John D. Buntin Professor B.A., Colorado College 1969 Ph.D., Rutgers Univ. 1975 Postdoctoral Fellow Univ. of California, Berkeley 1974-76 Princeton Univ. 1976-1979	Office: Lapham N521 Phone: 414-229-5012 FAX: 414-229-3926 Email: buntin@uwm.edu Electronic Reserve Materials:
Behavioral Neuroendocrinology

Research Interests

My research explores the general question of how and where peptide and protein hormones act to influence hormonal changes and behavior involved in reproduction in vertebrates. As a model system, we have focused our attention on the sites and mechanisms of action of the pituitary hormone prolactin in promoting behavioral and neuroendocrine changes that occur in conjunction with parental care in an avian species, the ring dove (Streptopelia risoria). I chose this species for study because it has a rich repertoire of prolactin-sensitive parental behaviors (including nest defense, incubation, brooding of young, regurgitation feeding of young, and foraging to find food for nestlings) and prolactin-sensitive physiological effects (including regression of the gonads and growth of a "milk" producing structure, the crop sac) that are expressed during the incubation and post-hatching phases of the breeding cycle when prolactin levels in the blood are elevated. This suggests that prolactin may be important for these events to occur, and our hormone injection studies strongly reinforce this conclusion. We have adopted a variety of experimental approaches to explore the question of how and where prolactin acts to influence these different behavioral and physiological changes. Autoradiographic techniques have been used to map the location of the prolactin receptors in the dove central nervous system. We are currently using this information to identify promising brain areas to investigate as potential sites of prolactin action in altering specific behavior patterns and changes in neuroendocrine function. In these studies, we monitor the behavioral and physiological changes that occur when prolactin is microinjected into different prolactin-sensitive brain regions. We have also used lesioning techniques to identify which of these sites are essential for the display of these various behaviors and neuroendocrine changes. These studies have revealed that the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and the preoptic area are potent sites of prolactin action in promoting foraging behavior but neither site is essential. In contrast, the preoptic area does appear to be essential for the expression of prolactin-induced parental regurgitation feeding behavior. Recently, we have begun to use immunocytochemistry for immediate-early gene products to identify brain areas that exhibit changes in level of activation in response to prolactin injections and changes in the social and physical environment. We are also using immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization to identify neurochemical changes that might mediate the effects of prolactin on behavior and neuroendocrine function. These studies have also revealed that the brain also produces one or more prolactin-like molecules, which raises exciting questions about the relative importance of pituitary prolactin and "brain prolactin" in regulating behavioral changes and changes in patterns of hormone secretion. Our hope is that from these studies, and from comparative studies that we have conducted in other avian species, general principles will emerge that may be applicable to the question of how prolactin acts to alter brain function and behavior in a variety of vertebrates.

Selected Publications

Ramakrishnan S., Strader A.S., Wimpee B., Chen P., Smith M.S., Buntin J.D. 2007. Evidence for increased Neuropeptide Y synthesis in mediobasal hypothalamus in relation to parental hyperphagia and gonadal activation in ring doves, Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 10: 1-9. Buntin L., Berghman L.R., Buntin J.D. 2006. Patterns of Fos-Like Immunoreactivity in the Brains of Parent Doves Given Tactile and Non-Tactile Exposure to their Young, Behavioral Neuroscience, 120: 651-664. Koch K.A., Wingfield J.C., Buntin J.D. 2004. Prolactin-induced parental hyperphagia in ring doves: are glucocorticoids involved? Hormones and Behavior, 46: 498-505. Strader, A.D. Schiöth, H.B., and Buntin, J.D. 2003. The role of the melanocortin system and the melanocortin-4 receptor in ring dove (Streptopelia risoria) feeding behavior. Brain Research, 960:112-121. Strader, A.D. and Buntin, J.D. 2003. The role of the melanocortin system and the melanocortin-4 receptor in ring dove (Streptopelia risoria) feeding behavior. Brain Research 960:112-121. Koch, K.A., Wingfield, J.C., and Buntin, J.D. 2002. Glucocorticoids and parental hyperphagia in ring doves (Streptopelia risoria). Hormones and Behavior 41: 9-21. Strader, A.D. and Buntin J.D. 2001. Neuropeptide Y in the ring dove hypothalamus: a possible mediator of prolactin-induced feeding and regulator of energy balance. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 13: 386-392. Gamoke, C.A., Moore, J.C. and Buntin, J.D. 2000. Motivational influences underlying prolactin-induced hyperphagia in doves. Behavioral Neuroscience 114: 963-971. Ramesh, R., Kuenzel, W.J., Buntin, J.D., and Proudman, J.A. 2000. Identification of growth hormone and prolactin-containing neurons within the avian brain. Cell and Tissue Research, 299: 371-383. Buntin, J.D. 1999. Parental behavior in birds. In: E. Knobil and J.D. Neill (eds). Encyclopedia of Reproduction Vol 3, Academic Press N.Y. pp. 40-50. Buntin, J.D., Advis, J.P., Ottinger, M.A., Lea, R.W., and Sharp, P.J. 1999. An analysis of physiological mechanisms underlying the antigonadotropic action of intracranial prolactin in ring doves. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 114: 97-107. Buntin, J.D., Hnasko, R.M., and Zuzick, P.H. 1999. The role of the ventromedial hypothalamus in prolactin-induced hyperphagia in ring doves. Physiology and Behavior, 66: 255-261. Wang, Q. and Buntin, J.D. 1999. The roles of stimuli from young, previous breeding experience, and prolactin in regulating parental behavior in ring doves (Streptopelia risoria). Hormones and Behavior, 35: 241-253. Buntin, J.D., M.E. El Halawani, M.A. Ottinger, Y. Fan and A.J. Fivizzani. 1998. An analysis of sex and breeding stage differences in prolactin binding activity in brain and hypothalamic GnRH concentration in Wilsons phalarope, a sex role-reversed species. General and Comparative Endocrinology 109: 119-132. Schoech, S.J., Ketterson, E.D., Nolan, V., Sharp, P.J., and Buntin J.D. 1998. The effect of exogenous testosterone on parental behavior, plasma prolactin, and prolactin binding sites in dark-eyed juncos. Hormones and Behavior 34: 1-11.