1
|
Shaikh N, Asif PY, Saltzman W. Inhibition of alloparental behavior by acute stress in virgin male California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Behav Processes 2024; 220:105060. [PMID: 38909665 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
In many biparental mammals, such as California mice (Peromyscus californicus), fathers display affiliative behavior toward unfamiliar infants whereas reproductively naïve adult males show highly variable responses. Sources of this variability are not well understood, but evidence suggests that stress can either enhance or inhibit alloparental care. We evaluated immediate and delayed effects of acute stress on pup-directed behavior in adult virgin male California mice. Mice underwent three 10-minute tests with unfamiliar pups at 48-hour intervals. Stressed mice (N=22) received a subcutaneous oil injection immediately before tests 1 and 2, whereas controls (N=22) were left undisturbed. In controls, but not stressed mice, latency to approach the pup decreased and duration of alloparental behavior increased across the three tests. At each time point, stressed males were less likely than controls to perform alloparental behavior. Controls spent significantly more time performing alloparental behavior than stressed mice in tests 1 and 2 but not in test 3. Pup-directed aggression did not differ between the groups at any time point. These findings suggest that acute stress can both inhibit alloparental behavior in the short term and prevent the increase in alloparental behavior that typically occurs with repeated exposure to pups in virgin male California mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nabeel Shaikh
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Parihan Y Asif
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Wendy Saltzman
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bravo JC, Ugartemendia L, Barman A, Rodríguez AB, Pariente JA, Bravo R. Bibliometric analysis on cannibalism/infanticide and maternal aggression towards pups in laboratory rodents. Lab Anim 2024; 58:240-251. [PMID: 38353042 DOI: 10.1177/00236772231192030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Animal welfare has evolved during the past decades to improve not only the quality of life of laboratory rodents but also the quality and reproducibility of scientific investigations. Bibliometric analysis has become an important tool to complete the current knowledge with academic databases. Our objective was to investigate whether scientific research on cannibalism/infanticide is connected with maternal aggression towards the offspring in laboratory rodents. To carry out our research, we performed a specific search for published articles on each concept. Results were analyzed in the open-source environment RStudio with the package Bibliometrix. We obtained 253 and 134 articles for the first search (cannibalism/infanticide) and the second search (maternal aggression towards the pups) respectively. We observed that the interest in infanticide/cannibalism started in the 1950s, while researchers started showing interest in maternal aggression towards the pups 30 years later. Our analyses indicated that maternal aggression had better citations in scientific literature. In addition, although our results showed some common features (e.g. oxytocin or medial preoptic area in the brain), we observed a gap between cannibalism/infanticide and maternal aggression towards the pups with only 14 published articles in common for both the searches. Therefore, we recommend researchers to combine both concepts in further investigations in the context of cannibalism for better dissemination and higher impact in laboratory rodents' welfare research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José C Bravo
- Animal facility of University of Extremadura, University of Extremadura, Spain
- Neuroimmunophysiology and Chrononutrition Research Group, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura, Spain
| | - Lierni Ugartemendia
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center, USA
| | - Arko Barman
- D2K Lab & Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, USA
| | - Ana B Rodríguez
- Neuroimmunophysiology and Chrononutrition Research Group, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura, Spain
| | - José A Pariente
- Neuroimmunophysiology and Chrononutrition Research Group, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura, Spain
| | - Rafael Bravo
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pereira M, Smiley KO, Lonstein JS. Parental Behavior in Rodents. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 27:1-53. [PMID: 36169811 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-97762-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Members of the order Rodentia are among the best-studied mammals for understanding the patterns, outcomes, and biological determinants of maternal and paternal caregiving. This research has provided a wealth of information but has historically focused on just a few rodents, mostly members of the two Myomorpha families that easily breed and can be studied within a laboratory setting (including laboratory rats, mice, hamsters, voles, gerbils). It is unclear how well this small collection of animals represents the over 2000 species of extant rodents. This chapter provides an overview of the hormonal and neurobiological systems involved in parental care in rodents, with a purposeful eye on providing information known or could be gleaned about parenting in various less-traditional members of Rodentia. We conclude from this analysis that the few commonly studied rodents are not necessarily even representative of the highly diverse members of Myomorpha, let alone other rodent suborders, and that additional laboratory and field studies of members of this order more broadly would surely provide invaluable information toward revealing a more representative picture of the rich diversity in rodent parenting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Pereira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Kristina O Smiley
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology & Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dantzer B, Boutin S, Lane JE, McAdam AG. Integrative Studies of the Effects of Mothers on Offspring: An Example from Wild North American Red Squirrels. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 27:269-296. [PMID: 36169819 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-97762-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Animal species vary in whether they provide parental care or the type of care provided, and this variation in parental care among species has been a common focus of comparative studies. However, the proximate causes and ultimate consequences of within-species variation in parental care have been less studied. Most studies about the impacts of within-species variation in parental care on parental fitness have been in primates, whereas studies in laboratory rodents have been invaluable for understanding what causes inter-individual variation in parental care and its influence on offspring characteristics. We integrated both of these perspectives in our long-term study of North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) in the Yukon, Canada, where we have focused on understanding the impacts of mothers on offspring. This includes documenting the impacts that mothers or the maternal environment itself has on their offspring, identifying how changes in maternal physiology impact offspring characteristics, the presence of individual variation in maternal attentiveness toward offspring before weaning and its fitness consequences, and postweaning maternal care and its fitness consequences. We provide an overview of these contributions to understanding the impacts mothers have on their offspring in red squirrels using an integrative framework and contrast them with studies in the laboratory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey E Lane
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Andrew G McAdam
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Been LE, Sheppard PAS, Galea LAM, Glasper ER. Hormones and neuroplasticity: A lifetime of adaptive responses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:679-690. [PMID: 34808191 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Major life transitions often co-occur with significant fluctuations in hormones that modulate the central nervous system. These hormones enact neuroplastic mechanisms that prepare an organism to respond to novel environmental conditions and/or previously unencountered cognitive, emotional, and/or behavioral demands. In this review, we will explore several examples of how hormones mediate neuroplastic changes in order to produce adaptive responses, particularly during transitions in life stages. First, we will explore hormonal influences on social recognition in both males and females as they transition to sexual maturity. Next, we will probe the role of hormones in mediating the transitions to motherhood and fatherhood, respectively. Finally, we will survey the long-term impact of reproductive experience on neuroplasticity in females, including potential protective effects and risk factors associated with reproductive experience in mid-life and beyond. Ultimately, a more complete understanding of how hormones influence neuroplasticity throughout the lifespan, beyond development, is necessary for understanding how individuals respond to life changes in adaptive ways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Been
- Department of Psychology, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA, 19041, USA.
| | - Paul A S Sheppard
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada.
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Erica R Glasper
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742 USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Romero-Morales L, García-Saucedo B, Martínez-Torres M, Cárdenas-Vázquez R, Álvarez-Rodríguez C, Carmona A, Luis J. PATERNAL AND INFANTICIDAL BEHAVIOR IN THE MONGOLIAN GERBIL (Meriones unguiculatus): AN APPROACH TO NEUROENDOCRINE REGULATION. Behav Brain Res 2021; 415:113520. [PMID: 34389425 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to provide evidence on estrogen and androgen pathways regulating the Mongolian gerbil's paternal and infanticidal behaviors (Meriones unguiculatus). We analyzed estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and androgen receptor (AR) distribution in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST), as well as the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN), the ventromedial hypothalamus nucleus (VMH), and the periaqueductal gray area (PAG) nuclei activated when males interact paternally or aggressively with the pups, respectively. Twenty aggressive males towards the pups and 10 paternal were selected through a screen paternal behavior test. Three groups of 10 males each were formed: paternal males (PAT), males with testosterone (T)-induced paternal behavior (T-PAT), and aggressive males (AGG). Male gerbils could interact with a pup for a few minutes, and their brains were removed and dissected for ERα and AR immunoreactivity (ir). The results showed that in T-PAT and PAT males, the number of ERα-ir and AR-ir cells in the mPOA/BNST was significantly higher than in AGG males. In AGG males, the number of ERα-ir and AR-ir cells in the AHN/VMH/PAG was significantly higher than PAT and T-PAT males. This difference in the presence of ERα and AR in nuclei activated in paternal interactions in the Mongolian gerbil supports the idea that these receptors participate in regulating paternal behavior. Also, these results suggest, for the first time, that they could be involved in the infanticidal behavior in this rodent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Romero-Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
| | - Brenda García-Saucedo
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
| | - Martín Martínez-Torres
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - René Cárdenas-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Biología Animal Experimental, Depto. de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Carmen Álvarez-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | | | - Juana Luis
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Naderi M, Kwong RWM. A comprehensive review of the neurobehavioral effects of bisphenol S and the mechanisms of action: New insights from in vitro and in vivo models. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 145:106078. [PMID: 32911243 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The normal brain development and function are delicately driven by an ever-changing milieu of steroid hormones arising from fetal, placental, and maternal origins. This reliance on the neuroendocrine system sets the stage for the exquisite sensitivity of the central nervous system to the adverse effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most common EDCs which has been a particular focus of environmental concern for decades due to its widespread nature and formidable threat to human and animal health. The heightened regulatory actions and the scientific and public concern over the adverse health effects of BPA have led to its replacement with a suite of structurally similar but less known alternative chemicals. Bisphenol S (BPS) is the main substitute for BPA that is increasingly being used in a wide array of consumer and industrial products. Although it was considered to be a safe BPA alternative, mounting evidence points to the deleterious effects of BPS on a wide range of neuroendocrine functions in animals. In addition to its reproductive toxicity, recent experimental efforts indicate that BPS has a considerable potential to induce neurotoxicity and behavioral dysfunction. This review analyzes the current state of knowledge regarding the neurobehavioral effects of BPS and discusses its potential mode of actions on several aspects of the neuroendocrine system. We summarize the role of certain hormones and their signaling pathways in the regulation of brain and behavior and discuss how BPS induces neurotoxicity through interactions with these pathways. Finally, we review potential links between BPS exposure and aberrant neurobehavioral functions in animals and identify key knowledge gaps and hypotheses for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Naderi
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
| | - Raymond W M Kwong
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nguyen CTY, Zhao M, Saltzman W. Effects of sex and age on parental motivation in adult virgin California mice. Behav Processes 2020; 178:104185. [PMID: 32603677 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Female mammals often demonstrate a rapid initiation of maternal responsiveness immediately after giving birth, as a result of neuroendocrine changes that occur during pregnancy and parturition. However, fathers and virgins of some species may display infant care similar to that performed by mothers but without experiencing these physiological events. In biparental species, in which both mothers and fathers care for their offspring, both sex and age may affect parental motivation, even in adult virgins. We examined the effects of sex and age on parental motivation in the California mouse, a monogamous, biparental rodent. We compared parental motivation of male and female virgins in both mid- and old adulthood using two new tests - a T-maze test and a rain test - as well as in standard parental-behavior tests. Adult virgin males were more parentally motivated than adult virgin females in both the T-maze test and the parental-behavior test, but parental motivation did not differ markedly between middle-aged and older adults of either sex. These findings suggest that sex differences in parental motivation in adult virgins are similar to those observed in other biparental rodents, and indicate that the T-maze test may be useful for evaluating parental motivation in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine T Y Nguyen
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, United States
| | - Meng Zhao
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, United States
| | - Wendy Saltzman
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Romero-Morales L, Cárdenas M, Martínez-Torres M, Cárdenas R, Álvarez-Rodríguez C, Luis J. Estradiol and estrogen receptor α in the mPOA and MeA in dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli) fathers. Horm Behav 2020; 119:104653. [PMID: 31816282 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
E2 and its alpha receptor (ERα) have an essential role in the regulation of maternal behavior. In dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli), E2 facilitates the display of paternal care, and it is possible that ERα is part of the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate this behavior. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of copulation, cohabitation with the pregnant mate and the presence of the pups on paternal behavior, circulating E2 levels and the presence of ERα in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and medial amygdala (MeA) in dwarf hamsters. Eight males were mated with intact females (IFs), 8 with tubally ligated females (TLFs) and 8 with ovariectomized females (OFs). In males mated with IFs, paternal behavior tests were performed after copulation, halfway through pregnancy and 24 h after the birth of their pups. Males mated with TLFs were subjected to paternal behavior tests at equivalent periods as the males mated with IFs. In males mated with OFs, paternal behavior tests were performed on days 1, 5 and 10 of cohabitation. After the last paternal behavior tests, blood samples were taken for quantification of E2 by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and the brains were dissected to determine ERα immunoreactivity (ir) in the mPOA and MeA. Fathers mated with IFs had higher serum E2 concentrations and more ERα-ir cells in the mPOA than those of males mated with TLFs and OFs. These results suggest that E2 and its ERα may be associated with paternity in the dwarf hamster.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Romero-Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Mario Cárdenas
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición, Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Martín Martínez-Torres
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Rene Cárdenas
- Laboratorio de Biología Experimental, Depto. De Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Carmen Álvarez-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Juana Luis
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yuan W, Li L, Hou W, He Z, Wang L, Zhang J, Yang Y, Cai W, Guo Q, Zhang X, Jia R, Lian Z, Tai F. Preweaning Paternal Deprivation Impacts Parental Responses to Pups and Alters the Serum Oxytocin and Corticosterone Levels and Oxytocin Receptor, Vasopressin 1A Receptor, Oestrogen Receptor, Dopamine Type I Receptor, Dopamine Type II Receptor Levels in Relevant Brain Regions in Adult Mandarin Voles. Neuroendocrinology 2020; 110:292-306. [PMID: 31256151 DOI: 10.1159/000501798] [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: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although maternal separation and neonatal paternal deprivation (PD) have been found to exert a profound and persistent effects on the physiological and behavioural development of offspring, whether preweaning PD (PPD; from PND 10 to 21) affects maternal and parental responses to pups and the underlying neuroendocrine mechanism are under-investigated. Using monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), the present study found that PPD increased the latency to approach a pup-containing ball, decreased the total durations of sniffing and contacting a pup-containing ball and walking and increased the total duration of inactivity in both sexes. Moreover, PPD decreased serum oxytocin levels and increased corticosterone levels, but only in females. Furthermore, in both males and females, PPD decreased the expression of oxytocin receptor mRNA and protein in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but increased it in the medial amygdala (MeA) and decreased the expression of oestrogen receptor mRNA and protein in the MPOA. PPD increased the expression of dopamine type I receptor in the NAcc, but decreased it in the mPFC. PPD decreased dopamine type II receptor (D2R) in the NAcc both in males and females, but increased D2R in the mPFC in females and decreased D2R protein expression in males. Moreover, PPD decreased vasopressin 1A receptor (V1AR) in the MPOA, MeA and mPFC, but only in males. Our results suggest that the reduction of parental responses to pups induced by PPD may be associated with the sex-specific alteration of several neuroendocrine parameters in relevant brain regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medications, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenqi Cai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xueni Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- Cognition Neuroscience and Learning Division, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhenmin Lian
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China,
- Cognition Neuroscience and Learning Division, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yuan W, He Z, Hou W, Wang L, Li L, Zhang J, Yang Y, Jia R, Qiao H, Tai F. Role of oxytocin in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) in the modulation of paternal behavior in mandarin voles. Horm Behav 2019; 110:46-55. [PMID: 30836063 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Parental care plays an important role in individual survival and development in mammals. Many studies have focused on the mechanisms underlying maternal behavior. However, the underlying neural mechanisms of paternal behavior are less understood. Using monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), the present study found that fathers initiated more paternal behavior and the virgin male showed more infanticide. Moreover fathers had shorter latency to approach a pup at the postnatal day (PND) 10 than PND1, PND20 than nonfathers. Fathers had a shorter latency to take care of unfamiliar pups than nonfathers. They had higher levels of paternal behavior at PND 10 than PND1 and PND20 toward the mandarin vole pups. Fathers had a significantly higher serum concentration of oxytocin (OT) than virgin males. Both RT-PCR and Western blot results indicated that the levels of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of fathers were significantly higher than in virgin males, but the levels of vasopressin 1a receptor (V1AR) mRNA and protein expression in the MPOA did not show significant differences. Microinjection of an oxytocin receptor antagonist into the MPOA significantly reduced the total duration of paternal behavior and increased the latency to approach the pup and initiate paternal behavior. Our results indicated that OT plays a key role in the modulation of paternal behavior via the MPOA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Hui Qiao
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Glasper ER, Kenkel WM, Bick J, Rilling JK. More than just mothers: The neurobiological and neuroendocrine underpinnings of allomaternal caregiving. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100741. [PMID: 30822428 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In a minority of mammalian species, mothers depend on others to help raise their offspring. New research is investigating the neuroendocrine mechanisms supporting this allomaternal behavior. Several hormones have been implicated in allomaternal caregiving; however, the role of specific hormones is variable across species, perhaps because allomothering independently evolved multiple times. Brain regions involved in maternal behavior in non-human animals, such as the medial preoptic area, are also critically involved in allomaternal behavior. Allomaternal experience modulates hormonal systems, neural plasticity, and behavioral reactivity. In humans, fatherhood-induced decreases in testosterone and increases in oxytocin may support sensitive caregiving. Fathers and mothers activate similar neural systems when exposed to child stimuli, and this can be considered a global "parental caregiving" network. Finally, early work on caregiving by non-kin (e.g., foster parents) suggests reliance on similar mechanisms as biologically-related parents. This article is part of the 'Parental Brain and Behavior' Special Issue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E R Glasper
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - W M Kenkel
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - J Bick
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 4849 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77204, USA; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, 4849 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - J K Rilling
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, 207 Anthropology Building, 1557 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, PO Box 3966, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA; Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Alteration in oxytocin levels induced by early social environment affects maternal behavior and estrogen receptor alpha in mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus). Behav Brain Res 2019; 365:36-47. [PMID: 30802533 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that the early social environment exerts long-term effects on the brain and also the parental behavior of adults. Oxytocin (OXT) is one of the most important neurotransmitters that regulate social behavior; howerve, whether the early social environment affects parental behavior via OXT remains unclear. Using socially monogamous adult mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), the present study found that 1) both paternal deprivation and early social deprivation significantly decreased OXT expression in both the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) and the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of F2 generation offspring; 2) systemic neonatal OXT injection in naïve animals promoted maternal but not paternal behavior in adult F2 offspring; 3) systemic neonatal OXT injection significantly increased ERα expression in both the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and the ventro medial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) in female but not in male mandarin voles; 4) systemic neonatal administration of an OXT antagonist significantly reduced ERα expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), VMH, and the arcuate hypothalamic nucleus (Arc) in females and in all examined brain regions in males. In summary, the obtained data demonstrate that the early social environment could affect OXT level, which in turn leads to long-term effects on ERα expression in relevant brain regions, consequently affecting maternal behavior but not paternal behavior.
Collapse
|
14
|
Paternal behavior in the Mongolian gerbil, and its regulation by social factors, T, ERα, and AR. Physiol Behav 2019; 199:351-358. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
15
|
Shpigler HY, Saul MC, Murdoch EE, Corona F, Cash-Ahmed AC, Seward CH, Chandrasekaran S, Stubbs LJ, Robinson GE. Honey bee neurogenomic responses to affiliative and agonistic social interactions. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12509. [PMID: 30094933 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Social interactions can be divided into two categories, affiliative and agonistic. How neurogenomic responses reflect these opposing valences is a central question in the biological embedding of experience. To address this question, we exposed honey bees to a queen larva, which evokes nursing, an affiliative alloparenting interaction, and measured the transcriptomic response of the mushroom body brain region at different times after exposure. Hundreds of genes were differentially expressed at distinct time points, revealing a dynamic temporal patterning of the response. Comparing these results to our previously published research on agonistic aggressive interactions, we found both shared and unique transcriptomic responses to each interaction. The commonly responding gene set was enriched for nuclear receptor signaling, the set specific to nursing was enriched for olfaction and neuron differentiation, and the set enriched for aggression was enriched for cytoskeleton, metabolism, and chromosome organization. Whole brain histone profiling after the affiliative interaction revealed few changes in chromatin accessibility, suggesting that the transcriptomic changes derive from already accessible areas of the genome. Although only one stimulus of each type was studied, we suggest that elements of the observed transcriptomic responses reflect molecular encoding of stimulus valence, thus priming individuals for future encounters. This hypothesis is supported by behavioral analyses showing that bees responding to either the affiliative or agonistic stimulus exhibited a higher probability of repeating the same behavior but a lower probability of performing the opposite behavior. These findings add to our understanding of the biological embedding at the molecular level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hagai Y Shpigler
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois
| | - Michael C Saul
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois
| | - Emma E Murdoch
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois
| | - Frida Corona
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois
| | - Amy C Cash-Ahmed
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois
| | - Christopher H Seward
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UIUC, Urbana, Illinois
| | | | - Lisa J Stubbs
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UIUC, Urbana, Illinois.,Neuroscience Program, UIUC, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, Illinois.,Neuroscience Program, UIUC, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Entomology, UIUC, Urbana, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wang B, Wang L, Wang K, Tai F. The effects of fathering experience on paternal behaviors and levels of central expression of oxytocin and dopamine-2 type receptors in mandarin voles. Physiol Behav 2018; 193:35-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.02.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|
17
|
Horrell ND, Hickmott PW, Saltzman W. Neural Regulation of Paternal Behavior in Mammals: Sensory, Neuroendocrine, and Experiential Influences on the Paternal Brain. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 43:111-160. [PMID: 30206901 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, parents in many species devote extraordinary effort toward caring for offspring, often risking their lives and exhausting limited resources. Understanding how the brain orchestrates parental care, biasing effort over the many competing demands, is an important topic in social neuroscience. In mammals, maternal care is necessary for offspring survival and is largely mediated by changes in hormones and neuropeptides that fluctuate massively during pregnancy, parturition, and lactation (e.g., progesterone, estradiol, oxytocin, and prolactin). In the relatively small number of mammalian species in which parental care by fathers enhances offspring survival and development, males also undergo endocrine changes concurrent with birth of their offspring, but on a smaller scale than females. Thus, fathers additionally rely on sensory signals from their mates, environment, and/or offspring to orchestrate paternal behavior. Males can engage in a variety of infant-directed behaviors that range from infanticide to avoidance to care; in many species, males can display all three behaviors in their lifetime. The neural plasticity that underlies such stark changes in behavior is not well understood. In this chapter we summarize current data on the neural circuitry that has been proposed to underlie paternal care in mammals, as well as sensory, neuroendocrine, and experiential influences on paternal behavior and on the underlying circuitry. We highlight some of the gaps in our current knowledge of this system and propose future directions that will enable the development of a more comprehensive understanding of the proximate control of parenting by fathers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Horrell
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Peter W Hickmott
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Wendy Saltzman
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Different behavioral, neural and neuropeptide responses of fathers to their own and to alien pups in mandarin voles. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:257-269. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1229-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
19
|
Szymanska M, Schneider M, Chateau-Smith C, Nezelof S, Vulliez-Coady L. Psychophysiological effects of oxytocin on parent-child interactions: A literature review on oxytocin and parent-child interactions. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 71:690-705. [PMID: 28573830 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT), often called the 'hormone of love' or 'hormone of attachment,' plays a fundamental role in the establishment and quality of parent-infant bonding. However, emerging evidence indicates that OT can also produce antisocial behavior. To clarify these effects, we review studies examining the role of endogenous and exogenous OT on several determinants of attachment: parental sensitivity, and bonding or synchrony in parent-child dyads. Contextual and individual factors moderating the effect of intranasal OT and its peripheral levels are also reviewed. Finally, potential therapeutic applications for OT and current limitations in human OT research are examined. This systematic literature review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, with two electronic databases and other bibliographic sources. We identified a total of 47 relevant studies for inclusion in our review. Most of the findings are in accordance with recent ideas that OT administration may increase parent-child prosocial interaction, showing that OT exerts beneficial effects on processes thought to promote bonding, sensitivity, and synchrony. However, we found that OT can induce antisocial behavior (e.g., anxiety) or adverse effects (modulation of maternal care recollections) that are moderated by different contextual (e.g., maltreatment level, presence of unfamiliar people) and individual (attachment style) factors. This review reinforces the importance of context- and individual-dependent factors, which must be taken into account when analyzing the psychophysiological effects of OT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szymanska
- Science and Technology Department, Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neuroscience, EA 481, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, CHRU Besançon, France
| | - Marie Schneider
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Carmela Chateau-Smith
- Science and Technology Department, Training and Research Unit: Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, Dijon, France
| | - Sylvie Nezelof
- Science and Technology Department, Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neuroscience, EA 481, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, CHRU Besançon, France.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Lauriane Vulliez-Coady
- Science and Technology Department, Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neuroscience, EA 481, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, CHRU Besançon, France.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Saltzman W, Harris BN, De Jong TR, Perea-Rodriguez JP, Horrell ND, Zhao M, Andrew JR. Paternal Care in Biparental Rodents: Intra- and Inter-individual Variation. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:589-602. [PMID: 28641377 PMCID: PMC5886332 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental care by fathers, although rare among mmmals, can be essential for the survival and normal development of offspring in biparental species. A growing body of research on biparental rodents has identified several developmental and experiential influences on paternal responsiveness. Some of these factors, such as pubertal maturation, interactions with pups, and cues from a pregnant mate, contribute to pronounced changes in paternal responsiveness across the course of the lifetime in individual males. Others, particularly intrauterine position during gestation and parental care received during postnatal development, can have long-term effects on paternal behavior and contribute to stable differences among individuals within a species. Focusing on five well-studied, biparental rodent species, we review the developmental and experiential factors that have been shown to influence paternal responsiveness, and consider their roles in generating both intra- and inter-individual variation. We also review hormones and neuropeptides that have been shown to modulate paternal care and discuss their potential contributions to behavioral differences within and between males. Finally, we discuss the possibility that vasopressinergic and possibly oxytocinergic signaling within the brain, modulated by gonadal steroid hormones, may represent the "final common pathway" mediating effects of developmental and experiential variables on intra- and inter-individual variation in paternal care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Saltzman
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Breanna N. Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Trynke R. De Jong
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Nathan D. Horrell
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Meng Zhao
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Jacob R. Andrew
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Nephew BC. The Neurobiology of Parenting: Basic Research. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s40473-016-0059-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
22
|
Bales KL, Saltzman W. Fathering in rodents: Neurobiological substrates and consequences for offspring. Horm Behav 2016; 77:249-59. [PMID: 26122293 PMCID: PMC4691427 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Revised: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". Paternal care, though rare among mammals, is routinely displayed by several species of rodents. Here we review the neuroanatomical and hormonal bases of paternal behavior, as well as the behavioral and neuroendocrine consequences of paternal behavior for offspring. Fathering behavior is subserved by many of the same neural substrates which are also involved in maternal behavior (for example, the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus). While gonadal hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, as well as hypothalamic neuropeptides such as oxytocin and vasopressin, and the pituitary hormone prolactin, are implicated in the activation of paternal behavior, there are significant gaps in our knowledge of their actions, as well as pronounced differences between species. Removal of the father in biparental species has long-lasting effects on behavior, as well as on these same neuroendocrine systems, in offspring. Finally, individual differences in paternal behavior can have similarly long-lasting, if more subtle, effects on offspring behavior. Future studies should examine similar outcome measures in multiple species, including both biparental species and closely related uniparental species. Careful phylogenetic analyses of the neuroendocrine systems presumably important to male parenting, as well as their patterns of gene expression, will also be important in establishing the next generation of hypotheses regarding the regulation of male parenting behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, USA; California National Primate Research Center, USA.
| | - Wendy Saltzman
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Johnson SA, Javurek AB, Painter MS, Peritore MP, Ellersieck MR, Roberts RM, Rosenfeld CS. Disruption of parenting behaviors in california mice, a monogamous rodent species, by endocrine disrupting chemicals. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126284. [PMID: 26039462 PMCID: PMC4454565 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The nature and extent of care received by an infant can affect social, emotional and cognitive development, features that endure into adulthood. Here we employed the monogamous, California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), a species, like the human, where both parents invest in offspring care, to determine whether early exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC: bisphenol A, BPA; ethinyl estradiol, EE) of one or both parents altered their behaviors towards their pups. Females exposed to either compound spent less time nursing, grooming and being associated with their pups than controls, although there was little consequence on their weight gain. Care of pups by males was less affected by exposure to BPA and EE, but control, non-exposed females appeared able to “sense” a male partner previously exposed to either compound and, as a consequence, reduced their own parental investment in offspring from such pairings. The data emphasize the potential vulnerability of pups born to parents that had been exposed during their own early development to EDC, and that effects on the male, although subtle, also have consequences on overall parental care due to lack of full acceptance of the male by the female partner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Johnson
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
| | - Angela B. Javurek
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
| | - Michele S. Painter
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
| | - Michael P. Peritore
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
| | - Mark R. Ellersieck
- Agriculture Experimental Station-Statistics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
| | - R. Michael Roberts
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
| | - Cheryl S. Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|