Author:
Fujita Toshiyuki,Aoki Naoya,Mori Chihiro,Homma Koichi J.,Yamaguchi Shinji
Abstract
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a phylogenetically conserved neurotransmitter and modulator. Neurons utilizing serotonin have been identified in the central nervous systems of all vertebrates. In the central serotonergic system of vertebrate species examined so far, serotonergic neurons have been confirmed to exist in clusters in the brainstem. Although many serotonin-regulated cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functions have been elucidated in mammals, equivalents remain poorly understood in non-mammalian vertebrates. The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge of the anatomical organization and molecular features of the avian central serotonergic system. In addition, selected key functions of serotonin are briefly reviewed. Gene association studies between serotonergic system related genes and behaviors in birds have elucidated that the serotonergic system is involved in the regulation of behavior in birds similar to that observed in mammals. The widespread distribution of serotonergic modulation in the central nervous system and the evolutionary conservation of the serotonergic system provide a strong foundation for understanding and comparing the evolutionary continuity of neural circuits controlling corresponding brain functions within vertebrates. The main focus of this review is the chicken brain, with this type of poultry used as a model bird. The chicken is widely used not only as a model for answering questions in developmental biology and as a model for agriculturally useful breeding, but also in research relating to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional processes. In addition to a wealth of prior research on the projection relationships of avian brain regions, detailed subdivision similarities between avian and mammalian brains have recently been identified. Therefore, identifying the neural circuits modulated by the serotonergic system in avian brains may provide an interesting opportunity for detailed comparative studies of the function of serotonergic systems in mammals.
Subject
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience,Molecular Biology
Reference223 articles.
1. Characterization of the intronic VNTR polymorphisms found in a paralog of chicken serotonin transporter gene;Abe;Anim. Sci. J.,2013
2. Combinatorial expression of Lef1, Lhx2, Lhx5, Lhx9, Lmo3, Lmo4, and Prox1 helps to identify comparable subdivisions in the developing hippocampal formation of mouse and chicken;Abellan;Front. Neuroanat.,2014
3. Subdivisions and derivatives of the chicken subpallium based on expression of LIM and other regulatory genes and markers of neuron subpopulations during development;Abellán;J. Comp. Neurol.,2009
4. The evolutionary origin of the mammalian isocortex: towards an integrated developmental and functional approach;Aboitiz;Behav. Brain Sci.,2003
5. Optogenetic insights on the relationship between anxiety-related behaviors and social deficits;Allsop;Front. Behav. Neurosci.,2014
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献