DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Social Control of Kisspeptin Signaling

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

Animals use signals from the environment to initiate reproductive behavior and physiology at the appropriate time. In many species, information from an individual's social environment is especially important for reproduction. However, the molecules that mediate this interaction between the environment and the brain are largely unknown. This project is the first to address whether kisspeptin, a molecule important in regulating puberty, is also involved in social regulation of adult behavior and physiology. Because the receptor for kisspeptin is found widely throughout the brain, previous studies predicted that kisspeptin has a role in behavior in addition to its established role in puberty. This research will use a fish species in which social cues control dramatic plasticity in adult male social behavior and physiology. This species is well suited for studying behavior because it lives in complex communities where the males frequently engage in social interactions, such as defending territory and courting prospective mates. The project will integrate multiple techniques to determine the function of kisspeptin. First, genomic analyses will be used to identify the gene for kisspeptin in this species. Next, the researchers will use molecular techniques to visualize the neurons producing kisspeptin and whether the activity or shape of these neurons change in response to social cues. Finally, the researchers will test if kisspeptin treatment affects a male's aggressive or reproductive behavior and whether kisspeptin interacts with testosterone, a circulating hormone known to influence aggression in vertebrates. This project will expand our knowledge of the neural circuitry mediating brain and environment interaction. It will also provide insight into the evolution of genes responsible for social behavior. Furthermore, this project will provide a valuable platform for engaging two undergraduate students and students from the local community in learning about neuroscience.