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Santana‐Coelho D, Womble PD, Blandin KJ, Pilcher JB, O'Neill GM, Douglas LA, Chilukuri SV, Tran DLK, Wiley TA, Lugo JN. Assessment of the effects of sex, age, and rearing condition on ultrasonic vocalizations elicited by pups during the maternal potentiation paradigm in C57BL/6J mice. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22341. [PMID: 36426792 PMCID: PMC9828101 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22341] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are important to elicit parental retrieval. This behavior is critical for the animal's survival and can be altered in models of developmental disorders. The potentiation of vocalizations in response to reunion with the dam, also called maternal potentiation, has been extensively studied in rats. However, the assessment of this paradigm in mice is scarce. In rats, the potentiation of vocalizations is dependent on rearing conditions. Since mice are the main species used for genetic models of diseases, we aimed to investigate how different factors such as age, sex, and rearing conditions can affect the potentiation of vocalizations in the maternal potentiation paradigm in mice. We carried out experiments using biparental (dam and sire) or uniparental rearing (dam). Pups were tested on postnatal days (PD) 9 or 12. Pups showed increased potentiation in both sexes at PD9 with uniparental rearing. Both rearing conditions and ages changed the repertoire from the first to the second isolation. Spectral parameters were affected by sex, rearing condition and reunion at PD9. At PD12, only duration was altered by reunion. We conclude that the performance of the pups in the maternal potentiation paradigm is dependent on age, sex, and rearing condition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paige D. Womble
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | | | - Jacob B. Pilcher
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Grace M. O'Neill
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | | | | | - Doan L. K. Tran
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Taylor A. Wiley
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Joaquin N. Lugo
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
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Warren MR, Campbell D, Borie AM, Ford CL, Dharani AM, Young LJ, Liu RC. Maturation of Social-Vocal Communication in Prairie Vole ( Microtus ochrogaster) Pups. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:814200. [PMID: 35087387 PMCID: PMC8787284 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.814200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Impairments in social communication are common among neurodevelopmental disorders. While traditional animal models have advanced our understanding of the physiological and pathological development of social behavior, they do not recapitulate some aspects where social communication is essential, such as biparental care and the ability to form long-lasting social bonds. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) have emerged as a valuable rodent model in social neuroscience because they naturally display these behaviors. Nonetheless, the role of vocalizations in prairie vole social communication remains unclear. Here, we studied the ontogeny [from postnatal days (P) 8-16] of prairie vole pup ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), both when isolated and when the mother was present but physically unattainable. In contrast to other similarly sized rodents such as mice, prairie vole pups of all ages produced isolation USVs with a relatively low fundamental frequency between 22 and 50 kHz, often with strong harmonic structure. Males consistently emitted vocalizations with a lower frequency than females. With age, pups vocalized less, and the acoustic features of vocalizations (e.g., duration and bandwidth) became more stereotyped. Manipulating an isolated pup's social environment by introducing its mother significantly increased vocal production at older (P12-16) but not younger ages, when pups were likely unable to hear or see her. Our data provide the first indication of a maturation in social context-dependent vocal emission, which may facilitate more active acoustic communication. These results help lay a foundation for the use of prairie voles as a model organism to probe the role of early life experience in the development of social-vocal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Warren
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Drayson Campbell
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Amélie M. Borie
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Charles L. Ford
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ammar M. Dharani
- Summer Opportunities of Academic Research Program, James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Larry J. Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Robert C. Liu
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
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3
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Abstract
Prairie voles have emerged as an important rodent model for understanding the neuroscience of social behavior. Prairie voles are well known for their capacity for pair bonding and alloparental care. These behavioral phenomena overlap with human social behavior but are not commonly observed in traditional rodent models. In this article, we highlight the many benefits of using prairie voles in neuroscience research. We begin by describing the advantages of using diverse and non-traditional study models. We then focus on social behaviors, including pair bonding, alloparental care, and peer interactions, that have brought voles to the forefront of social neuroscience. We describe many additional features of prairie vole biology and behavior that provide researchers with opportunities to address an array of research questions. We also survey neuroethological methods that have been used with prairie voles, from classic to modern techniques. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of other vole species, particularly meadow voles, and their own unique advantages for neuroscience studies. This article provides a foundation for researchers who are new to working with voles, as well as for experienced neuroscientists who want to expand their research scope. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M. Kenkel
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Morgan L. Gustison
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Annaliese K. Beery
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
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Tsuji T, Mizutani R, Minami K, Furuhara K, Fujisaku T, Pinyue F, Jing Z, Tsuji C. Oxytocin administration modulates the complex type of ultrasonic vocalisation of mice pups prenatally exposed to valproic acid. Neurosci Lett 2021; 758:135985. [PMID: 34048819 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by communication disability with no curative treatment. Maternal separation-induced ultrasonic vocalisation (USV) was widely used to assess communication disability between pups and dams. Particularly, USV calls in many genetically modified ASD model mice were altered. Previously, we demonstrated that mice pups exposed to valproic acid in utero (VPA pups) showed decreased number of USV calls on postnatal day 11 and were rescued by subcutaneous injection of oxytocin. However, the qualitative change of USV calls by oxytocin has not been evaluated in VPA pups. In the present study, we examined the duration of oxytocin effect and analysed the altered pattern of USV calls using VPA pups. The oxytocin administration increased the total number of USV calls and the effect persisted up to 120 min in VPA pups. The pattern analysis revealed that the increase in the number of complex calls also persisted up to 120 min. These results suggested that oxytocin had a prolonged effect on USV calls, mainly on complex calls, in VPA pup, showing that oxytocin could recover their social modality to respond to maternal separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Tsuji
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Japan.
| | - Ryuko Mizutani
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Socioneurosciences, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu Univeristy School of Medicine, Chiba University and Univeristy of Fukui, Kanazawa Campus, Japan
| | - Kana Minami
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Socioneurosciences, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu Univeristy School of Medicine, Chiba University and Univeristy of Fukui, Kanazawa Campus, Japan; Department of Health Development Nursing, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Kazumi Furuhara
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Fujisaku
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Fu Pinyue
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Socioneurosciences, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu Univeristy School of Medicine, Chiba University and Univeristy of Fukui, Kanazawa Campus, Japan
| | - Zhong Jing
- Physiological Department, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
| | - Chiharu Tsuji
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Socioneurosciences, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu Univeristy School of Medicine, Chiba University and Univeristy of Fukui, Kanazawa Campus, Japan.
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Johnson SA, Farrington MJ, Murphy CR, Caldo PD, McAllister LA, Kaur S, Chun C, Ortega MT, Marshall BL, Hoffmann F, Ellersieck MR, Schenk AK, Rosenfeld CS. Multigenerational effects of bisphenol A or ethinyl estradiol exposure on F2 California mice (Peromyscus californicus) pup vocalizations. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199107. [PMID: 29912934 PMCID: PMC6005501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rodent pups use vocalizations to communicate with one or both parents in biparental species, such as California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Previous studies have shown California mice developmentally exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA) or ethinyl estradiol (EE), demonstrate later compromised parental behaviors. Reductions in F1 parental behaviors might also be due to decreased emissions of F2 pup vocalizations. Thus, vocalizations of F2 male and female California mice pups born to F1 parents developmentally exposed to BPA, EE, or controls were examined. Postnatal days (PND) 2-4 were considered early postnatal period, PND 7 and 14 were defined as mid-postnatal period, and PND 21 and 28 were classified as late postnatal period. EE pups showed increased latency to emit the first syllable compared to controls. BPA female pups had decreased syllable duration compared to control and EE female pups during the early postnatal period but enhanced responses compared to controls at late postnatal period; whereas, male BPA and EE pups showed greater syllable duration compared to controls during early postnatal period. In mid-postnatal period, F2 BPA and EE pups emitted greater number of phrases than F2 control pups. Results indicate aspects of vocalizations were disrupted in F2 pups born to F1 parents developmentally exposed to BPA or EE, but their responses were not always identical, suggesting BPA might not activate estrogen receptors to the same extent as EE. Changes in vocalization patterns by F2 pups may be due to multigenerational exposure to BPA or EE and/or reduced parental care received.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Johnson
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Michelle J. Farrington
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Claire R. Murphy
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Paul D. Caldo
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Leif A. McAllister
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Sarabjit Kaur
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Catherine Chun
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Madison T. Ortega
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Brittney L. Marshall
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Frauke Hoffmann
- Department of Chemicals and Product Safety, The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mark R. Ellersieck
- Department of Agriculture Experimental Station-Statistics, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - A. Katrin Schenk
- Department of Physics, Randolph College, Lynchburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Cheryl S. Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Johnson SA, Painter MS, Javurek AB, Murphy CR, Howald EC, Khan ZZ, Conard CM, Gant KL, Ellersieck MR, Hoffmann F, Schenk AK, Rosenfeld CS. Characterization of vocalizations emitted in isolation by California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) pups throughout the postnatal period. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 131:30-39. [PMID: 28182483 DOI: 10.1037/com0000057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Rodent species, such as monogamous and biparental California mice, produce vocalizations as a means of communication. A temporal examination of vocalizations produced by California mice pups in isolation was performed. Pup recordings were performed for 3 min at ∼10.00 and 14.00 hrs on early postnatal days (PND) 2-4, 7, 21, and 28. Once initial recordings were finished, pups were returned to the home cage with parents and any siblings for 5 minutes to determine if active biparental responses resulted in an enhanced vocalization response when pups were isolated and retested. We also sought to determine whether potential reduction in vocalizations by older pups might be due to procedure-habituation procedure associated with less anxiety and/or possibly decreased need for parental care. Vocalizations were measured in weanling (30 days of age) "naïve" pups not previously isolated. Results show older pups took significantly longer to vocalize, indicated by increased latency before producing their initial syllable compared to earlier ages. With increasing age, pups demonstrated decreased syllable duration, reduced number and duration of phrases, and decreased number of syllables per phrase. No differences in pup vocalizations were observed before and after being placed back with parents, suggestive biparental potentiation may not exist in California mice pups. Comparison of the naïve to habituated weanling pups indicated the former group had more total calls but no other differences in vocalization parameters were detected between these 2 groups. Collectively, the findings suggest that as California mice pups mature and approach weaning they generally vocalize less in isolation. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Johnson
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Michele S Painter
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Angela B Javurek
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Claire R Murphy
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Emily C Howald
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Zoya Z Khan
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Caroline M Conard
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | - Kristal L Gant
- Bond Life Sciences Center and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri
| | | | - Frauke Hoffmann
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz- Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
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Kelly AM, Hiura LC, Saunders AG, Ophir AG. Oxytocin Neurons Exhibit Extensive Functional Plasticity Due To Offspring Age in Mothers and Fathers. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 57:603-618. [PMID: 28957529 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The needs of offspring change as they develop. Thus, parents should concomitantly change their investment based on the age-related needs of the offspring as they mature. Due to the high costs of parental care, it is optimal for parents to exhibit a shift from intense caregiving of young offspring to promoting independence in older offspring. Yet, the neural mechanisms that underlie shifts in parental behavior are poorly understood, and little is known about how the parental brain responds to offspring of different ages. To elucidate mechanisms that relate to shifts in parental behavior as offspring develop, we examined behavioral and neural responses of male and female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a biparental rodent, to interactions with offspring at different stages of development (ranging from neonatal to weaning age). Importantly, in biparental species, males and females may adjust their behavior differentially as offspring develop. Because the nonapeptides, vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT), are well known for modulating aspects of parental care, we focused on functional activity of distinct VP and OT cell groups within the maternal and paternal brain in response to separation from, reunion (after a brief period of separation) with, or no separation from offspring of different ages. We found several differences in the neural responses of individual VP and OT cell groups that varied based on the age of pups and sex of the parent. Hypothalamic VP neurons exhibit similar functional responses in both mothers and fathers. However, hypothalamic and amygdalar OT neurons exhibit differential functional responses to being separated from pups based on the sex of the parent. Our results also reveal that the developmental stage of offspring significantly impacts neural function within OT, but not VP, cell groups of both mothers and fathers. These findings provide insight into the functional plastic capabilities of the nonapeptide system, specifically in relation to parental behavior. Identifying neural mechanisms that exhibit functional plasticity can elucidate one way in which animals are able to shift behavior on relatively short timescales in order to exhibit the most context-appropriate and adaptive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lisa C Hiura
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Kelly AM, Hiura LC, Ophir AG. Rapid nonapeptide synthesis during a critical period of development in the prairie vole: plasticity of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Brain Struct Funct 2018. [PMID: 29523998 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1640-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) are involved in modulating basic physiology and numerous social behaviors. Although the anatomical distributions of nonapeptide neurons throughout development have been described, the functional roles of VP and OT neurons during development are surprisingly understudied, and it is unknown whether they exhibit functional changes throughout early development. We utilized an acute social isolation paradigm to determine if VP and OT neural responses in eight nonapeptide cell groups differ at three different stages of early development in prairie voles. We tested pups at ages that are representative of the three rapid growth stages of the developing brain: postnatal day (PND)2 (closed eyes; poor locomotion), PND9 (eye opening; locomotion; peak brain growth spurt), and PND21 (weaning). Neural responses were examined in pups that (1) were under normal family conditions with their parents and siblings, (2) were isolated from their parents and siblings and then reunited, and (3) were isolated from their parents and siblings. We found that VP and OT neural activity (as assessed via Fos co-localization) did not differ in response to social condition across development. However, remarkably rapid VP and OT synthesis in response to social isolation was observed only in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and only in PND9 pups. These results suggest that PVN nonapeptide neurons exhibit distinct cellular properties during a critical period of development, allowing nonapeptide neurons to rapidly upregulate peptide production in response to stressors on a much shorter timescale than has been observed in adult animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, 229 Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Lisa C Hiura
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, 229 Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Alexander G Ophir
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, 229 Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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He Z, Zhang S, Yu C, Li Y, Jia R, Tai F. Emotional attachment of pre-weaning pups to mothers and fathers in mandarin voles. Behav Processes 2017; 135:87-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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