Abstract
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-α) mRNA with that of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (TH-IR) in the brainstems of male canaries. Areas containing AR and ER-α 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-α within CA cell groups suggests that sex steroid hormones may modulate song production at the site of CA synthesis.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 189-192 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Neuroscience Letters |
Volume | 311 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 5 2001 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Androgen receptor
- Area ventralis
- Central gray
- Estrogen receptor
- Locus ceruleus
- Song
- Tyrosine hydroxylase
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)