Thyroid hormone determines the start of the sensitive period of imprinting and primes later learning

Shinji Yamaguchi, Naoya Aoki, Takaaki Kitajima, Eiji Iikubo, Sachiko Katagiri, Toshiya Matsushima and Koichi J. Homma ()
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Shinji Yamaguchi: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Naoya Aoki: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Takaaki Kitajima: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Eiji Iikubo: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Sachiko Katagiri: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Toshiya Matsushima: Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University
Koichi J. Homma: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.

Nature Communications, 2012, vol. 3, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Filial imprinting in precocial birds is the process of forming a social attachment during a sensitive or critical period, restricted to the first few days after hatching. Imprinting is considered to be part of early learning to aid the survival of juveniles by securing maternal care. Here we show that the thyroid hormone 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) determines the start of the sensitive period. Imprinting training in chicks causes rapid inflow of T3, converted from circulating plasma thyroxine by Dio2, type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase, in brain vascular endothelial cells. The T3 thus initiates and extends the sensitive period to last more than 1 week via non-genomic mechanisms and primes subsequent learning. Even in non-imprinted chicks whose sensitive period has ended, exogenous T3 enables imprinting. Our findings indicate that T3 determines the start of the sensitive period for imprinting and has a critical role in later learning.

Date: 2012
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2088

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