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Nemeth M, Eisenschenk I, Engelmann A, Esser FM, Kokodynska M, Szewczak VF, Barnreiter E, Wallner B, Millesi E. Flaxseed oil as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid source modulates cortisol concentrations and social dominance in male and female guinea pigs. Horm Behav 2021; 134:105025. [PMID: 34242874 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of the essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Omega-3 PUFAs are important neuronal components and can counteract aggressive, depressive, and anxiety-like behavior, reduce glucocorticoid (e.g. cortisol) concentrations under chronic stress but also increase acute glucocorticoid responses. As glucocorticoids per se and glucocorticoid responsiveness can modulate the establishment of dominance hierarchies, we investigated if flaxseed oil high in ALA can promote social dominance through effects on glucocorticoid concentrations. Two male and two female groups of domestic guinea pigs (n = 9 per group) were maintained on a control or a 5% (w/w) flaxseed oil diet for four weeks. Social behaviors, hierarchy indices, locomotion, and saliva cortisol concentrations were determined during basal group housing conditions and stressful social confrontations with unfamiliar individuals of the other groups. Flaxseed groups had increased basal cortisol concentrations and showed no cortisol increase during social confrontations. Cortisol concentrations in control groups significantly increased during social confrontations. Such higher cortisol responses positively affected individual hierarchy indices in control males. However, flaxseed males became dominant irrespective of cortisol concentrations. In females, the opposite was detected, namely a higher dominant status in control compared to flaxseed females. Open-field- and dark-light-tests for anxiety-like behavior revealed no pronounced differences, but flaxseed males showed the highest locomotor activity. Flaxseed oil as an ALA source sex-specifically promoted social dominance irrespective of cortisol concentrations and responses. The underlying neuronal mechanisms remain to be determined, but a sex-specific energetic advantage may have accounted for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Nemeth
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Isabelle Eisenschenk
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Engelmann
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Fey Maria Esser
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michelle Kokodynska
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Veronika Francesca Szewczak
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Barnreiter
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Millesi
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Nemeth M, Wallner B, Schuster D, Siutz C, Quint R, Wagner KH, Millesi E. Effects of dietary fatty acids on the social life of male Guinea pigs from adolescence to adulthood. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104784. [PMID: 32504693 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or saturated fatty acids (SFAs) differently modulates neurophysiological and behavioral functions in response to altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis activity and an individual's development. In this context, an individual's social environment, including social interactions and social hierarchies, is closely related to hormone concentrations and possibly interacts with dietary fatty acid effects. We investigated if dietary supplementation with walnut oil (high in PUFAs) and coconut fat (high in SFAs), compared to a control group, affects body mass gain, cortisol and testosterone concentrations, plasma fatty acids, and social behavior in male domestic guinea pigs from adolescence to adulthood. For analyses of cortisol and testosterone concentrations, social interactions were included as covariates in order to consider effects of social behavior on hormone concentrations. Our results revealed that SFAs increased escalated conflicts like fights and stimulated cortisol and testosterone concentrations, which limited body mass gain and first-year survival. PUFAs did not remarkably affect social behavior and hormone concentrations, but enabled the strongest body mass gain, which probably resulted from an energetic advantage. Neither sociopositive nor agonistic behaviors explained age-specific differences in hormone concentrations between groups. However, a high number of subdominant individuals and lower testosterone concentrations were related to increased cortisol concentrations in adult PUFA males. Our findings demonstrate the importance of dietary fatty acids regarding behavioral and endocrine developmental processes and adaptations to the social environment by modulating HPA-axis function and body homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Nemeth
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Schuster
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Carina Siutz
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruth Quint
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl-Heinz Wagner
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Millesi
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Fight or flight? Effects of vaginal oestrus on cortisol, testosterone, and behaviour in guinea pig female-female interaction. Behav Processes 2018; 157:625-631. [PMID: 29654828 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
It is accepted that social stress in relation to confrontation and competition can elicit behavioural and hormonal changes in social mammals. These effects have, however, been less frequently studied among female-female interactions. In the present study female-female confrontation experiments were carried out to monitor socio-positive and agonistic behaviour by controlling for the oestrus cycles of 12 individuals. Additionally, plasma cortisol (CORT) and testosterone (T) levels were determined before and after the experiments. During non-oestrus conditions a significant increase in CORT levels from pre- to post confrontation was registered and females spent more time to sit side by side. During vaginal oestrus the confrontation experiments revealed avoiding of a conspecific female by showing increased flight behaviour. However, during that period no changes in CORT levels were found. But, a non-significant increase in T was measured from pre- to post confrontation in both cycle phases, while no differences in the display of aggressive behaviours were found. These findings indicate considerable influences of different oestrus cycle phases on social stress-induced CORT secretion and the modulation of socio-positive and agonistic behaviour in female guinea pigs.
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Guenther A, Brust V. Individual consistency in multiple cognitive performance: behavioural versus cognitive syndromes. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Brust V, Guenther A. Stability of the guinea pigs personality – cognition – linkage over time. Behav Processes 2017; 134:4-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Johannes Paul Michael J, Primes G, Windhager S, Fieder M, Wallner B. Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Fairness on Salivary Cortisol. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/1474704916653487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on cooperation has contributed to a better understanding of the foundations of human social behavior. Most studies, however, have not considered fundamental social parameters such as an individual’s position in a social hierarchy. As a first step, this study investigates the modulating effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on behavior and the physiological stress response. Study participants ( n = 83) played a cooperative game with computerized coplayers of four categories: similar or higher SES in combination with either high or low fairness in behavior (i.e., willingness to cooperate). All participants showed a significant increase in saliva cortisol after the game compared to a control group. Only when paired with higher SES coplayers, however, did participants show a significant subsequent decrease in cortisol concentrations. Participants’ behavior in response to a coplayer’s decisions was only affected by the degree of fairness, but not the SES, of respective coplayers. Physiologically, playing this cooperation game was a big challenge for participants as measured by salivary cortisol. Yet, the high recovery rate when playing with cooperative, higher status individuals showed the stress-protective effects of positive social interactions in the framework of social hierarchies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Georg Primes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja Windhager
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Fieder
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Cognitive Science Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Nemeth M, Millesi E, Wagner KH, Wallner B. Effects of diets high in unsaturated Fatty acids on socially induced stress responses in Guinea pigs. PLoS One 2014; 9:e116292. [PMID: 25551380 PMCID: PMC4281161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), such as omega-3 and omega-6 poly- and omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids are important nutrients and major components of neuronal cell membranes. They play a major role in modulating brain functions and physiology and may therefore diminish behavioral and physiological stress reactions in corroboration with decreased cortisol concentrations. Functionally, cortisol itself can modulate several behaviors and also the fatty acid metabolism in the long term. But only little is known about the behavioral and physiological influences of dietary UFAs in a social group, where individuals are regularly exposed to stressful situations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of dietary UFAs on saliva cortisol concentrations and behavioral responses in socially confronted guinea pigs. Three groups of animals were additionally supplemented with 500 mg chia seeds (high in omega-3), walnuts (high in omega-6), or peanuts (high in omega-9) per kg bodyweight each day and compared to a control group. During social confrontation saliva cortisol concentrations significantly increased in all groups, which was accompanied by a loss in bodyweight. However, cortisol levels remained lower in the chia and walnut groups compared to controls. Additionally, the walnut group displayed significantly increased locomotion, while no differences between groups were detected in socio-positive, sexual, or aggressive behaviors. Total plasma omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids were significantly increased in the corresponding groups, due to the dietary supplementations. However, a significant decrease in plasma omega-3 and an increase in plasma n-6 fatty acids were detected in the chia group when comparing the measurements before and after social confrontation. We conclude that both omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids can diminish behavioral and physiological stress responses to the social environment, enabling individuals to cope with social stressors, but at the expense of plasma derived omega-3 fatty acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Nemeth
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Millesi
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl-Heinz Wagner
- Department of Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Cognitive Science Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Vera F, Zenuto RR, Antenucci CD, Busso JM, Marín RH. Validation of a radioimmunoassay for measuring testosterone concentrations in plasma samples of the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum: outstandingly elevated levels in the wild and the effect of captivity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 315:572-83. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2011] [Revised: 08/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Hayes LD, Burger JR, Soto-Gamboa M, Sobrero R, Ebensperger LA. Towards an integrative model of sociality in caviomorph rodents. J Mammal 2011; 92:65-77. [PMID: 22328791 PMCID: PMC3277430 DOI: 10.1644/10-mamm-s-039.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the late 1990s and early 2000s it was recognized that behavioral ecologists needed to study the sociality of caviomorph rodents (New World hystricognaths) before generalizations about rodent sociality could be made. Researchers identified specific problems facing individuals interested in caviomorph sociality, including a lack of information on the proximate mechanisms of sociality, role of social environment in development, and geographical or intraspecific variation in social systems. Since then researchers have described the social systems of many previously understudied species, including some with broad geographical ranges. Researchers have done a good job of determining the role of social environments in development and identifying the costs and benefits of social living. However, relatively little is known about the proximate mechanisms of social behavior and fitness consequences, limiting progress toward the development of integrative (evolutionary-mechanistic) models for sociality. To develop integrative models behavioral ecologists studying caviomorph rodents must generate information on the fitness consequences of different types of social organization, brain mechanisms, and endocrine substrates of sociality. We review our current understanding and future directions for research in these conceptual areas. A greater understanding of disease ecology, particularly in species carrying Old World parasites, is needed before we can identify potential links between social phenotypes, mechanism, and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren D. Hayes
- Department of Biology, 700 University Avenue, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 72109, USA
| | - Joseph Robert Burger
- Department of Biology, 700 University Avenue, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 72109, USA
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020/1, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Mauricio Soto-Gamboa
- Instituto de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Isla teja S/N, Casilla 567, Chile
| | - Raúl Sobrero
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ecología y Biodiversidad and Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis A Ebensperger
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ecología y Biodiversidad and Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
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Machatschke IH, Bauer B, Glenk LM, Millesi E, Wallner B. Spatial learning and memory differs between single and cohabitated guinea pigs. Physiol Behav 2010; 102:311-6. [PMID: 21145334 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2010] [Revised: 11/15/2010] [Accepted: 12/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In socially-living animals, social enrichment enhances spatial learning and memory while separation from conspecifics can severely impair these abilities. In the present work, guinea pigs were kept in isolation or cohabitated in heterosexual pairs and then subjected to a labyrinth task. Latency-time to bait, error-rate, amount of movement and pre- and post-experimental cortisol (CORT) were registered. During a 5d-acquisition phase, single animals (N=19) showed a more efficient encoding of spatial information, with significantly decreased latency-time and error-rate over the time course. In contrast, cohabitated animals (N=19) did not show a significant improvement. Three days after acquisition, memory was tested in a retention test, under the same conditions. With regard to behavioral performance, there was no significant difference between cohabitated and single animals. Pre-experimental CORT was significantly higher in cohabitated animals when compared to single ones. Post-experimentally, CORT increased significantly in singles but not in cohabitated animals when compared to pre-experimental values. Thus, both groups did not differ from each other at that point. Social condition seemed to be an important modulator, in that learning and memory were more impaired in paired animals than in single ones. The failure of cohabitated animals to encode spatial memory more quickly may have been caused by a more chronically up-regulated HPA-axis. The post-experimental CORT increase of singles may be due to more efficient handling of short-term stress exposure.
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