Mitarbeiter im Fachbereich Biologie
| Kaiser, Sylvia, apl. Prof. Dr. rer. nat. |  |
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Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster |
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| wissenschaftlicher Werdegang | |
| - Studium der Biologie, Hauptfach Tierphysiologie: Universität Bayreuth - Promotion zur Dr. rer. nat.: WWU Münster - Post-doc: Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam, Niederlande - Habilitation in Zoologie: WWU Münster |
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| Lehrschwerpunkte | |
| - Verhaltensbiologie/-endokrinologie - Animal Welfare - Grundlagenmodul Biologie (Laborbiologie) |
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| Forschungsschwerpunkte | |
| - Pränatale Beeinflussung von Physiologie und Verhalten - Stress, Stressvermeidung und Wohlergehen |
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| ausgewählte Projekte | |
| The prenatal programming of behaviour in mammals Stressors acting prenatally and/or during the early postnatal period of life can distinctly influence the offsprings´ physiological and behavioural development as well as their reproductive functions. In most experimental studies on prenatal stress pregnant non-human mammals were exposed to non-social stressors. We are interested in the influence of the social environment, which can be during pregnancy crucial for the development of the offspring. Thus we developed a prenatal stress model in guinea pigs. We could show that the stability of the social environment in which the pregnant females live is critical for the offsprings´ social and sexual behaviour later in life as well as for reproductive functioning, endocrine state and androgen and estrogen receptor distribution in specific parts of the brain. We investigate the neuroendocrine mechanisms mediating the influence of the social environment during pregnancy on the offsprings´ behaviour. Furthermore we are interested in the function of these effects: Can mothers adjust their offspring to the environment in which they live during pregnancy in an efficient way or represent the behavioural effects of prenatal social stress pathological consequences of adverse social conditions? Animal welfare Animal welfare is a central topic in modern behavioural biology. Scientific research is needed to answer questions about optimal housing conditions and other welfare issues concerning animals kept by humans. We use different approaches to adress these questions in a variety of mammals. Besides behavioural observations, preference tests are carried out and endocrinological parameters are assessed. Effects of social and non-social factors are elucidated. For example consequences of the presence of a social partner or living in an enriched environment as well as experiences made during ontogeny are investigated. |
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| ausgewählte Publikationen | |
| Sachser, N. and Kaiser, S. (1996): Prenatal social stress masculinizes the females´ behaviour in guinea pigs. Physiology and Behavior 60, 589-594. Kaiser, S. and Sachser, N. (2001): Social stress during pregnancy and lactation affects in guinea pigs the male offsprings´ endocrine status and infantilizes their behaviour. Psychoneuroendocrinology 26, 503-519. Kaiser, S., Kruijver, F.P.M., Swaab, D.F. and Sachser, N. (2003): Early social stress in female guinea pigs induces a masculinization of adult behaviour and corresponding changes in brain and neuroendocrine function. Behavioural Brain Research 144, 199-201. Kaiser, S., Kruijver, F.P.M., Straub, R.H., Sachser, N. and Swaab, D.F. (2003): Early social stress changes adult social behaviour, autonomic and neuroendocrine functions in male guinea pigs. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 15, 761-769. Kaiser, S., Heemann, K., Straub, R.H. and Sachser, N. (2003): The social environment affects behaviour and androgens, but not cortisol in pregnant female guinea pigs. Psychoneuroendocrinology 28, 67-83. Kaiser, S., Nübold, T., Rohlmann, I. and Sachser, N. (2003): Pregnant female guinea pigs adapt easily to a new social environment irrespective of their rearing conditions. Physiology and Behavior 80, 147-153. Kaiser, S., Kirtzeck, M., Hornschuh, G. and Sachser, N. (2003): Sex specific differences in social support -a study in female guinea pigs. Physiology and Behavior 79, 297-303. Sachser, N., Künzl, C. and Kaiser, S. (2004): The welfare of laboratory guinea pigs. In: The welfare of laboratory animals. Kalista, E. (ed.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 181-209. Wewers, D., Kaiser, S. and Sachser, N. (2005): Application of an antiandrogen during pregnancy infantilizes the male offsprings´ behaviour. Behavioural Brain Research 158, 89-95. Kaiser, S. and Sachser, N. (2005): The effects of prenatal social stress on behaviour: mechanisms and function. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 29, 283-294. |
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| ausgewählte Kooperationen | |
| - Prof. Dr. Michael Hennessy, Department of Psychology, Dayton, Ohio, USA - Dr. Frank P. M. Kruijver, Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam, Niederlande - Prof. Dr. Rainer H. Straub, Institut für Innere Medizin, Universität Regensburg-Klinikum, Deutschland - Prof. Dr. Dick F. Swaab, Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam, Niederlande |
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