aggressive behavior declines. Thevictorious hamster subsequentlyreminds his submissive counterpartof his dominance through flankmarking, a form of scent marking.Interestingly, female Syrian ham-sters are much more aggressive thanmales.

In the first study, Harmonassessed OT’s effect on aggressionby injecting it directly into the medi-al preoptic anterior hypothalamic(MPOA-AH) continuum, a region ofthe brain thought to integrate awide variety of hormonal and socialinputs related to aggression, repro-duction, and communication.Injecting OT into the MPOA-AHsharply reduced the normal dura-tion of aggression between twofemales during their initialencounter. In contrast, whenHarmon administered an OT anato-gonist, the duration of aggressivebehavior was much longer.

In the second experiment, theresearch team assessed the influenceof social experience and context on

flank marking in socially experi-enced, dominant hamsters that hadbeen injected with OT. The scientistsfound that those hamsters that hadpreviously established their domi-nance displayed flank markingbehavior when reintroduced to sub-ordinates. Such behavior, on theother hand, was not observed whenthe dominant hamsters that hadbeen injected with OT were intro-duced to strangers or left alone.

“As a social relationship forms,OT release reduces aggression andincreases flank marking,” explainedHarmon. “One of the most interest-ing features of these findings is thatOT has no effect on flank markingbehavior if the dominant/subordi-nate relationship had not been previ-ously established. This suggests to usthat social experience alters theresponse of the MPOA-AH to OTrelease.”

Harmon is now investigatinghow social experience and contextalters the response of this region ofthe brain to OT. For example, hewants to know whether the number

of OT receptors increase during theformation of social hierarchies.

“These studies give us a clearerpicture of the neural mechanismsresponsible for the formation andmaintenance of social relationships,”said Harmon. “They also demon-strate the brain’s ability to adaptdepending on social experience andcontext.”

Results from the OT studiesappear in Neuroscience (Vol. 109, No.4, pp. 767-772) and the Journal ofNeuroendocrinology (in press).Harmon’s co-authors includeAlbers, Tim Moore, Ph.D., and KimHuhman, Ph.D., of the CBN’sAggression Collaboratory and theDepartments of Biology andPsychology at Georgia StateUniversity.■

recent publications

research

4

Oxytocin’s Action Dependent on Social Experience and Context

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Ferguson, J.N., Young, L.J., Insel,T.R. The Neuroendocrine Basis ofSocial Recognition. Frontiers inNeuroendocrinology 23:200-224.

Harmon, A.C., Moore, T.O.,Huhman, K.L., Albers, H.E. Socialexperience and social context alterthe behavioral response to centrallyadministered oxytocin in femalehamsters. Neuroscience 109(4):767-772.

Mintz, E.M., Jasnow, A.M.,Gillespie, C.F., Huhman, K.L.,Albers, H.E. GABA Interacts withPhotic Signaling in the SCN toRegulate Circadian Phase Shifts.

Neuroscience 109(4):773-778.

Parr, L.A., Winslow, J.T., Davis, M.Rearing experience differentiallyaffects somatic and cardiac startleresponses in rhesus monkeys(Macaca mulatta). BehavioralNeuroscience 116:378-86.

Patisaul, H.B., Whitten P.L., Melby,M., Young, L.J. Genistein affectsERb but not ERa-dependent geneexpression in the hypothalamus.Endocrinology 143:2189-2197.

Walker, D., Ressler, K.J., Lu K-T.,Davis, M. Facilitation of conditioned

fear extinction by systemic adminis-tration or intra-amygdala infusionsof D-cycloserine as assessed withfear-potentiated startle in rats.J Neuroscience 22(6):2343-2351.

Whitten, P.L., Patisaul, H.B., Young,L.J. Neurobehavioral actions ofcoumestrol and related isoflavonoidsin rodents. Neurotoxicology andTeratology 24: 1-8.

Winslow, J.T., Parr, L.A., Davis, M.Acoustic startle prepulse inhibitionand fear-potentiated startle mea-sured in rhesus monkeys. BiologicalPsychiatry 51:859-866.

Editor & designer: Poul Olson

A publication of the Center for BehavioralNeuroscience (404) 727-8625

CBNSynapse

SynapseCBNSummer 2002A quarterly publication of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience Vol. 3, No. 3

A Perfect Fit for the New Associate Director

CBN research conducted byGeorgia State University doctoral

student Alvin Harmon has deter-mined that social experience andsocial context influence how oxytocin(OT) regulates aggression and com-munication in female Syrian ham-sters. The finding suggests that neu-rocircuits that release oxytocin play acritical role in coordinating theexpression of behaviors essential forthe formation and maintenance ofsocial relationships in hamsters.

Working in the laboratory ofElliott Albers, Ph.D., co-director ofthe CBN, Harmon made the findingin two studies of Syrian hamsters, aspecies commonly used for studiesof social behavior and whose rigidsocial hierarchy is formed throughaggressive behavior.

When two Syrian hamsters firstencounter one another, they fight toestablish dominance. After the socialhierarchy has been determined,

OxytocinRegulatesSocial Conflict

For as long as she realized her call-ing to science, Kelly Powell, Ph.D.,

knew that she wanted to be involvedin research. However, it was duringher first appointment as a teachingprofessor in the psychology depart-ment at Tennessee’s Lee Universitythat she discovered her affinity foradministration.

“I have always taken on admin-istrative tasks even when my job

didn’t call for them,” saidPowell. “In some ways, I’mprobably more talented as anadministrator.”

That realization in partbrought Powell to the CBN inMay as its new associatedirector, a newly created posi-tion recommended by theExternal Advisory Board.Among her duties, Powelloversees the daily administra-tive matters of the Center,including managing theVenture Grant Program, orga-nizing annual reports and

renewal, and ensuring implementa-tion of its strategic plan.

Powell has spent her firstmonths familiarizing herself withthe CBN’s programs and personnel.In addition to identifying anddeveloping strategies to meet theneeds of the Center, she has beenencouraging faculty to see her asthe primary point of contact formeeting their needs.

“I want to take much of theadministrative burden off the shoul-ders of the faculty so that they canfocus on their primary goals,” saidPowell.

Powell, who earned her doctor-ate degree in experimental psychol-ogy from the University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill, completeda post-doctoral fellowship at EmoryUniversity in 1999 in the lab ofSteve Holtzman, Ph.D., of theSchool of Medicine’s Department ofPharmacology.

In her free time, Powell, a native

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Alvin Harmon monitors female Syrian hamsters as theyestablish a social hierarchy during their initial encounter.

SparkingYoung MindsSome 60 CBN faculty mem-bers and their families turnedout for the CBN’s first familynight on July 9 at SciTrek. Thefun-filled evening featured bar-becue and guided tours of thetraveling exhibit “BRAIN: TheWorld Inside Your Head.” Atleft, Jeff Kitzler, husband ofKim Gernert of the MolecularCore, explains to his son the“Boost Your Brain” interactiveexhibit that demonstrates theimportance of activities thatpromote brain health.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

It’s that time again. Our AnnualReport to NSF is due at the end of

this month. For the third time, we arecounting papers, grants, and studentsto come up with various measures ofprogress for the Center. The news isgood. We have published 32 paperson CBN research, including six in TheJournal of Neuroscience. We have sever-al new large grants, most notably forour educational program. And wehave recruited 15 new faculty, 34graduate students, and 11 post-doc-toral fellows. So we have muchprogress to report. In fact, looking atour Strategic Plan, we are on scheduleor ahead of schedule for most of ourmajor goals.

But the CBN still faces someimportant challenges ahead. Weneed to ensure that our science is

breaking new ground. Our originalmission spoke of moving behavioralneuroscience to a new level bydeveloping tools to focus on theneurobiology of complex socialbehavior. This will take more thanthree years and require furtherdevelopment of the CBN cores.Recent recruitments to the coresshould help to move this programforward, but we are still severalmonths, perhaps more than a year,away from being able to deliver thetools needed for single cell RNAprofiling, imaging, viral vectors, andother technologies needed in ourcollaboratory efforts.

The CBN is also undergoingsome administrative changes. SoniaHayden, who has been the heartand soul of this Center for the past

three years,will be movingto work full-time for theNeuroscienceGraduate Programat Emory University.Sonia has been an irreplaceableforce within the CBN, not only agreat organizer for CBN events, butalso the “go to” person for theBoard, students, and me. All of uswill miss her, although knowingthat she will still be close at hand asthe heart and soul of the neuro-science program helps a little. Wewish her the best in her new posi-tion and we are all grateful for herextraordinary service to the CBNfrom its inception.

—Tom Insel, CBN director■

director ’s corner

2

Major Goals Within Reach

Tom Insel

CALENDAR OF EVENTSAUGUST-OCTOBER 2002

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Monday, Aug. 19 — Science and Technology Centers directors meet-ing, Emory Conference Center hotel

Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 9-11 — NSF site visit

Sunday, Sept. 21 (time t.b.a.) — CBN Graduate student/faculty picnic,W.D. Thompson Park on Mason Mill Rd. near Yerkes Research Center

Tuesday, Sept. 23 — CBN Seminar, “Sexual differentiation of thebrain: A direct role for sex chromosome genes.” Art Arnold, Ph.D., pro-fessor and chair, Department of Physiological Sciences, UCLA.Seminar Room, Yerkes Research Center

Tuesday, Oct. 8 — CBN Seminar, “The faculty of language: What is itand how has it evolved?” Marc Hauser, Ph.D., Department ofPsychology, Harvard University. Whitehead Biomedical ResearchBuilding, Emory University, first floor auditorium.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 — CBN Seminar, “Social regulation of vertebrate sexchange: From ecology to molecular biology.” Matthew Grober, Ph.D.,Dept. of Biology, Georgia State University. Morehouse College ScienceEducation Bldg., first floor conference room.■

of Wilmington, N.C., enjoys back-packing, skiing, gardening, andreading. Powell can be reached viaemail kpowell@rmy.emory. edu.■

Powell Shoulders CBNAdministrative Burden

KellyPowell

3

educat ion

GOT BRAINS?Fifteen teachers from the Atlanta

and Dekalb County Public Schoolsparticipated in a summer workshopco-sponsored by the CBN, ThePfizer Foundation, Georgia StateUniversity, and SciTrek. The five-day program, which was held atSciTrek, included guided tours ofthe exhibit titled “BRAIN: TheWorld Inside Your Head” and sup-plemental lectures by CBN work-shop leaders. Participants alsodeveloped and peer-tested curricu-lum units around content presentedin the BRAIN exhibit. The work-shop included a primer on basicbrain anatomy and physiology, andneurological disease states. TheCBN provided the participants witha variety of resources for develop-ing hands-on teaching activitiesdesigned to enhance understandingof the brain.

BRAIN CAMPS

In conjunction with SciTrek’sBRAIN exhibit, the CBN Precollegeand Public Education Committeesponsored four half-day workshopsfor students grades 3-6 this summer.CBN summer intern MauriceHarrison led tours of the exhibit forstudents from the Ben CarsonScience Academic at MorehouseSchool of Medicine, Robert ShawTheme School, IBM EXCITETechnology Camp for Girls, andCool Girls, Inc. After a lesson incomparative neuroantamony usingmodels and specimens from theCBN Lending Library, campers cre-ated an imaginary animal and mod-eled its brain using Play-Doh.Campers also touched a humanbrain and participated in an EEG

demonstration. Atlanta’sPBS affiliate, WPBA-Ch.30, filmed the first BrainCamp for an episode ofits television program“Making the Grade,”which will air Aug. 12 at9 p.m.

GIFT UPDATEThe CBN continued

to focus on integratingresearch and educationover the summer throughGeorgia Tech’s GeorgiaIndustrial Fellowship forTeachers program.William Bagot, a fellowfrom Douglas High School,and John Pecore, a fellow from TheGalloway School, are working withMelissa Demetrikopoulos, Ph.D.,Morehouse College, and JordanRose, CBN outreach coordinator, todevelop web-based curriculummaterials based on the content ofthe “BRAIN: The World Inside YourHead” exhibit. The curriculum willbe aligned with Georgia andNational Education Standards andwill integrate aspects of CBN collab-oratory research.

Among the teaching projectsunder development are an explo-ration of social development andendocrine pharmacology in mon-keys—a partnership betweenEmory’s Jim Winslow, Ph.D., andJehoshaphat Jones of the SouthsideHigh School. Adrienne Doanes ofTherrel High School is workingwith Education Program DirectorPat Marsteller, Ph.D., to restructurethe Atlanta Public School PhysicalScience Curriculum to ensure thatscientific and technical concepts are

integrated rather than taught asunrelated information. The effortwill focus, for example, on how topresent lab safety and chemistryconcepts simultaneously.

REU PROGRAM LAUNCHED

Twenty-seven underrepresentedminority students participated inthe inaugural behavioral neuro-science summer program at EmoryUniversity from May 29 to Aug. 1.Under the auspices of the NationalScience Foundation’s ResearchExperiences for UndergraduatesProgram, the internship exposedparticipants, who are freshmen andsophomores, to technical and theo-retical frameworks of diverse modelsystems and interdisciplinaryapproaches to neuroscience. Thestudents also worked closely withgraduate students, post-doctoral fel-lows, and faculty to learn about thefundamental skill sets necessary tosucceed in a doctoral program.■

Brains Take Center StageIn Summer Ed Programs

Devon Bethea, an eight-year-old student from DekalbCounty’s Robert Shaw Theme School, touches a human brainas part of the CBN’s half-day summer brain camps.