My research
On this page, you will find information about research projects that were carried out in my lab during the last 5 decades. My primary research interests include the neuroendocrine and neurochemical mechanisms of control of reproductive behavior, the steroid-induced brain plasticity in relation to behavior, the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior, and the biological bases of homosexuality. I am committed to advancing knowledge in these areas in research and sharing the reated information with the genral public.
In this section, explore my various research initiatives, collaborations, and findings. For more detailed information, please refer to my publications. A full list can be found in various websites such as:
In pubmed:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=balthazart
In Goggle scholar:
http://scholar.google.fr/citations?user=4A_94KcAAAAJ&hl=en
In Researchgate:
https://www.researchgate.net/search.Search.html?query=Balthazart
The list is also maintained in ORBI, the Repository of the ULiege:
http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/simple-search?query=Jacques+Balthazart
NOTE: Researchgate and ORBI maintain a copy of most full texts of these publications. They are either free to download (openaccess) or can be obtained by clicking on a pdf request.
Research topics over the years
The research group
My research group in behavioral neuroendocrinology was gradually set up in the 1980s within the Laboratory of General and Comparative Biochemistry of Professor Ernest Schoffeniels, and his successor Professor Thierry Grisar at the death of Professor Schoffeniels. All research units working in the field of cellular and molecular neuroscience then came together to form the Center for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, which later became part of GIGA and was renamed GIGA Neuroscience. In 2005, all these units were geographically relocated on the same floor of the Institute of Pharmacy at Sart Tilman (Building B36). The photos below show the evolution of the staff of this group over the years
Research projects
Overall goals
Our research aims at identifying the neuroendocrine and neurochemical mechanisms controlling the sexual differentiation and activation of reproductive behaviors in vertebrates. The metabolism of sex steroids in the brain is considered in particular as well as the interaction between steroids and neurotransmitters. Neuroanatomical and neurochemical sex differences are analyzed to determine to what extent they are responsible for the behavioral and physiological sex differences. We also study the role played by sex steroids in the plasticity of the central nervous system during ontogeny as well as in adulthood.
PROJECTS IN QUAIL
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Neuroendocrinology of male sexual behavior.
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Rapid non-genomic effects of estradiol on male sexual behavior.
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Rapid control via post-translational modifications of preoptic aromatase activity.
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Study of the sexual differentiation of the medial preopic nucleus.
For more information about our research on quail and non-genomic effects of estrogens, see also the Reflexions web site of the University of Liège at the URL:
https://www.reflexions.uliege.be/cms/c_345196/en/neuro-oestradiol-a-two-speed-sexual-hormone?part=1
PROJECTS IN SONGBIRDS
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Seasonal plasticity of the songbird brain. Read more...
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Study of the songbird brain by Magnetic resonance Imaging.
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Endocrine control of singing behavior in canaries.
For more information about our research on songbirds, see also the Reflexions web site of the university of liege at the URL:
https://www.reflexions.uliege.be/cms/c_357055/en/from-birdsong-to-neurodegenerative-diseases?part=1
AND ALSO:
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Sexual differentiation of brain and behavior in quail and zebra finches.
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Interactions Between neurotransmitters and steroids in the control of reproductive behaviors.
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Role of neuropeptides in the control of reproductive behaviors.
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Neuroanatomical and neurochemical sexual dimorphism and control of behavioral and physiological sex differences
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Identification of neural pathways involved in the control of male sexual behavior using tract-tracing, quantification of deoxyglucose incorporation and immonocytochemical visualization of immediate early-genes
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Analysis of aromatase immunoreactive cells and their inputs and outputs in the brain.
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Distribution and behavioral function of steroid receptors and coactivators in the avian brain
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I include at the bottom of this page the pdf of a few of our key reviews on these topics. Other publications can be found in the general list.