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Siller Wilks SJ, Heidinger BJ, Westneat DF, Solomon J, Rubenstein DR. The impact of parental and developmental stress on DNA methylation in the avian hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17291. [PMID: 38343177 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17291] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis coordinates an organism's response to environmental stress. The responsiveness and sensitivity of an offspring's stress response may be shaped not only by stressors encountered in their early post-natal environment but also by stressors in their parent's environment. Yet, few studies have considered how stressors encountered in both of these early life environments may function together to impact the developing HPA axis. Here, we manipulated stressors in the parental and post-natal environments in a population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to assess their impact on changes in DNA methylation (and corresponding gene expression) in a suite of genes within the HPA axis. We found that nestlings that experienced early life stress across both life-history periods had higher DNA methylation in a critical HPA axis gene, the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1). In addition, we found that the life-history stage when stress was encountered impacted some genes (HSD11B1, NR3C1 and NR3C2) differently. We also found evidence for the mitigation of parental stress by post-natal stress (in HSD11B1 and NR3C2). Finally, by assessing DNA methylation in both the brain and blood, we were able to evaluate cross-tissue patterns. While some differentially methylated regions were tissue-specific, we found cross-tissue changes in NR3C2 and NR3C1, suggesting that blood is a suitable tissue for assessing DNA methylation as a biomarker of early life stress. Our results provide a crucial first step in understanding the mechanisms by which early life stress in different life-history periods contributes to changes in the epigenome of the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie J Siller Wilks
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Britt J Heidinger
- Biological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - David F Westneat
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Joseph Solomon
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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2
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Booth AM, Viernes R, Farrar VS, Flores L, Austin SH, Calisi RM. Sex-specific behavioral and physiological changes during single parenting in a biparental species, Columba livia. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105428. [PMID: 37748275 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Many species exhibit biparental care to maximize fitness. When a partner is lost, the surviving partner may alter their behavior to compensate offspring. Whether both sexes use the same physiological mechanisms to manifest their change in behavior remains elusive. We investigated behaviors and mechanisms associated with the alteration of parental care post-partner removal in a biparental avian species, the rock dove (Columba livia). We hypothesized that rock dove single parents experience sex-biased changes in neural genomic transcription and reproductive behaviors, and these changes are related to chick development. We manipulated parental partner presence and measured parental attendance, offspring growth, gene expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in the pituitary, and GR, MR, and estrogen receptor beta (ER-β) in the hypothalamus. We also measured circulating plasma concentrations of the stress-associated hormone corticosterone and the parental care-associated hormone prolactin. We also quantified prolactin gene (PRL) expression changes in the pituitary, as well as prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression in the hypothalamus and pituitary. We found that single mothers and fathers maintained similar provisioning levels as paired parents, but spent less cumulative time brooding chicks. Chicks of single parents were smaller than paired-parented chicks after three days post-hatch. Mothers in both treatment groups experienced higher expression of hypothalamic GR as compared to fathers. Single parents experienced lower PRL gene expression in the pituitary as compared to paired parents. No significant differences were found for the circulating hormones or other genes listed.
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Affiliation(s)
- April M Booth
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
| | - Rechelle Viernes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Victoria S Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Laura Flores
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Suzanne H Austin
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
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3
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Teo CH, Wong ACH, Sivakumaran RN, Parhar I, Soga T. Gender Differences in Cortisol and Cortisol Receptors in Depression: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087129. [PMID: 37108291 PMCID: PMC10138698 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is known to have a significant impact on mental health. While gender differences can be found in stress response and mental disorders, there are limited studies on the neuronal mechanisms of gender differences in mental health. Here, we discuss gender and cortisol in depression as presented by recent clinical studies, as well as gender differences in the role of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) in stress-associated mental disorders. When examining clinical studies drawn from PubMed/MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine) and EMBASE, salivary cortisol generally showed no gender correlation. However, young males were reported to show heightened cortisol reactivity compared to females of similar age in depression. Pubertal hormones, age, early life stressors, and types of bio-samples for cortisol measurement affected the recorded cortisol levels. The role of GRs and MRs in the HPA axis could be different between males and females during depression, with increased HPA activity and upregulated MR expression in male mice, while the inverse happened in female mice. The functional heterogeneity and imbalance of GRs and MRs in the brain may explain gender differences in mental disorders. This knowledge and understanding will support the development of gender-specific diagnostic markers involving GRs and MRs in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuin Hau Teo
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Kuala Lumpur 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ally Chai Hui Wong
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Kuala Lumpur 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rooba Nair Sivakumaran
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Kuala Lumpur 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ishwar Parhar
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Kuala Lumpur 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Tomoko Soga
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Kuala Lumpur 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
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4
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Oluwagbenga EM, Tetel V, Tonissen S, Karcher DM, Fraley GS. Chronic treatment with glucocorticoids does not affect egg quality but increases cortisol deposition into egg albumen and elicits changes to the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio in a sex-dependent manner. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1132728. [PMID: 37008003 PMCID: PMC10063882 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1132728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
During chronic stress, there is an initial increase in glucocorticoid (GC) levels, but they then return to low, albeit not baseline, levels. Recent studies have renewed interest in cortisol in that it may also have important roles in the stress response. The purpose of our study was to test the hypothesis that chronic treatment with low levels of either corticosterone or cortisol would alter HLR and immune organ morphometrics. Further, we wanted to determine if chronic treatment with either GC would elicit an increase in cortisol levels in egg albumen. To test our hypotheses, we implanted silastic capsules that contained corticosterone, cortisol, or empty capsules as controls (N = 5/sex/treatment). Blood serum, smears, body weights, and egg quality data were collected. Ducks were then euthanized and body weight, weights of spleens, livers, and the number of active follicles were recorded. Albumen GC levels were assessed using mass spectrometry. Data were analyzed using a 2- or 3-way ANOVA as appropriate and post-hoc with Fishers PLSD. No treatment elicited differences in egg quality measures or body weight compared to controls. Corticosterone treatment did elicit an increase in serum corticosterone (p < 0.05), but not cortisol, levels compared to controls in both sexes. Both cortisol and corticosterone treatments increased (p < 0.05) serum levels of cortisol compared to controls. Relative spleen weights were higher (p < 0.05) in hens following corticosterone but not cortisol treatment. No other organs showed any differences among the treatment groups. Both GCs elicited an increase (p < 0.001) in HLR in hens at all time-points over the 2-week treatment period compared to controls. Cortisol, not corticosterone, only elicited an increase in HLR for drakes (p < 0.05) compared to controls but only at day 1 after implants. Chronic treatment with cortisol, but not corticosterone, elicited an increase (p < 0.01) in egg albumen cortisol levels compared to other groups. Corticosterone was not detected in any albumen samples. Our results suggest that glucocorticoids elicit differential effects and although corticosterone has been stated to be the predominant GC in avian species, cortisol may provide critical information to further understand bird welfare.
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Zimmer C, Taff CC, Ardia DR, Rosvall KA, Kallenberg C, Bentz AB, Taylor AR, Johnson LS, Vitousek MN. Gene expression in the female tree swallow brain is associated with inter- and intra-population variation in glucocorticoid levels. Horm Behav 2023; 147:105280. [PMID: 36403365 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Studies of the evolutionary causes and consequences of variation in circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) have begun to reveal how they are shaped by selection. Yet the extent to which variation in circulating hormones reflects variation in other important regulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and whether these relationships vary among populations inhabiting different environments, remain poorly studied. Here, we compare gene expression in the brain of female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from populations that breed in environments that differ in their unpredictability. We find evidence of inter-population variation in the expression of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors in the hypothalamus, with the highest gene expression in a population from an extreme environment, and lower expression in a population from a more consistent environment as well as in birds breeding at an environmentally variable high-altitude site that are part of a population that inhabits a mixture of high and low altitude habitats. Within some populations, variation in circulating GCs predicted differences in gene expression, particularly in the hypothalamus. However, some patterns were present in all populations, whereas others were not. These results are consistent with the idea that some combination of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity may modify components of the HPA axis affecting stress resilience. Our results also underscore that a comprehensive understanding of the function and evolution of the stress response cannot be gained from measuring circulating hormones alone, and that future studies that apply a more explicitly evolutionary approach to important regulatory traits are likely to provide significant insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Zimmer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée, LEEC, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UR 4443, 93430 Villetaneuse, France.
| | - Conor C Taff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Daniel R Ardia
- Department of Biology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604, USA
| | - Kimberly A Rosvall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Christine Kallenberg
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Alexandra B Bentz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Audrey R Taylor
- Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - L Scott Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252, USA
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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6
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Tonissen S, Tetel V, Fraley GS. Transportation Stress Increases Fos Immunoreactivity in the Paraventricular Nucleus, but Not in the Nucleus of the Hippocampal Commissure in the Pekin Duck, Anas platyrhynchos domesticus. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12223213. [PMID: 36428440 PMCID: PMC9686473 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223213] [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: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Commercial poultry undergo transportation during their life, and the effects of transportation can negatively impact poultry production and welfare. In order to maintain physiological homeostasis, the hypothalamic−pituitary−adrenal axis (HPA) works to respond to stressors. Previous studies by others have shown contradictory effects of transportation on corticosterone release. However, recent studies from our lab and by others have shown that cortisol may also be an important hormone in the avian HPA. The purpose of our current study was to determine the effects of transportation stress on the stimulation of brain nuclei that regulate the HPA in birds, and on glucocorticoid (GC) secretion. To test this hypothesis, we collected blood and brain samples from developer drakes and hens (N = 10 per sex/time point): 24 h prior to transportation, immediately after transportation, 24 h after transportation, and 1 week after transportation. Serum GC levels and fos immunocytochemistry (ICC) within the nucleus of the hippocampal commissure (NHpC) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were measured. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. Post hoc analysis was completed using a Fisher’s PLSD with a p < 0.05 considered significant. We observed a sex difference (p < 0.05) in both corticosterone and cortisol secretion in Pekin ducks, although neither GC showed a significant increase in secretion associated with transportation. However, we did observe a significant (p < 0.05) increase in fos-like immunoreactivity for 24 h in the PVN, but not in the NHpC. Further studies are required to determine the specific role that GCs play in the avian stress response and the short-term stressors that could have long-term physiological effects on birds.
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7
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Oluwagbenga EM, Tetel V, Schober J, Fraley GS. Chronic heat stress part 1: Decrease in egg quality, increase in cortisol levels in egg albumen, and reduction in fertility of breeder pekin ducks. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1019741. [PMID: 36439270 PMCID: PMC9692011 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1019741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Global warming poses detrimental effects on poultry production leading to substantial economic losses. The goal of our experiment was to test the hypothesis that heat stress (HS) would alter welfare and egg quality (EQ) of breeder ducks. Furthermore, we wanted to test if HS would increase cortisol levels in egg albumen. Adult Pekin ducks were randomly assigned to two different rooms at 85% lay with 60 hens and 20 drakes per room. Baseline data including body weight, body condition scores (BCS), and egg production/quality were collected the week preceding heat treatment. Ducks were subjected to cyclic HS of 35°C for 10h/day and 29.5°C for the remaining 14h/day for 3 weeks while the control room was maintained at 22°C. Eggs were collected daily and analyzed weekly for quality assessment, and for albumen glucocorticoid (GCs) levels using mass spectrometry. One week before the exposure to HS, 10 hens and 5 drakes were euthanized and the same number again after 3 weeks and birds necropsied. Data analyses were done by 1- or 2-way ANOVA as appropriate with a Tukey-Kramer post hoc test. BCS were analyzed using a chi-squared test. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Circulating levels of corticosterone were significantly (p < 0.01) elevated at week 1 only in the HS hens. The circulating levels of cortisol increased significantly at week 1 and 2 (p < 0.05), and week 3 (p < 0.01) in the hens and at weeks 2 and 3 only (p < 0.05) in the drakes. Feather quality scores (p < 0.01), feather cleanliness scores (p < 0.001) and footpad quality scores (p < 0.05) increased significantly in the HS group. HS elicited a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in egg production at weeks 1 and 3. Hens in the HS group showed significantly decreased BW (p < 0.001) and number of follicles (p < 0.05). Shell weight decreased significantly at week 1 only (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Yolk weight decreased significantly at week 3 (p < 0.01) compared to controls. HS elicited a significant increase in albumen cortisol levels at week 1 (p < 0.05) and week 3 (p < 0.05). Thus, cortisol may provide critical information to further understand and to improve welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - G. S. Fraley
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, UnitedStates
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8
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Petersen MC, Gallop MR, Flores Ramos S, Zarrinpar A, Broussard JL, Chondronikola M, Chaix A, Klein S. Complex physiology and clinical implications of time-restricted eating. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:1991-2034. [PMID: 35834774 PMCID: PMC9423781 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00006.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary intervention that limits food consumption to a specific time window each day. The effect of TRE on body weight and physiological functions has been extensively studied in rodent models, which have shown considerable therapeutic effects of TRE and important interactions among time of eating, circadian biology, and metabolic homeostasis. In contrast, it is difficult to make firm conclusions regarding the effect of TRE in people because of the heterogeneity in results, TRE regimens, and study populations. In this review, we 1) provide a background of the history of meal consumption in people and the normal physiology of eating and fasting; 2) discuss the interaction between circadian molecular metabolism and TRE; 3) integrate the results of preclinical and clinical studies that evaluated the effects of TRE on body weight and physiological functions; 4) summarize other time-related dietary interventions that have been studied in people; and 4) identify current gaps in knowledge and provide a framework for future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max C Petersen
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Molly R Gallop
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Stephany Flores Ramos
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Amir Zarrinpar
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Health System, La Jolla, California
| | - Josiane L Broussard
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Maria Chondronikola
- Departments of Nutrition and Radiology, University of California, Davis, California
- Departments of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of Athens, Kallithea, Greece
| | - Amandine Chaix
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Samuel Klein
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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9
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Jimeno B, Zimmer C. Glucocorticoid receptor expression as an integrative measure to assess glucocorticoid plasticity and efficiency in evolutionary endocrinology: A perspective. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105240. [PMID: 35933849 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Organisms have to cope with the changes that take place in their environment in order to keep their physical and psychological stability. In vertebrates, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a key role in mediating phenotypic adjustments to environmental changes, primarily by regulating glucocorticoids (GCs). Although circulating GCs have widely been used as proxy for individual health and fitness, our understanding of HPA regulation is still very limited, especially in free-living animals. Circulating GCs only exert their actions when they are bound to receptors, and therefore, GC receptors play a pivotal role mediating HPA regulation and GC downstream phenotypic changes. Because under challenging conditions GC actions (as well as negative feedback activation) occur mainly through binding to low-affinity glucocorticoid receptors (GR), we propose that GR activity, and in particular GR expression, may play a crucial role in GC regulation and dynamics, and be ultimately related to organismal capacity to appropriately respond to environmental changes. Thus, we suggest that GR expression will provide more comprehensive information of GC variation and function. To support this idea, we compile previous evidence demonstrating the fundamental role of GR on GC responses and the fine-tuning of circulating GCs. We also make predictions about the phenotypic differences in GC responsiveness - and ultimately HPA regulation capacity - associated with differences in GR expression, focusing on GC plasticity and efficiency. Finally, we discuss current priorities and limitations of integrating measures of GR expression into evolutionary endocrinology and ecology studies, and propose further research directions towards the use of GR expression and the study of the mechanisms regulating GR activity to gather information on coping strategies and stress resilience. Our goals are to provide an integrative perspective that will prompt reconsideration on the ecological and physiological interpretation of current GC measurements, and motivate further research on the role of GR in tuning individual responses to dynamic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Jimeno
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Cedric Zimmer
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée, LEEC, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UR 4443, 93430 Villetaneuse, France; Global Health and Infectious Disease Research Center, University of South Florida, 33612 Tampa, FL, USA
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10
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Prior NH, Bentz EJ, Ophir AG. Reciprocal processes of sensory perception and social bonding: an integrated social-sensory framework of social behavior. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12781. [PMID: 34905293 PMCID: PMC9744507 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Organisms filter the complexity of natural stimuli through their individual sensory and perceptual systems. Such perceptual filtering is particularly important for social stimuli. A shared "social umwelt" allows individuals to respond appropriately to the expected diversity of cues and signals during social interactions. In this way, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of sociality and social bonding cannot be disentangled from perceptual mechanisms and sensory processing. While a degree of embeddedness between social and sensory processes is clear, our dominant theoretical frameworks favor treating the social and sensory processes as distinct. An integrated social-sensory framework has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual variation in social bonding and sociality more broadly. Here we leverage what is known about sensory processing and pair bonding in two common study systems with significant species differences in their umwelt (rodent chemosensation and avian acoustic communication). We primarily highlight that (1) communication is essential for pair bond formation and maintenance, (2) the neural circuits underlying perception, communication and social bonding are integrated, and (3) candidate neuromodulatory mechanisms that regulate pair bonding also impact communication and perception. Finally, we propose approaches and frameworks that more fully integrate sensory processing, communication, and social bonding across levels of analysis: behavioral, neurobiological, and genomic. This perspective raises two key questions: (1) how is social bonding shaped by differences in sensory processing?, and (2) to what extent is sensory processing and the saliency of signals shaped by social interactions and emerging relationships?
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H. Prior
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Ehren J. Bentz
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
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11
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Sakata JT, Catalano I, Woolley SC. Mechanisms, development, and comparative perspectives on experience-dependent plasticity in social behavior. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2021; 337:35-49. [PMID: 34516724 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Revealing the mechanisms underlying experience-dependent plasticity is a hallmark of behavioral neuroscience. While the study of social behavior has focused primarily on the neuroendocrine and neural control of social behaviors, the plasticity of these innate behaviors has received relatively less attention. Here, we review studies on mating-dependent changes to social behavior and neural circuitry across mammals, birds, and reptiles. We provide an overview of species similarities and differences in the effects of mating experiences on motivational and performative aspects of sexual behaviors, on sensory processing and preferences, and on the experience-dependent consolidation of sexual behavior. We also discuss recent insights into the neural mechanisms of and developmental influences on mating-dependent changes and outline promising approaches to investigate evolutionary parallels and divergences in experience-dependent plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon T Sakata
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Isabella Catalano
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sarah C Woolley
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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12
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Wilsterman K, Alonge MM, Bao X, Conner KA, Bentley GE. Food access modifies GnIH, but not CRH, cell number in the hypothalamus in a female songbird. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 292:113438. [PMID: 32060003 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Food deprivation or restriction causes animals to mount a stereotypical behavioral and physiological response that involves overall increases in activity, elevated glucocorticoid production, and (often) inhibition of the reproductive system. Although there is increasing evidence that these responses can differ in their degree or covariation between the sexes, most studies to-date on food restriction/deprivation have focused on male songbirds. We therefore aimed to characterize the behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine response to acute food deprivation in a female songbird using a nomadic species, the zebra finch. We quantified behavior during a 6.5 h food deprivation and then measured physiological and neuroendocrine responses of female birds at the 6.5 h timepoint. Within 1 h of acute food deprivation, female zebra finches increased foraging behaviors, and after 6.5 h of food deprivation, females lost 5% of their body mass, on average. Change in body mass was positively associated with elevated corticosterone and (contrary to findings in male zebra finches) negatively related to the number of gonadotropin inhibitory hormone-immunoreactive cells in the hypothalamus. However, there was no effect of food deprivation on corticotropin releasing hormone-immunoreactive cells in the hypothalamus. There was also no relationship between corticotropin releasing hormone-immunoreactive cell number and circulating corticosterone. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that neuroendocrine responses to food deprivation differ between male and female songbirds. Future studies should work to incorporate sex comparisons to evaluate sex-specific neuroendocrine responses to acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mattina M Alonge
- Integrative Biology, Univ. of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Xinmiao Bao
- Integrative Biology, Univ. of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kristin A Conner
- Integrative Biology, Univ. of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - George E Bentley
- Integrative Biology, Univ. of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Univ. of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Paciorek T, Joseph L. Behavioral and Endocrine Alterations to Partner Interactions and Offspring Care during Periods of Conflict. Integr Org Biol 2020; 2:obaa002. [PMID: 33791546 PMCID: PMC7671132 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obaa002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Biparental care has evolved to ensure successful rearing of offspring. However, separation during periods of care can lead to conflicts that might negatively impact pair bonds and offspring care. In this study, pair-bonded convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) were observed for changes in behavior toward their partners and offspring before and after a period of separation. Males and females were designated either as a Resident (remain with offspring) or Removed (separated from partner and offspring for 5 days) individual. Behaviors between partners and toward offspring were measured before and after separation, and compared to the levels of behavior of control pairs (never separated), as well as individuals introduced to a novel partner instead. Cortisol levels of Resident male and female A. nigrofasciata were assayed using water-borne hormone collection before and after separation. Aggression between pair bond members did increase following reintroduction, but did not lead to the termination of pair bonds. Resident females showed more aggression to novel partners than Resident males. Offspring care decreased in both Resident and Removed females. Experimental pairs decreased the amount of time spent interacting with intruders. Cortisol levels were significantly higher among experimental pairs compared with control pairs that did not experience a separation. Females (both control and experimental) showed small, yet significant increases in cortisol levels, while both control and experimental males did not. These results suggest that while pair bonds appear resilient, prolonged separations influence pair bond and parental care dynamics, both behaviorally and hormonally, and require pairs to re-establish roles, resulting in less time caring for offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Paciorek
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
| | - Leese Joseph
- Department of Biology, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA 18034, USA
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Prior NH, Smith E, Dooling RJ, Ball GF. Familiarity enhances moment-to-moment behavioral coordination in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) dyads. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 134:135-148. [PMID: 31647250 DOI: 10.1037/com0000201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
An individual's ability to respond to and align with the behavior of others is a fundamental component of social behavior. Zebra finches form lifelong monogamous pair bonds; however, zebra finches are also gregarious and can form strong social bonds with same-sex conspecifics. Here, we quantified behavior during brief 10-min reunions for males and females in five types of social conditions: monogamously bonded opposite-sex partners, familiar same-sex, familiar opposite-sex, novel same-sex, and novel opposite-sex dyads. We analyzed these interactions in three ways. First, we quantified overall activity levels (call and movement rates) for each individual. Second, we measured how coordinated calls and movements were by calculating (a) the percent difference in activity rates as an estimate of how similar calling and movement activity were between individuals within a dyad, and (b) the sliding correlation coefficients for time-stamped calls and movements for each dyad. Finally, we described multimodal behavioral profiles of coordination using principal component analyses. Overall, females were more active than males. For both females and males, activity levels as well as the coordination of calls and movements were significantly affected by social condition. In general, monogamous partners, female familiar same-sex dyads and familiar opposite-sex dyads were the most coordinated. This effect of familiarity shows that moment-to-moment behavioral coordination can be influenced by prior social experiences. Quantifying patterns of coordination or social synchrony may prove valuable for understanding the effects of social experience on brain and behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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