Population Council Research that makes a difference

Abstract

Gonadal steroid receptor mRNA in catecholaminergic nuclei of the canary brainstem (HTML
Maney,Donna L.; Bernard,Daniel J.; Ball,Gregory F.
Neuroscience Letters 311(3): 189-192
Publication date: 2001



Steroid actions in the song system may be modulated by ascending inputs from catecholaminergic (CA) brain nuclei; however, whether these nuclei contain steroid receptors is unknown. Here, we compared the distribution of androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-a) mRNA with that of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (TH-IR) in the brainstems of male canaries. Areas containing AR and ER-a mRNA overlapped with areas containing TH-IR cell bodies in the locus ceruleus and the area ventralis of Tsai. The substantia nigra and the midbrain central gray contained both TH-IR and AR mRNA. The presence of AR and ER-a within CA cell groups suggests that sex steroid hormones may modulate song production at the site of CA synthesis.




What's New

For 60 years, the Population Council has changed the way the world thinks about important health and development issues. Explore an interactive timeline of the Council's history, learn more about some of our key contributions, and watch a short video about why your support is so important to us.

Get Involved

Connect

  • Visit our Facebook page
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Visit our Youtube channel