Research Interests
I am interested in how differing levels of steroids during the pubertal period affect neural development and adult social behaviors. My research in the Sisk Lab will investigate the effects of anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) administration during puberty. In my research I treat pubertal female Syrian hamsters with AAS to investigate changes in both aggressive and sexual behaviors, as well as examine possible morphological changes in the brain that result as a consequence of AAS administration during this developmental period. I also am investigating how environmental enrichment may compensate for a lack of gonadal hormones during the pubertal period in activating adult social behaviors.
Selected Publications
Molenda-Figueira, H.A., Williams, C.A., Griffin, A.L., Rutledge, E.M., Blaustein, J.D. and Tetel, M.J. (2006) Nuclear receptor coactivators function in estrogen receptor- and progestin receptor-dependent aspects of sexual behavior in female rats. Hormones and Behavior, 50:383-392.
Molenda, H.A., Kilts, C.P., Allen, R.L. and Tetel, M.J. (2003) Minireview: Nuclear receptor coactivator function in reproductive physiology and behavior. Biology of Reproduction, 69:1449-1457.
Molenda, H.A., Griffin, A.L., Auger, A.P., McCarthy, M.M. and Tetel, M.J. (2002) Nuclear receptor coactivators modulate hormone-dependent gene expression in brain and female reproductive behavior in rats. Endocrinology,143:436-444.
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Heather Molenda-Figueira