Sex hormone regulated BDNF
Falk Dittrich, Judith Kammerlander, Anja Lohrentz, Christina Reusch
In several studies we and others have shown that the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has relatively high expression in HVC (high vocal center) and is a key mediator of sex hormone effects in song development. To understand the gene regulation mechanisms that are involved in the induction of BDNF expression by sex hormones, we are studying the structure of the zebra finch BDNF gene and its promoters. Viral vectors for effective BDNF transcripts are used to investigate BDNF functions in the song control nuclei.