Nature Communications：发现控制性欲的神经元

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在从果蝇到人类的很多物种中，雄性性欲一般都随年龄增长而下降。以前的研究已将性欲与神经传输物多巴胺联系起来，但在这项研究之前，尚不知道多巴胺是怎样控制性欲的。

近日，在Nature Communications上发表的一项研究报告说，果蝇性欲随年龄增长的下降可以被逆转。研究人员在衰老雄性果蝇的脑中发现了调控求偶行为的一小群神经元 PPL2ab neurons。

Tsai-feng Fu及其同事报告说，恢复衰老雄性果蝇脑中一小群神经元内的多巴胺水平，会导致更频繁的求偶行为。在正常情况下，这些神经元内的多巴胺水平以及求偶行为的频率都随年龄增长而下降。本文作者显示，当他们人工逆转多巴胺水平随年龄增长所发生的下降时，求偶行为会得到恢复。

目前还不知道其他物种是否也有一个相似的机制。这些发现增进了我们对性欲的神经生物学的认识，也为未来有关性功能障碍的治疗方法的研究工作提供了更多可能性。

来源：生物360

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PPL2ab neurons restore sexual responses in aged Drosophila males through dopamine


Shu-Yun Kuo,        Chia-Lin Wu,        Min-Yen Hsieh,        Chen-Ta Lin,        Rong-Kun Wen,        Lien-Cheng Chen, Yu-Hui Chen,        Yhu-Wei Yu,        Horng-Dar Wang,        Yi-Ju Su,        Chun-Ju Lin,        Cian-Yi Yang,        Hsien-Yu Guan,        Pei-Yu Wang,        Tsuo-Hung Lan        & Tsai-Feng Fu
AffiliationsContributionsCorresponding author

Male sexual desire typically declines with ageing. However, our understanding of the neurobiological basis for this phenomenon is limited by our knowledge of the brain circuitry and neuronal pathways controlling male sexual desire. A number of studies across species suggest that dopamine (DA) affects sexual desire. Here we use genetic tools and behavioural assays to identify a novel subset of DA neurons that regulate age-associated male courtship activity in Drosophila. We find that increasing DA levels in a subset of cells in the PPL2ab neuronal cluster is necessary and sufficient for increased sustained courtship in both young and aged male flies. Our results indicate that preventing the age-related decline in DA levels in PPL2ab neurons alleviates diminished courtship behaviours in male Drosophila. These results may provide the foundation for deciphering the circuitry involved in sexual motivation in the male Drosophila brain.

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/201 ... ull/ncomms8490.html