Rw. Lea et al., [C-14] 2-DEOXYGLUCOSE UPTAKE IN THE BRAIN OF THE RING DOVE (STREPTOPELIA-RISORIA) .1. PROLACTIN-INDUCED UPTAKE, Brain research, 700(1-2), 1995, pp. 129-136
Quantitative [C-14]2-deoxyglucose (2DG) autoradiography was used to id
entify areas of the ring dove brain involved in the expression of incu
bation behaviour. Compared with non-breeding controls, 2DG uptake was
increased in birds of both sexes during late incubation in all areas o
f the fore-, mid- and hind-brain examined. This increase occurred irre
spective of whether the birds were sitting on their eggs at the time o
f 2DG administration. A similar pattern of 2DG uptake into the brain w
as observed in non-breeding females treated with 30 LU. ovine prolacti
n (i.p.) twice daily for 5 days. It is concluded that there is a gener
alised increase in neural activity in the brain of doves during late i
ncubation which may be dependent on increased concentrations of plasma
prolactin.