Chemosensory and hormone information are relayed directly between the medial amygdala, posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and medial preoptic area in male Syrian hamsters.

摘要: In many rodent species, including Syrian hamsters, the expression of appropriate social behavior depends critically on perception and identification conspecific odors. The behavioral response to these odors is mediated by a network steroid-sensitive ventral forebrain nuclei medial amygdala (Me), posterior bed nucleus stria terminalis (BNST), preoptic area (MPOA). Although it well-known that Me, BNST, MPOA are densely interconnected each uniquely modulates odor-guided behaviors, degree which odor information steroid hormone cues directly relayed between unknown. To answer this question, we injected retrograde tracer, cholera toxin B (CTB), into BNST or male subjects identified whether retrogradely-labeled cells in Me 1) expressed immediate early genes (IEGs) following exposure and/or female 2) androgen receptor (AR). few co-localized with IEGs, higher percentage BNST- MPOA-projecting (MeP) IEGs than did not, however, differ odor-exposed groups anterior (MeA), posterointermediate (BNSTpi), posteromedial (BNSTpm). Many AR, MeP BNSTpm AR MeA BNSTpi cells, respectively. Together, data demonstrate interact as functional circuit process sex-specific hamsters.