Development of metabolic response in male quail brain during sexual maturation

Brain Research
R Teruyama, M M Beck

Abstract

Seasonal reproductive activities of Japanese quail Coturnix japonica are induced most obviously by stimulatory effects of long-day photoperiod. This study addressed the metabolic response, as measured by 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), in brain of male quail during sexual maturation. At 7 weeks of age, reproductively quiescent quail exposed to a short photoperiod of 6L:18D, received 2-DG on day 0 and +3, +6, +9, +12, +15 and +18 days after onset of 16L:8D. Brains were processed for autoradiography; serum testosterone was measured to indicate reproductive response to photoperiod. Circulating testosterone remained low until day 9, then rose sharply, reaching maximum levels at day 18. Heavily labeled nuclei were identified in some discrete neural pathways: both tectofugal and thalamofugal visual pathways, ascending auditory pathway, efferent vocalization pathway, and limbic structures. Metabolic activity of the terminal nucleus (ectostriatum) of the tectofugal pathway increased significantly by day 18, but in the terminal nuclei (the Wulst) of the thalamofugal visual pathway activity did not change significantly. Energy metabolism of some nuclei of the auditory pathway rose significantly by day 3, although in the vocal pathway it did not s...Continue Reading

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