性激素对成年鸣禽鸣唱可塑性的影响

Effect of Sex Hormones on Song Plasticity in Adult Songbirds

鸣禽在成年之后表现出广泛的鸣唱行为可塑性变化,其中与季节相关的可塑性变化最为突出.季节可塑性变化与鸣禽体内的睾酮水平相关,并伴随鸣唱控制核团的生长或萎缩.研究显示,睾酮的代谢产物与其靶受体结合后,能诱导激素敏感基因表达,其表达产物能促进新生神经元的存活和突触形成,改变鸣唱控制核团的细胞兴奋性和突触传递,从而引起鸣唱行为变化.主要综述性激素对成年鸣禽鸣唱行为以及鸣唱系统可塑性变化的影响以及有关分子细胞机制的研究进展.

There is extensive plasticity of the song behavior in adult songbirds. Seasonal changes are one of the most dramatic examples of plasticity found between breeding and nonbreeding seasons. The burden of evidence shows that the seasonal plasticity is related with the circulating testosterone （T） level and accompanied with the growth or regression of the song control nucleus. Further research reveals that the androgenic and estrogenic metabolism of T act on their corresponding receptors in song system may induces series of change in the song control system including the expressing of genes and molecules, promoting the survival of new born neurons and the formation of synapses, changing the cell excitability and synaptic transmission of the pathway in song system. Here, the effect of sex hormones on song plasticity in adult songbird and the possible cellular mechanisms involved in the plasticity are reviewed.