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Virginie Canoine
Currently: Max Planck Ornithology Institute
Formerly: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiological Science,
UCLA
Research Interests:
My main research interest is the hormonal regulation of aggressive behavior
in birds, which might differ between species, individuals, context,
seasons and environments. In many bird species males establish a territory
to defend resources such as food or nesting sites in order to increase
survival and/or reproductive success. In bird species breeding in temperate
zones aggressive and reproductive behaviors are regulated by seasonally
fluctuating androgens produced in the gonads. However tropical bird
species express aggressive behavior throughout the year although plasma
levels of androgen remain basal and do not vary seasonally. It might
be that tropical bird species have evolved a mechanism controlling aggressive
behavior that differs from those of temperate zone birds. This issue
has been investigated in the Spotted Antbird. This bird species breeds
seasonally and shows clear seasonal cycles in gonadal size and LH production.
Spotted Antbirds are aggressive year round, although plasma levels of
T are basal or non-detectable most time of the year. Hau et al. (2000)
have shown that in the spotted Antbird androgens are involved in the
control of aggressive behavior in a reproductive context. The focus
of my work is to study whether in Spotted Antbirds the control mechanism
of aggressive behavior differs seasonally (as in temperate zone birds).
Moreover we are asking if aggressive behavior is regulated by androgens
(or other hormones) that derive from other sources than the gonads.
Recent studies have shown that the avian brain contains almost all enzymes
necessary to produce sex steroids (link to Barney Schlinger). Using
molecular techniques I am studying the activity and expression of steroidogenic
enzymes in the brain, adrenal and gonads of both male and female spotted
Antbirds in relation to reproductive condition and seasons. In the present
work I am investigating in the neuroendocrine control mechanisms of
aggressive behavior in a tropical bird, the Spotted Antbird in collaboration
with Barney Schlinger.
E-mail: vcanoine@physci.ucla.edu
Education:
M.Sc., Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (Biology)
ãActivational effects of gonadal steroids on the regulation of
the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal-axis on rats." Max-Planck-Institute
for Psychiatry, Munich, Germany, Advisor: Dr. O.F.X. Almeida.
Ph.D., Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (Biology)
ãSeasonal differences in the endocrine control of aggressive
behaviour in captive and freeliving stonechats.ä
Max-Planck-Research-Centre for Ornithology, Andechs, Germany,
Supervisor: Prof. E. Gwinner.
Publications:
Almeida, O. F. X., Canoine, V., Ali, S., Holsboer,
F., Patchev, V.K. (1997). Activational Effects of Gonadal Steroids on
Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Regulation in the Rat Disclosed by
Response to Dexamethasone Suppression. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 9:129-134.
*Canoine, V. and Gwinner, E. (2002). Seasonal differences in
the hormonal control of territorial aggression in free living European
Stonechats. Hormones and Behavior 41:1-8.
Canoine, V., Hayden T. J., Rowe, K. and
Goymann, W. (2002). The maximal stress response of European stonechats
depends on the type of stressor. Behaviour 139:
1303-1312.
*reported in Max-Planck Forschung,
„Schwarzkehlchen Im Dummy-test “ 2/2002, p.50-53.
Published Abstracts:
Raess M., Rödl, T., Canoine, V.,Van’t Hof, T.
(1998). Is singing in wintering common stonechats (Saxicola torquata)
associated with territory density? In : Adams, N.J. and R.H. Slotow
(eds). Proc. XXII Int. Ornithol. Congr., Durban. Ostrich 69:
265.
Canoine V., Van’t Hof, T., Gwinner E. (2000).
Stress-response in stonechats (Saxicola torquata): Differences between
the sexes and seasons. Trabajos del Instituto Cajal, 77.
Canoine, V. and Gwinner, E. (2002). Seasonality
in androgenic control of aggressive behavior in captive European
Stonechats (Saxicola torquata). Hormones and Behavior 41:
446.
Fusani, F., Schultz, J.D., Canoine, V., Donaldson,
Z., Reineman, D.R., Schlinger, B.A. (2002). Androgen control of a
complex avian courtship behavior. Program No. 781.4. 2002 Abstract
Viewer/Itinerary Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience.
CD-ROM.
Canoine, V., Fusani, L., Schlinger, B.A. and
Hau, M. (2003). Expression of androgen receptor, estrogen receptor, and
aromatase in the brain of a tropical bird, the Spotted Antbird: Mapping
and seasonal comparison. Proceedings of the 2 nd International
Meeting on Steroids and Nervous system, Torino, Italy, 202.
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