter VT immunoreactivity, but their data were not reported quantitatively.…”

Section: Steroidal Regulation Of Vt/vp Circuitrymentioning

confidence: 98%

Cryptic Regulation of Vasotocin Neuronal Activity but Not Anatomy by Sex Steroids and Social Stimuli in Opportunistic Desert Finches

Kabelik¹,

Morrison²,

Goodson³

2010

Brain Behav Evol

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subcutaneous E2 implants failed to alter colocalization, suggesting that the colocalization effects in experiment 1 were solely androgenic. LET treatment also did not affect VT immunoreactivity in a manner reversible by E2 treatment. Finally, comparisons of VT immunoreactivity in breeding and nonbreeding individuals of several estrildid species demonstrate that year-round stability of VT immunoreactivity is found only in highly opportunistic species, and is therefore not essential to the maintenance of long-term pair bonds, which are ubiquitous in the Estrildidae.

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Effect of testosterone on the distribution of vasotocin immunoreactivity in the brain of the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata castanotis

Cited by 36 publications

References 25 publications

Valence-sensitive neurons exhibit divergent functional profiles in gregarious and asocial species

Valence-sensitive neurons exhibit divergent functional profiles in gregarious and asocial species

The parvocellular vasotocin system of Japanese quail: a developmental and adult model for the study of influences of gonadal hormones on sexually differentiated and behaviorally relevant neural circuits.

Cryptic Regulation of Vasotocin Neuronal Activity but Not Anatomy by Sex Steroids and Social Stimuli in Opportunistic Desert Finches

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