| Project/Area Number |
16570058
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Morphology/Structure
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| Research Institution | JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
MATSUMOTO Akira JUNTENDO UNIV, DEPT ANAT, ASSOC PRO, 医学部, 助教授 (80053263)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2005
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2005)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
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| Keywords | rat / stress / spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus / motoneuron / androgen / androgen receptor / synapse / 免疫組織化学 |
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| Research Abstract |
Motoneurons of the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB) of male rats innervate the perineal striated muscles bulbocavernosus and levator ani that attach to penis. They have an important role in copulatory behavior, which is sensitive to alterations in circulating levels of androgen. It is well known that exposure to chronic stress suppresses copulatory behavior in male rats. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying the stress-induced decline in copulatory functions in male rats. In the present study, it was examined whether expression of androgen receptors (AR) and synaptic organization of SNB motoneurons of chronically stressed male rats could be modified by treatment with androgen. Plasma levels of testosterone, expression of AR and synaptic inputs of SNB motoneurons were dramatically reduced in chronically stressed male rats. Treatment with testosterone to stressed males recovered plasma levels of androgen, expression of AR and synaptic inputs of SNB motoneurons to the control levels. These results suggest that the SNB motoneurons of male rats exposed to chronic stress retain a considerable neuronal plasticity in response to androgen, and that androgen treatment can rescue the SNB system in male rats when under chronic stress.
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