Neural steroid sensitivity and aggression: comparing individuals of two songbird subspecies.

ABSTRACT: Hormones coordinate the expression of complex phenotypes and thus may play important roles in evolutionary processes. When populations diverge in hormone-mediated phenotypes, differences may arise via changes in circulating hormones, sensitivity to hormones or both. Determining the relative importance of signal and sensitivity requires consideration of both inter- and intrapopulation variation in hormone levels, hormone sensitivity and phenotype, but such studies are rare, particularly among closely related taxa. We compared males of two subspecies of the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) for territorial aggression and associations among behaviour, circulating testosterone (T), and gene expression of androgen receptor (AR), aromatase (AROM) and oestrogen receptor α in three behaviourally re

SUBMITTER: Bergeon Burns CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3622748 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature