• 作者： 蔡元奮; 王慧如; 戴美雲; 盧國賢
• 作者服務機構： 國立臺灣大學醫學院生理學科; 國立臺灣大學醫學院解剖學科
• 中文摘要： 本實驗旨在測量雌鼠鋤鼻系統(vomeronasal system)內正腎上腺素(norepinephrine)之濃度，觀察其對費洛蒙(pheromone)化學信號一雄鼠尿液一刺激的變化，並比較是否因雌鼠年齡的差異，而形成不同的反應。 實驗動物為年輕(4至5個月)及年老(25至26個月)的Sprague-Dawley雌鼠，俟卵巢切除一個月後，以雌二醇膠囊(17 β-estradiol capsule)種植於其皮下。一週後，將上述處理之雌鼠一側的鋤鼻器(vomeronasal organ)摘除，再經過一週，於中午12時給予雄鼠尿液的嗅覺刺激。在給予嗅覺刺激之前及刺激後之1,2或3小時，斷頭犧牲動物，以顯微刺孔(micropunch)方式分別取出雙側之內杏仁核(medial nucleus of amygdala)、內視前區(medial preoptic area)、下視丘腹內核(ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus)、及終紋底核(bed nucleus of stria terminalis)，利用高壓液相色層分析方法(HPLC)測量上述腦區內正腎上腺素之含量。實驗結果顯示：(1)年輕雌鼠自13時到15時之間內杏仁核及內視前區及自13時到14時之間下視丘腹內核內之正腎上腺素濃度，均較其在12時者為低。(2)在13時到15時之時段內，年輕雌鼠的終紋底核及年老雌鼠在上述各腦區內正腎上腺素的濃度與12時者相比，皆無明顯的改變。(3)雄鼠尿液之連續刺激並不影響年輕或年老雌鼠上述各腦區內正腎上腺素的濃度。 本實驗的結果指出雌鼠鋤鼻系統內部份神經核的正腎上腺素濃度呈起伏之變化，而此種變化隨著年齡的增加而消失。由於年輕及年老雌鼠接受雄鼠尿液刺激後均不會引起上述各腦區內正腎上腺素濃度的改變，因此，吾人推測鋤鼻系統內正腎上腺素可能與費洛蒙所引起的反應無關。
• 英文摘要： Norepinephrine (NE) levels in-brain areas of the vomeronasal system in young (4-5 months) and aged(25-26 months) ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats, which were implanted with a 17 β-estradiol silasticcansule and then exposed to male rat urine, were investigated. The unilateral vomeronasal organ wasremovea in all rats one week before exposure to urine stimulation. NE levels in the medial nucleus of theamygdala (MA), medial preoptic area (MPOA), ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMH) and bednucleus of stria terminalis (BST) were measured. NE concentrations in these brain areas of the surgicalside served as the control. Urine collected from young adult male rats was poured into the female's cageat 12:OOh and the animals were sacrificed before and 1,2, or 3 hours after the male urine was given. TheNE basal levels in the MA and MPOA of young rats decreased significantly from 13:00h to 15:00h, andthose in young rat VMH declined markedly from 13:00h to 14:00h compared to those at 12:00h. Nomarked alterations in NE basal levels in young rat BST were found. In contrast, no obvious changes in theNE concentrations were observed in these brain areas of old rats. Continuous exposure to male urine didnot affect the NE levels in any of these brain areas of young and aged rats. We concluded that (1) the time-dependent fluctuation of the NE basal levels in some brain areas of the vomeronasal system in female ratsis age-related, and (2) the NE in all these nuclei of the vomeronasal system is not involved in pheromone-induced effects.
• 中文關鍵字： norepinephrine; vomeronasal system; pheromone; aging.
• 英文關鍵字： --