Song activation by testosterone is associated with an increased catecholaminergic innervation of the song control system in female canaries
Section snippets
Subjects and neuroendocrine procedures
This study was performed on adult female canaries (Serinus canaria) bought from a local dealer in Liège, Belgium (SPRL G. Guisset & Fils) in the fall (October). Birds were maintained in indoor aviaries in unisexual groups with a maximum of 10 subjects per cage under a photoperiod of 11 h of light: 13 h of dark per day, with food and water available ad libitum. In this way we maintained the birds in a photosensitive reproductive state indicative of late winter– early spring (Nicholls et al., 1988
Morphological and physiological effects of T
A two-way ANOVA with one independent (treatments: T and Control) and one repeated (periods: before and after T) factor identified a significant effect of the hormone treatment (F1,13=12.147, P<0.01), of the period (F1,13=15.598, P<0.01) and of their interaction (F1,13=31.715, P<0.0001) on the cloacal protuberance area. Post hoc comparisons (Tukey HSD) indicated that the mean area of the cloacal protuberance in birds treated with T was significantly different before and after hormonal treatment (
Discussion
In this study, TH immunocytochemistry was used to investigate the potential effects of T in the regulation the CAergic innervation of the telencephalic areas of the SCS in adult female canaries. As previously reported, T stimulated song production and increased the volume of the song control nuclei, HVC and RA (e.g. Nottebohm, 1980). The masculinization of these behavioral and morphological features was however incomplete as attested by the fact that T-treated females sang simpler and shorter
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grants from the NINDS (NS-35467) to GFB and JB and grants from the Belgian FRFC (2.4555.01), the French Community of Belgium (ARC 99/04–241), and the University of Liège (Fonds Spéciaux pour la Recherche) to JB. DA is research fellow with the FNRS.
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2024, Hormones and BehaviorTreatment with androgens plus estrogens cannot reverse sex differences in song and the song control nuclei in adult canaries
2022, Hormones and BehaviorCitation Excerpt :Implant size used here was based on previous research demonstrating their behavioral effectiveness and innocuity in canaries. The 10 mm long T implants are known to increase plasma testosterone concentrations to values that are in the high physiological range (Appeltants et al., 2003; Cornez et al., 2020a; Cornez et al., 2020b; Madison et al., 2015; Sartor et al., 2005). Implants of the same length might possibly induce supraphysiological concentrations of E2 but it must be remembered that diffusion of steroids through Silastic™ tubing decreases with increased polarity (Balthazart and Hirschberg, 1979) and there is evidence that E2 does not enter the brain as easily as T (Liere et al., 2019).
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2019, Physiology and BehaviorBehavioral evidence for sex steroids hypersensitivity in castrated male canaries
2018, Hormones and BehaviorCitation Excerpt :In conclusion, the present data suggest that after long term steroid deprivation (4 months in short days including 3 months as castrates) singing behavior can be fully activated by a very low sex steroid hormone action. In natural conditions, sex steroids modulate the activity of various neurochemical systems that play a role in singing behavior such as catecholamines (Appeltants et al., 2003; Heimovics et al., 2009; Heimovics et al., 2011; Lynch et al., 2008; Maney and Ball, 2003), nonapeptides (Goodson and Adkins-Regan, 1999; Voorhuis et al., 1991) or opioids (Cordes et al., 2015; Riters, 2010; Riters et al., 2005). It is conceivable that after steroid deprivation they can be activated by very low concentrations of steroids or by other signaling mechanisms.