1
|
Wei M, Gao Q, Liu J, Yang Y, Yang J, Fan J, Lv S, Yang S. Development programming: Stress during gestation alters offspring development in sheep. Reprod Domest Anim 2023; 58:1497-1511. [PMID: 37697713 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Inappropriate management practices of domestic animals during pregnancy can be potential stressors, resulting in complex behavioural, physiological and neurological consequences in the developing offspring. Some of these consequences can last into adulthood or propagate to subsequent generations. We systematically summarized the results of different experimental patterns using artificially increased maternal glucocorticoid levels or prenatal maternal physiological stress paradigms, mediators between prenatal maternal stress (PMS) and programming effects in the offspring and the effects of PMS on offspring phenotypes in sheep. PMS can impair birthweight, regulate the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, modify behavioural patterns and cognitive abilities and alter gene expression and brain morphology in offspring. Further research should focus on the effects of programming on gene expression, immune function, gut microbiome, sex-specific effects and maternal behaviour of offspring, especially comparative studies of gestational periods when PMS is applied, continual studies of programming effects on offspring and treatment strategies that effectively reverse the detrimental programming effects of prenatal stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingji Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Qian Gao
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Junjun Liu
- Hebei Agriculture University, Baoding, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi, China
| | - Jinyan Yang
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Jingchang Fan
- Jiaxiang County Sheep Breeding Farm, Jiaxiang, China
| | - Shenjin Lv
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Shengmei Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tajonar K, Gonzalez-Ronquillo M, Relling A, Nordquist RE, Nawroth C, Vargas-Bello-Pérez E. Toward assessing the role of dietary fatty acids in lamb's neurological and cognitive development. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1081141. [PMID: 36865439 PMCID: PMC9971820 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1081141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding and measuring sheep cognition and behavior can provide us with measures to safeguard the welfare of these animals in production systems. Optimal neurological and cognitive development of lambs is important to equip individuals with the ability to better cope with environmental stressors. However, this development can be affected by nutrition with a special role from long-chain fatty acid supply from the dam to the fetus or in lamb's early life. Neurological development in lambs takes place primarily during the first two trimesters of gestation. Through late fetal and early postnatal life, the lamb brain has a high level of cholesterol synthesis. This rate declines rapidly at weaning and remains low throughout adulthood. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the brain are ω-6 arachidonic acid and ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are elements of plasma membranes' phospholipids in neuronal cells. DHA is essential for keeping membrane integrity and is vital for normal development of the central nervous system (CNS), and its insufficiency can damage cerebral functions and the development of cognitive capacities. In sheep, there is evidence that supplying PUFA during gestation or after birth may be beneficial to lamb productive performance and expression of species-specific behaviors. The objective of this perspective is to discuss concepts of ruminant behavior and nutrition and reflect on future research directions that could help to improve our knowledge on how dietary fatty acids (FA) relate to optimal neurological and cognitive development in sheep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Tajonar
- Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Rumiantes, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico,Department of Animal Sciences, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Gonzalez-Ronquillo
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Relling
- Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Rebecca E. Nordquist
- Unit Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Christian Nawroth
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany,*Correspondence: Christian Nawroth ✉
| | - Einar Vargas-Bello-Pérez
- Department of Animal Sciences, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom,Einar Vargas-Bello-Pérez ✉
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Stress during first gestation of ewes impairs memory and learning of male offspring. Vet Res Commun 2021; 45:251-260. [PMID: 34138400 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-021-09805-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the influence of gestational stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, Escherichia coli) on the physiological changes of ewes, as well as on the subsequent behavioral interaction between ewes and lambs and on the memory and learning of 30-day-old offspring in a T-maze. Thirty-six nulliparous pregnant crossbred Santa Ines ewes with an initial live weight of 45 ± 6 kg, age of 12 ± 2 months, and body condition score between 3 and 3.5 (on a scale of 1 to 5) were divided into two treatments: LPS treatment (E. coli; 0.8 μg.kg-1) and Control (placebo/saline) administered in late pregnancy (day 120). Blood samples were collected before (0 h at 5:00 h) and 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 24 h after the administration of LPS or placebo to determine the cortisol release curve. Rectal temperature was measured at the same time points. After birth, male lambs (N = 19) were used to evaluate the maternal-offspring behavioral interaction, weight, and cognitive ability in a T-maze. Blood cortisol and rectal temperature of ewes increased after LPS administration and returned to baseline levels after 24 h. The activities facilitating and stimulating suckling were higher on LPS group (P < 0.05). Lambs whose mothers were challenged with LPS during late pregnancy showed greater learning and memory disabilities including fear behavior and the inability to make decisions at 30 days of age in the T-maze. In sheep, the immunological stress induced by LPS in late pregnancy promotes an inflammatory response characterized by specific rectal temperature and cortisol release profiles, improving maternal care that can increase offspring survival; however, the exposure of sheep fetuses to maternal inflammation causes cognitive impairment in lambs at 30 days of age, which could not be reduced by the behavioral interaction between the mother and offspring.
Collapse
|
4
|
Like Mother Like Child: Do Fearful Sows Have Fearful Piglets? Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051232. [PMID: 33923259 PMCID: PMC8146394 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gestational and early life experiences affect subsequent behavioural and physical development. The objective of the current study was to investigate associations between gilts' fear of humans, gestational stress level, and feeding and maternal behaviour, as well as how these related to aspects of the personality and growth of their offspring. A total of 37 gilts were used. Four human approach tests were performed between d 104 and d 111 of gestation to classify gilts as fearful or friendly. Gilt feeding behaviour and salivary cortisol concentration was measured between d 90 and d 108 of gestation, and gilt nursing behaviour assessed at d 13 of lactation. Piglets were subject to a back test at d 13 of age, to an open field test and a human approach test at d 20 of age, and growth was monitored to weaning (d 26 of age). Gilts classified as having a fearful behavioural profile had higher cortisol levels than friendly gilts (p < 0.05). Human fear level did not affect reproductive performance or the growth of offspring (p > 0.05). The offspring of friendly gilts tended to have a more active response to the back test (p = 0.09), less freezing response in the open field test (p < 0.05), and received human contact more than piglets from fearful gilts (p < 0.05). The present study shows that gilt human fear level is linked to their stress levels, which can affect the personality of their piglets.
Collapse
|
5
|
|
6
|
Labeur L, Small AH, Hinch GN, McFarlane JR, Schmoelzl S. Mid- and late-pregnancy ewe shearing affects lamb neonatal reactivity and vigour. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
7
|
Hermes M, Antonow-Schlorke I, Hollstein D, Kuehnel S, Rakers F, Frauendorf V, Dreiling M, Rupprecht S, Schubert H, Witte OW, Schwab M. Maternal psychosocial stress during early gestation impairs fetal structural brain development in sheep. Stress 2020; 23:233-242. [PMID: 31469022 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1652266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress, especially during early pregnancy, predisposes offspring to neuropsychiatric disorders. We hypothesized that maternal psychosocial stress (MPS) during pregnancy affects fetal structural neurodevelopment depending on the gestational age of exposure. Fetal sheep brains were harvested at 130 days gestation (dG, term 150 dG) from ewes frequently isolated from flock-mates during early gestation (first and second trimester; n = 10) or late gestation (third trimester; n = 10), or from control flock-mates (n = 8). Immunohistochemistry for formation of neuronal processes, myelination, synaptic density, cell proliferation and programed cell death was performed on brain tissue sections. Sections of the cortical gray matter, the hippocampal CA3 region and the superficial, subcortical and deep white matter were examined morphometrically. Stress effects depended on the brain region and time of exposure. Stress during early gestation but not during late gestation reduced the amount of neuronal processes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus by 36.9 ± 10.1% (p < 0.05, mean ± SEM) and 36.9 ± 15.8% (p < 0.05), respectively, accompanied by a decrease in synaptic density in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus by 39.8 ± 23.1% (p < 0.05) and 32.9 ± 13.4% (p < 0.01). Myelination was decreased in white matter layers on average by 44.8 ± 11.7% (p < 0.05) accompanied by reduced (glial) cell proliferation in the deep white matter by 83.6 ± 12.4% (p < 0.05). In contrast, stress during the third trimester had no effect in any brain region. Chronic MPS during the first and second trimester induced prolonged effects on neuronal network and myelin formation which might contribute to disturbed neurobehavioral, cognitive and motor development in offspring of stressed mothers.Lay summaryMany women are exposed to stressful events during pregnancy. Maternal stress especially during early pregnancy predisposes for offspring's neuropsychiatric disorders. In our sheep study, we show that disturbance of fetal brain development is a potential mechanism and is worst during 1st and 2nd trimester.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hermes
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Dorothea Hollstein
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Sarah Kuehnel
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Rakers
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Vilmar Frauendorf
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Michelle Dreiling
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Sven Rupprecht
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Else Kröner-Forschungskolleg AntiAge, Bad Homburg, Germany
| | - Harald Schubert
- Institute of Lab Animal Sciences and Welfare, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Otto W Witte
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Coloma-García W, Mehaba N, Llonch P, Caja G, Such X, Salama AAK. Prenatal heat stress effects on gestation and postnatal behavior in kid goats. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0220221. [PMID: 32040479 PMCID: PMC7010273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Consequences of heat stress during pregnancy can affect the normal development of the offspring. In the present experiment, 30 Murciano-Granadina dairy goats (41.8 ± 5.7 kg) were exposed to 2 thermal environments varying in temperature-humidity index (THI) from 12 days before mating to 45 days of gestation. The environmental conditions were: gestation under thermal-neutral (TN; THI = 71 ± 3); and gestation under heat stress (HS; THI = 85 ± 3) conditions. At 27 ± 4 days old, female kids exposed to in utero TN (IUTN; n = 16) or in utero HS (IUHS; n = 10) were subjected to 2 tests: arena test (AT) and novel object test (NOT), the latter was repeated at 3 months of age. Additionally, 8 months after birth, a subset of IUTH and IUHS growing goats (n = 8 each; 16.8 ± 3.4 kg BW) were exposed to 2 environmental conditions in 2 consecutive periods: a basal thermal-neutral period (THI = 72 ± 3) for 7 days, and a heat-stress period (THI = 87 ± 2) for 21 days. In both periods, feeding, resting, posture, and thermally-associated behaviors were recorded. The gestation length was shortened by 3 days in GHS goats. In the AT, IUHS kids showed a lower number of sniffs (P < 0.01) compared to IUTN. In the NOT, IUHS kids also tended to show a lower number of sniffs (P = 0.09). During heat exposure, IUTN and IUHS growing goats spent more time resting and exhibited more heat-stress related behaviors such as panting and drinking (P < 0.001); however, no differences were observed between both groups. In conclusion, heat stress during the first third of pregnancy shortened gestation length and influenced the exploratory behavior of the kids in the early life. However, behavior responses to heat stress during the adulthood were not affected by the in utero thermal treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wellington Coloma-García
- Group of Research in Ruminants (G2R), Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Nabil Mehaba
- Group of Research in Ruminants (G2R), Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pol Llonch
- Service of Nutrition and Animal Welfare (SNiBA), Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerardo Caja
- Group of Research in Ruminants (G2R), Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Such
- Group of Research in Ruminants (G2R), Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Ahmed A. K. Salama
- Group of Research in Ruminants (G2R), Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ede T, Lecorps B, von Keyserlingk MAG, Weary DM. Symposium review: Scientific assessment of affective states in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2019; 102:10677-10694. [PMID: 31477285 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2019-16325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Affective states, which refer to feelings or emotions, are a key component of animal welfare, but these are also difficult to assess. Drawing upon a body of theoretical and applied work, we critically review the scientific literature on the assessment of affective states in animals, drawing examples where possible from research on dairy cattle, and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of scientific methods used to assess affective states in animals. We adopt the "valence/arousal" framework, describing affect as a 2-dimensional space (with valence referring to whether an experience is positive or negative, and arousal referring to the intensity of the experience). We conclude that spontaneous physiological and behavioral responses typically reflect arousal, whereas learned responses can be valuable when investigating valence. We also conclude that the assessment of affective states can be furthered using mood assessments and that the use of drug treatments with known emotional effects in humans can be helpful in the assessment of specific affective states in animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ede
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z6
| | - Benjamin Lecorps
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z6
| | - Marina A G von Keyserlingk
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z6
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z6.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pharmacologically-induced stress has minimal impact on judgement and attention biases in sheep. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11446. [PMID: 31391491 PMCID: PMC6686049 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47691-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The emotional impact of exposure to stressors has not been well quantified in animals. We hypothesised that exogenous induction of stress in sheep would induce a pessimistic judgement bias and increased attention towards a threatening stimulus, suggestive of a negative emotional state. Stress was induced pharmacologically by administering synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone. Judgement bias was assessed using a spatial go/no-go task after exposure to acute stress (one injection), chronic stress (21 daily injections) and acute-on-chronic stress (2 min isolation after 28 daily injections). Attention bias was assessed during chronic stress only (22 daily injections). In contrast with our hypotheses, there was no strong evidence that Synacthen administration altered judgement bias or attention bias at any stage of the experiment. Stressed sheep were more likely to approach ambiguous locations than saline Control animals, however, statistical evidence for models fitting treatment group was very weak. Overall, our findings suggest that elevated levels of cortisol may not fully explain changes to judgement bias observed in previous studies after environmentally-induced stress. Further studies are required to better understand which aspects of environmentally-induced stress alter judgement bias and to further validate cognitive methods of assessing affect in sheep.
Collapse
|
11
|
Raoult CMC, Gygax L. Mood induction alters attention toward negative-positive stimulus pairs in sheep. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7759. [PMID: 31123314 PMCID: PMC6533262 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44330-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mood is a lasting affective state that influences motivation and decision-making by pre-shaping a subject’s expectations (pessimism/optimism). Mood states affect biases in judgment, memory, and attention. Due to a lack of verbal report, assessing mood in non-human animals is challenging and is often compromised by intense training sessions. Measuring mood using attentional biases can circumvent this problem, as it takes advantage of observing a spontaneous reaction. As in humans, we expected that negative mood will heighten attention toward negative compared to positive stimuli. Here, we validate measures of attention toward acoustic stimuli in sheep (N = 64) and assess sheep’s differential attention toward acoustic stimuli before and after mood induction (N = 32). Mood was induced by manipulating the environment. We used animal vocalizations (dog barking and sheep bleating as negative and positive stimuli, respectively) varying in intensity and played simultaneously from one side each, and measured lateral attention based on the sheep’s behavior. Overall results were somewhat ambiguous. Yet, negative mood sheep seemed to shift their attention more toward dog vocalizations when the stimulus pair was well balanced at baseline. Though some adaptations are still needed, our approach could be a promising alternative to measure animals’ mood without prior training.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camille M C Raoult
- Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO, Agroscope, Tänikon 1, CH-8356, Ettenhausen, Switzerland.,Animal Welfare Division, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Gygax
- Animal Husbandry & Ethology, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hamada H, Matthews SG. Prenatal programming of stress responsiveness and behaviours: Progress and perspectives. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12674. [PMID: 30582647 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Parental exposure to stress or glucocorticoids either before or during pregnancy can have profound influences on neurodevelopment, neuroendocrine function and behaviours in offspring. Specific outcomes are dependent on the nature, intensity and timing of the exposure, as well as species, sex and age of the subject. Most recently, it has become evident that outcomes are not confined to first-generation offspring and that there may be intergenerational and transgenerational transmission of effects. There has been intense focus on the mechanisms by which such early exposure leads to long-term and potential transgenerational outcomes, and there is strong emerging evidence that epigenetic processes (histone modifications, DNA methylation, and small non-coding RNAs) are involved. New knowledge in this area may allow the development of interventions that can prevent, ameliorate or reverse the long-term negative outcomes associated with exposure to early adversity. This review will focus on the latest research, bridging human and pre-clinical studies, and will highlight some of the limitations, challenges and gaps that exist in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Hamada
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health Systems, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bushby EV, Friel M, Goold C, Gray H, Smith L, Collins LM. Factors Influencing Individual Variation in Farm Animal Cognition and How to Account for These Statistically. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:193. [PMID: 30175105 PMCID: PMC6107851 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For farmed species, good health and welfare is a win-win situation: both the animals and producers can benefit. In recent years, animal welfare scientists have embraced cognitive sciences to rise to the challenge of determining an animal's internal state in order to better understand its welfare needs and by extension, the needs of larger groups of animals. A wide range of cognitive tests have been developed that can be applied in farmed species to assess a range of cognitive traits. However, this has also presented challenges. Whilst it may be expected to see cognitive variation at the species level, differences in cognitive ability between and within individuals of the same species have frequently been noted but left largely unexplained. Not accounting for individual variation may result in misleading conclusions when the results are applied both at an individual level and at higher levels of scale. This has implications both for our fundamental understanding of an individual's welfare needs, but also more broadly for experimental design and the justification for sample sizes in studies using animals. We urgently need to address this issue. In this review, we will consider the latest developments on the causes of individual variation in cognitive outcomes, such as the choice of cognitive test, sex, breed, age, early life environment, rearing conditions, personality, diet, and the animal's microbiome. We discuss the impact of each of these factors specifically in relation to recent work in farmed species, and explore the future directions for cognitive research in this field, particularly in relation to experimental design and analytical techniques that allow individual variation to be accounted for appropriately.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily V Bushby
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Mary Friel
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Conor Goold
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Gray
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Smith
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Collins
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
McGowan PO, Matthews SG. Prenatal Stress, Glucocorticoids, and Developmental Programming of the Stress Response. Endocrinology 2018; 159:69-82. [PMID: 29136116 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The early environment has a major impact on the developing embryo, fetus, and infant. Parental adversity (maternal and paternal) and glucocorticoid exposure before conception and during pregnancy have profound effects on the development and subsequent function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and related behaviors. These effects are species-, sex-, and age-specific and depend on the timing and duration of exposure. The impact of these early exposures can extend across multiple generations, via both the maternal and paternal lineage, and recent studies have begun to determine the mechanisms by which this occurs. Improved knowledge of the mechanisms by which adversity and glucocorticoids program stress systems will allow development of strategies to ameliorate and/or reverse these long-term effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O McGowan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Center for Environmental Epigenetics and Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Endo H, Eto T, Yoshii F, Owada S, Watanabe T, Tatemichi M, Kimura M. The intrauterine environment affects learning ability of Tokai high avoider rat offspring derived using cryopreservation and embryo transfer-mediated reproduction. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 489:211-216. [PMID: 28552533 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.05.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Embryo transfer (ET) to recipient female animals is a useful technique in biological and experimental animal studies. While cryopreservation of two-cell stage rat embryos and ET to recipient rats are currently well-defined, it is unknown whether these artificial reproductive techniques and maternal factors affect offspring phenotype, particularly higher brain functions. Therefore, we assessed the effects of cryopreservation, ET, and maternal care on learning behaviour of the offspring, using Tokai high avoider (THA) rats that have a high learning ability phenotype. We found that the high learning ability of THA rat offspring was not replicated following ET to surrogate Wistar rats with a low-avoidance phenotype. Additionally, the characteristic phenotype of offspring obtained through mating of ET-derived rats was similar to that of THA rats. A postnatal cross-fostering investigation with the offspring of Wistar and THA rats showed that maternal behaviour, including postnatal care and lactation traits, did not differ between the dams of low-avoidance Wistar rats and THA rats; therefore, learning behaviour was retained in both Wistar and THA rat offspring. We conclude that the offspring phenotype, although unchanged, has an imperceptible effect on the learning ability of ET-derived THA rats through the intrauterine environment of the recipient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Endo
- Center for Molecular Prevention and Environmental Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Tomoo Eto
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Fumihito Yoshii
- Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Owada
- Center for Molecular Prevention and Environmental Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Tetsu Watanabe
- Center for Molecular Prevention and Environmental Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Masayuki Tatemichi
- Center for Molecular Prevention and Environmental Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Minoru Kimura
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Roelofs S, Murphy E, Ni H, Gieling E, Nordquist RE, van der Staay FJ. Judgement bias in pigs is independent of performance in a spatial holeboard task and conditional discrimination learning. Anim Cogn 2017; 20:739-753. [PMID: 28508125 PMCID: PMC5486501 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1095-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Revised: 04/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Biases in judgement of ambiguous stimuli, as measured in a judgement bias task, have been proposed as a measure of the valence of affective states in animals. We recently suggested a list of criteria for behavioural tests of emotion, one of them stating that responses on the task used to assess emotionality should not be confounded by, among others, differences in learning capacity, i.e. must not simply reflect the cognitive capacity of an animal. We performed three independent studies in which pigs acquired a spatial holeboard task, a free choice maze which simultaneously assesses working memory and reference memory. Next, pigs learned a conditional discrimination between auditory stimuli predicting a large or small reward, a prerequisite for assessment of judgement bias. Once pigs had acquired the conditional discrimination task, optimistic responses to previously unheard ambiguous stimuli were measured in the judgement bias task as choices indicating expectation of the large reward. We found that optimism in the judgement bias task was independent of all three measures of learning and memory indicating that the performance is not dependent on the pig's cognitive abilities. These results support the use of biases in judgement as proxy indicators of emotional valence in animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Roelofs
- Behaviour and Welfare Group (Formerly: Emotion and Cognition Group), Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Eimear Murphy
- Behaviour and Welfare Group (Formerly: Emotion and Cognition Group), Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Division of Animal Welfare, VPHI Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 120, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Haifang Ni
- Behaviour and Welfare Group (Formerly: Emotion and Cognition Group), Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 14, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elise Gieling
- Behaviour and Welfare Group (Formerly: Emotion and Cognition Group), Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Behaviour and Welfare Group (Formerly: Emotion and Cognition Group), Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - F Josef van der Staay
- Behaviour and Welfare Group (Formerly: Emotion and Cognition Group), Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Morton CL, Hinch G, Small A. Distress vocalization delay in the neonate lamb as a neurobehavioral assessment tool. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:523-534. [PMID: 28391612 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Acoustic features of infant distress vocalizations including latency and rate of emission are used as indices of neurological deficit and integrity in human and rodent neonates. This paper investigates the relationship between temporal characteristics of distress calls, elicited by an isolation stimulus, and indicators of neurobehavioral development over 12 hr postpartum in the neonate lamb. Delayed vocalization initiation was found to be associated with poor locomotor and orientation behavior reflecting the capacity of the lamb to reunite with and follow its dam, and a lowered rate of signal emission following commencement of vocalization. Animals demonstrating delayed vocalization initiation also appeared more likely to be of a birth weight predisposed to fetal distress, and to urinate when exposed to a novel environment. Based on these preliminary studies, we propose that compromised emission of vocal signals is indicative of neurobehavioral deficit in the neonate lamb.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine L Morton
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Hinch
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Alison Small
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bethell EJ, Holmes A, MacLarnon A, Semple S. Emotion Evaluation and Response Slowing in a Non-Human Primate: New Directions for Cognitive Bias Measures of Animal Emotion? Behav Sci (Basel) 2016; 6:bs6010002. [PMID: 26761035 PMCID: PMC4810036 DOI: 10.3390/bs6010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The cognitive bias model of animal welfare assessment is informed by studies with humans demonstrating that the interaction between emotion and cognition can be detected using laboratory tasks. A limitation of cognitive bias tasks is the amount of training required by animals prior to testing. A potential solution is to use biologically relevant stimuli that trigger innate emotional responses. Here; we develop a new method to assess emotion in rhesus macaques; informed by paradigms used with humans: emotional Stroop; visual cueing and; in particular; response slowing. In humans; performance on a simple cognitive task can become impaired when emotional distractor content is displayed. Importantly; responses become slower in anxious individuals in the presence of mild threat; a pattern not seen in non-anxious individuals; who are able to effectively process and disengage from the distractor. Here; we present a proof-of-concept study; demonstrating that rhesus macaques show slowing of responses in a simple touch-screen task when emotional content is introduced; but only when they had recently experienced a presumably stressful veterinary inspection. Our results indicate the presence of a subtle “cognitive freeze” response; the measurement of which may provide a means of identifying negative shifts in emotion in animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Bethell
- Research Centre in Brain and Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, James Parsons Building, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
| | - Amanda Holmes
- Centre for Research in Cognition, Emotion and Interaction, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
| | - Ann MacLarnon
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
| | - Stuart Semple
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Lasting Differential Effects on Plasticity Induced by Prenatal Stress in Dorsal and Ventral Hippocampus. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:2540462. [PMID: 26881096 PMCID: PMC4736977 DOI: 10.1155/2016/2540462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversaries have a profound impact on the developing brain structure and functions that persist long after the original traumatic experience has vanished. One of the extensively studied brain structures in relation to early life stress has been the hippocampus because of its unique association with cognitive processes of the brain. While the entire hippocampus shares the same intrinsic organization, it assumes different functions in its dorsal and ventral sectors (DH and VH, resp.), based on different connectivity with other brain structures. In the present review, we summarize the differences between DH and VH and discuss functional and structural effects of prenatal stress in the two sectors, with the realization that much is yet to be explored in understanding the opposite reactivity of the DH and VH to stressful stimulation.
Collapse
|
20
|
Stress during pregnancy alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in the brain of new-born lambs. Behav Brain Res 2015; 291:155-163. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Revised: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|