Metabolic Regulation of the Onset of Puberty

The overall objective of this research is to understand the mechanisms whereby growth-related cues influence the rate of sexual maturation and onset of puberty.  Specifically, to determine the central nervous system pathways and the signal(s) which they transduce from growth to the reproductive system.  The female rat will be used as they animal model.  The specific aim is to determine the role of a specific catecholaminergic neurotransmitter pathway in central energy partitioning, and thereby in regulating reproductive function and feeding behavior in the developing female rat.