去势对成年雄性斑胸草雀HVC-RA突触可塑性的影响

应用在体电生理方法研究了去势前后成年雄性斑胸草雀发声运动通路中HVC-RA 突触的可塑性变化，进一步探讨雄激素在调节鸣唱行为中的作用和机制.结果表明:低频刺激可引起 HVC-RA突触群体峰电位幅度的短时程抑制(Short-term depression, STD)，高频刺激可引起群体峰电位幅度的长时程抑制(Long-term depression, LTD).而去势后30 d，鸣曲稳定时再给予同样的条件刺激，发现无论低频或高频刺激，HVC-RA 突触的短时程抑制和长时程抑制现象同时消失.研究结果显示:鸣曲稳定性可能依赖于HVC-RA通路的突触可塑性，雄激素在维持鸣曲稳定过程中发挥重要作用.

The Effect of Castration on the Synaptic Plasticity of HVC-RA in Adult Male Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata)

Songbirds are animal with the ability of vocal learning like human, and the neural basis of vocal learning is similar to the language learning of human. This study investigated the changes in synaptic plasticity of HVC-RA synapses in adult male zebra finches after castration with in vivo electrophysiology technique, analysed the potential functions and mechanisms of androgen in the process of modulating courtship song and song maintaining. The results showed that low frequency stimulation induced short-term depression, high frequency stimulation induced long-term depression in HVC-RA synapses of adult male zebra finches. When the singing was stable after castration, we found that low or high frequency stimulation could not induce long-term or short-term synaptic depression. These results suggested that the stability of singing may depend on HVC-RA synaptic plasticity, and androgens may play an important role in the song stability.