Biomedical subjects

Yukari Takeuchi

Publications and source records attributed to Yukari Takeuchi.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Hormonal control of grooming behavior in domestic goats.

In this study, further documentation of the modulation of self-grooming by testosterone was provided by an experiment which showed that self oral grooming in long-term castrated male goats of the dwarf Shiba breed was significantly down-regulated to one-third of the baseline grooming rate by testosterone supplementation. Observations on grooming in gonadally intact female Shiba goats in the summer (July) and in the fall (October) showed that the oral grooming rate was significantly higher in the fall, occurring at about twice the rate in the summer. The female oral grooming rate in the fall was the same as the baseline rate of castrated males before testosterone supplementation. The seasonal increase in females was not attributed to changes in gonadal hormones. The adaptive significance of hormonal regulation of the timing mechanism for grooming in both male and female goats, and possibly other ungulates, is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Behavior genetics.

The influence of hereditary and environmental factors is indispensable as the foundation on which the temperament of an animal is formed. Genetic research on animal temperament has experienced a turning point in recent years as a result of the development of molecular biology. In the near future, it may be possible to explain the formation process of animal temperament as the two fields share their research. We look forward to applying these research results to the development of new genetic treatment methods for problem behavior and training programs suited to the individual.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Molecular cloning of canine monoamine oxidase subtypes A (MAOA) and B (MAOB) cDNAs and their expression in the brain.

The role of monoamine oxidase has been shown to be related to some behavioral changes including aggression and cognitive dysfunction. In order to demonstrate the basic expression patterns of monoamine oxidase in the canine brain, we determined the full-length nucleotide sequences of cDNA for canine monoamine oxidase type A (MAOA) and type B (MAOB) genes that were isolated from the canine brain cDNA library. Oligonucleotide primers for PCR were constructed based on the conserved sequences reported thus far for other mammalian species. The nucleotide sequences had open reading frames of 1584 and 1563 bp for MAOA and MAOB, respectively. Both of these genes showed relatively high homology with other species in both nucleotide (> 81%) and deduced amino acid (> 85%) sequences. In Northern blot analyses MAOA mRNA was expressed broadly in various parts of the canine brain, whereas MAOB mRNA was found only in specific brain regions, such as the hypothalamus, hippocampus, brain stem and olfactory bulb. These results suggest that MAOA and MAOB mRNAs have subtype-specific expression patterns in the canine brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Alleviating effects of plant-derived fragrances on stress-induced hyperthermia in rats.

In the present study, the effects of exposure to plant-derived odors on the autonomic and behavioral responses to novel environment were examined in rats. Male rats (n=42) carrying a telemetry transmitter were individually housed, and on the test day each rat was transferred to a new cage containing bedding that had been sprayed immediately before testing with 200 microl of 0.03% dilution of either lavender essential oil, green leaf odor (a mixture of hexenol and hexenal), alpha-pinene, or solvent (triethyl citrate) as a control. Following the transfer to this novel environment, the body temperature of the rats increased by nearly 1 degrees C, showing a stress-induced hyperthermia. Stress-induced hyperthermia was attenuated by the green odor and the alpha-pinene, but not by the lavender or solvent. There was no clear effect of fragrances on heart rate or behavioral responses. These results suggest that plant-derived fragrances, such as green odor and alpha-pinene, have calming effects on autonomic stress response to novel environments.

Animals↗