[C-14] 2-DEOXYGLUCOSE UPTAKE IN THE BRAIN OF THE RING DOVE (STREPTOPELIA-RISORIA) .1. PROLACTIN-INDUCED UPTAKE

Quantitative [C-14]2-deoxyglucose (2DG) autoradiography was used to identify areas of the ring dove brain involved in the expression of incubation behaviour. Compared with non-breeding controls, 2DG uptake was increased in birds of both sexes during late incubation in all areas of the fore-, mid- and hind-brain examined. This increase occurred irrespective of whether the birds were sitting on their eggs at the time of 2DG administration. A similar pattern of 2DG uptake into the brain was observed in non-breeding females treated with 30 LU. ovine prolactin (i.p.) twice daily for 5 days. It is concluded that there is a generalised increase in neural activity in the brain of doves during late incubation which may be dependent on increased concentrations of plasma prolactin.