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Cox SS, Brown BJ, Wood SK, Brown SJ, Kearns AM, Reichel CM. Neuronal, affective, and sensory correlates of targeted helping behavior in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1384578. [PMID: 38660390 PMCID: PMC11041374 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1384578] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Empathic behaviors are driven by the ability to understand the emotional states of others along with the motivation to improve it. Evidence points towards forms of empathy, like targeted helping, in many species including rats. There are several variables that may modulate targeted helping, including sex, sensory modalities, and activity of multiple neural substrates. Methods Using a model of social contact-independent targeted helping, we first tested whether sex differences exist in helping behavior. Next, we explored sex differences in sensory and affective signaling, including direct visualization and an analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations made between animal pairs. Finally, we examined the neural activity in males and females of multiple regions of interest across time. Here, we aim to examine any behavioral differences in our lab's social contact independent targeted helping task between males and females. Results and Discussion These findings are the first to intimate that, like other prosocial behaviors, males and females may exhibit similar social-independent targeted helping behavior, but the underlying sensory communication in males and females may differ. In addition, this is the first set of experiments that explore the neural correlates of social-independent targeted helping in both males and females. These results lay the groundwork for future studies to explore the similarities and differences that drive targeted helping in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stewart S. Cox
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Carmela M. Reichel
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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2
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Yu D, Bao L, Yin B. Emotional contagion in rodents: A comprehensive exploration of mechanisms and multimodal perspectives. Behav Processes 2024; 216:105008. [PMID: 38373472 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105008] [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] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Emotional contagion, a fundamental aspect of empathy, is an automatic and unconscious process in which individuals mimic and synchronize with the emotions of others. Extensively studied in rodents, this phenomenon is mediated through a range of sensory pathways, each contributing distinct insights. The olfactory pathway, marked by two types of pheromones modulated by oxytocin, plays a crucial role in transmitting emotional states. The auditory pathway, involving both squeaks and specific ultrasonic vocalizations, correlates with various emotional states and is essential for expression and communication in rodents. The visual pathway, though less relied upon, encompasses observational motions and facial expressions. The tactile pathway, a more recent focus, underscores the significance of physical interactions such as allogrooming and socio-affective touch in modulating emotional states. This comprehensive review not only highlights plausible neural mechanisms but also poses key questions for future research. It underscores the complexity of multimodal integration in emotional contagion, offering valuable insights for human psychology, neuroscience, animal welfare, and the burgeoning field of animal-human-AI interactions, thereby contributing to the development of a more empathetic intelligent future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delin Yu
- School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China; Key Laboratory for Learning and Behavioral Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China
| | - Lili Bao
- School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China; Key Laboratory for Learning and Behavioral Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China
| | - Bin Yin
- School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China; Key Laboratory for Learning and Behavioral Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China.
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3
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Jiang J, Tan S, Feng X, Peng Y, Long C, Yang L. Distinct ACC Neural Mechanisms Underlie Authentic and Transmitted Anxiety Induced by Maternal Separation in Mice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8201-8218. [PMID: 37845036 PMCID: PMC10697407 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0558-23.2023] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that humans and rodents are capable of transmitting stress to their naive partners via social interaction. However, a comprehensive understanding of transmitted stress, which may differ from authentic stress, thus revealing unique neural mechanisms of social interaction resulting from transmitted stress and the associated anxiety, is missing. We used, in the present study, maternal separation (MS) as a stress model to investigate whether MS causes abnormal behavior in adolescence. A key concern in the analysis of stress transmission is whether the littermates of MS mice who only witness MS stress ("Partners") exhibit behavioral abnormalities similar to those of MS mice themselves. Of special interest is the establishment of the neural mechanisms underlying transmitted stress and authentic stress. The results show that Partners, similar to MS mice, exhibit anxiety-like behavior and hyperalgesia after witnessing littermates being subjected to early-life repetitive MS. Electrophysiological analysis revealed that mice subjected to MS demonstrate a reduction in both the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activities of parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, Partners differed from MS mice in showing an increase in the number and excitability of GABAergic PVINs in the ACC and in the ability of chemogenetic PVIN inactivation to eliminate abnormal behavior. Furthermore, the social transfer of anxiety-like behavior required intact olfactory, but not visual, perception. This study suggests a functional involvement of ACC PVINs in mediating the distinct neural basis of transmitted anxiety.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a critical brain area in physical and social pain and contributes to the exhibition of abnormal behavior. ACC glutamatergic neurons have been shown to encode transmitted stress, but it remains unclear whether inhibitory ACC neurons also play a role. We evaluate, in this study, ACC neuronal, synaptic and network activities and uncover a critical role of parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) in the expression of transmitted stress in adolescent mice who had witnessed MS of littermates in infancy. Furthermore, inactivation of ACC PVINs blocks transmitted stress. The results suggest that emotional contagion has a severe effect on brain function, and identify a potential target for the treatment of transmitted anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxiang Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Shuyi Tan
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xiaoyi Feng
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yigang Peng
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Cheng Long
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Li Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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4
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Wang J, Liu S, Qu X, He X, Zhang L, Guo K, Zhu X. Nurses' Colleague Solidarity and Job Performance: Mediating Effect of Positive Emotion and Turnover Intention. Saf Health Work 2023; 14:309-316. [PMID: 37822463 PMCID: PMC10562161 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Job performance is known as an essential reflection of nursing quality. Colleague solidarity, positive emotion, and turnover intention play effective roles in a clinical working environment, but their impacts on job performance are unclear. Investigating the association between nurses' colleague solidarity and job performance may be valuable, both directly and through the mediating roles of positive emotion and turnover intention. Methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 324 Chinese nurses were recruited by convenience sampling method from July 2016 to January 2017. Descriptive analysis, Spearman's correlation analysis, and the structural equation model were applied for analysis by SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0. Results A total of 49.69% of participants were under 30 years old, and 90.12% of participants were female. Colleague solidarity and positive emotion were positively connected with job performance. The results indicated the mediating effects of positive emotion and turnover intention in this relationship, respectively, as well as the chain mediating effect of positive emotion and turnover intention. Conclusions In conclusion, dynamic and multiple supportive strategies are needed for nurse managers to ameliorate nursing job performance by improving colleague solidarity and positive emotion and decreasing turnover intention based on the job demand-resource model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jizhe Wang
- School of Nursing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shao Liu
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital Group, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaoyan Qu
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital Group, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xingrong He
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Laixiang Zhang
- Qingdao Center Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Kun Guo
- School of Nursing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiuli Zhu
- School of Nursing, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
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5
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Kiyokawa Y, Tamogami S, Ootaki M, Kahl E, Mayer D, Fendt M, Nagaoka S, Tanikawa T, Takeuchi Y. An appeasing pheromone ameliorates fear responses in the brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus). iScience 2023; 26:107081. [PMID: 37426349 PMCID: PMC10329171 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is one of the major animals both in the laboratory and in urban centers. Brown rats communicate various types of information using pheromones, the chemicals that mediate intra-species communication in minute amounts. Therefore, analyses of pheromones would further our understanding of the mode of life of rats. We show that a minute amount of 2-methylbutyric acid (2-MB) released from the neck region can ameliorate fear responses both in laboratory rats and in wild brown rats. Based on these findings, we conclude that 2-MB is an appeasing pheromone in the brown rat. A better understanding of rats themselves would allow us to perform more effective ecologically based research on social skills and pest management campaigns with low animal welfare impacts, which might contribute to furthering the advancement of science and improving public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Kiyokawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Tamogami
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Masato Ootaki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Evelyn Kahl
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology & Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Dana Mayer
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology & Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology & Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Satoru Nagaoka
- Daimaru Compound Chemical Co., Ltd, Nagano 381-1222, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Tanikawa
- Technical Research Laboratory, Ikari Shodoku Co., Ltd, Chiba 275-0024, Japan
| | - Yukari Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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6
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Huang Z, Chung M, Tao K, Watarai A, Wang MY, Ito H, Okuyama T. Ventromedial prefrontal neurons represent self-states shaped by vicarious fear in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3458. [PMID: 37400435 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39081-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Perception of fear induced by others in danger elicits complex vicarious fear responses and behavioral outputs. In rodents, observing a conspecific receive aversive stimuli leads to escape and freezing behavior. It remains unclear how these behavioral self-states in response to others in fear are neurophysiologically represented. Here, we assess such representations in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), an essential site for empathy, in an observational fear (OF) paradigm in male mice. We classify the observer mouse's stereotypic behaviors during OF using a machine-learning approach. Optogenetic inhibition of the vmPFC specifically disrupts OF-induced escape behavior. In vivo Ca2+ imaging reveals that vmPFC neural populations represent intermingled information of other- and self-states. Distinct subpopulations are activated and suppressed by others' fear responses, simultaneously representing self-freezing states. This mixed selectivity requires inputs from the anterior cingulate cortex and the basolateral amygdala to regulate OF-induced escape behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyan Huang
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Myung Chung
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Tao
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiyuki Watarai
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mu-Yun Wang
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroh Ito
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Teruhiro Okuyama
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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7
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Misiołek K, Klimczak M, Chrószcz M, Szumiec Ł, Bryksa A, Przyborowicz K, Rodriguez Parkitna J, Harda Z. Prosocial behavior, social reward and affective state discrimination in adult male and female mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5583. [PMID: 37019941 PMCID: PMC10076499 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32682-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosocial behavior, defined as voluntary behavior intended to benefit another, has long been regarded as a primarily human characteristic. In recent years, it was reported that laboratory animals also favor prosocial choices in various experimental paradigms, thus demonstrating that prosocial behaviors are evolutionarily conserved. Here, we investigated prosocial choices in adult male and female C57BL/6 laboratory mice in a task where a subject mouse was equally rewarded for entering any of the two compartments of the experimental cage, but only entering of the compartment designated as "prosocial" rewarded an interaction partner. In parallel we have also assessed two traits that are regarded as closely related to prosociality: sensitivity to social reward and the ability to recognize the affective state of another individual. We found that female, but not male, mice increased frequency of prosocial choices from pretest to test. However, both sexes showed similar rewarding effects of social contact in the conditioned place preference test, and similarly, there was no effect of sex on affective state discrimination measured as the preference for interaction with a hungry or relieved mouse over a neutral animal. These observations bring interesting parallels to differences between sexes observed in humans, and are in line with reported higher propensity for prosocial behavior in human females, but differ with regard to sensitivity to social stimuli in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Misiołek
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marta Klimczak
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Chrószcz
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Łukasz Szumiec
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Bryksa
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Karolina Przyborowicz
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jan Rodriguez Parkitna
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Zofia Harda
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland.
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8
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Akinrinade I, Kareklas K, Teles MC, Reis TK, Gliksberg M, Petri G, Levkowitz G, Oliveira RF. Evolutionarily conserved role of oxytocin in social fear contagion in zebrafish. Science 2023; 379:1232-1237. [PMID: 36952426 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq5158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Emotional contagion is the most ancestral form of empathy. We tested to what extent the proximate mechanisms of emotional contagion are evolutionarily conserved by assessing the role of oxytocin, known to regulate empathic behaviors in mammals, in social fear contagion in zebrafish. Using oxytocin and oxytocin receptor mutants, we show that oxytocin is both necessary and sufficient for observer zebrafish to imitate the distressed behavior of conspecific demonstrators. The brain regions associated with emotional contagion in zebrafish are homologous to those involved in the same process in rodents (e.g., striatum, lateral septum), receiving direct projections from oxytocinergic neurons located in the pre-optic area. Together, our results support an evolutionary conserved role for oxytocin as a key regulator of basic empathic behaviors across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibukun Akinrinade
- Integrative Behavioral Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
| | - Kyriacos Kareklas
- Integrative Behavioral Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
| | - Magda C Teles
- Integrative Behavioral Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
| | - Thais K Reis
- Integrative Behavioral Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
| | - Michael Gliksberg
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Giovanni Petri
- ISI Foundation and ISI Global Science Foundation, Torino 10126, Italy
- CENTAI Institute, Torino 10138, Italy
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Rui F Oliveira
- Integrative Behavioral Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
- ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisboa 1149-041, Portugal
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
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9
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Walsh JJ, Christoffel DJ, Malenka RC. Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:79-89. [PMID: 35701550 PMCID: PMC9700801 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Positive, prosocial interactions are essential for survival, development, and well-being. These intricate and complex behaviors are mediated by an amalgamation of neural circuit mechanisms working in concert. Impairments in prosocial behaviors, which occur in a large number of neuropsychiatric disorders, result from disruption of the coordinated activity of these neural circuits. In this review, we focus our discussion on recent findings that utilize modern approaches in rodents to map, monitor, and manipulate neural circuits implicated in a variety of prosocial behaviors. We highlight how modulation by oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in specific brain regions is critical for regulation of adaptive prosocial interactions. We then describe how recent findings have helped elucidate pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the social deficits that accompany neuropsychiatric disorders. We conclude by discussing approaches for the development of more efficacious and targeted therapeutic interventions to ameliorate aberrant prosocial behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Walsh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
| | - Daniel J Christoffel
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305-5453, USA.
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10
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Lillyman DJ, Lee FS, Barnett EC, Miller TJ, Alvaro ML, Drvol HC, Wachs RA. Axial hypersensitivity is associated with aberrant nerve sprouting in a novel model of disc degeneration in female Sprague Dawley rats. JOR Spine 2022; 5:e1212. [PMID: 36203864 PMCID: PMC9520768 DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic low back pain is a global socioeconomic crisis and treatments are lacking in part due to inadequate models. Etiological research suggests that the predominant pathology associated with chronic low back pain is intervertebral disc degeneration. Various research teams have created rat models of disc degeneration, but the clinical translatability of these models has been limited by an absence of robust chronic pain‐like behavior. To address this deficit, disc degeneration was induced via an artificial annular tear in female Sprague Dawley rats. The subsequent degeneration, which was allowed to progress for 18‐weeks, caused a drastic reduction in disc volume. Furthermore, from week 10 till study conclusion, injured animals exhibited significant axial hypersensitivity. At study end, intervertebral discs were assessed for important characteristics of human degenerated discs: extracellular matrix breakdown, hypocellularity, inflammation, and nerve sprouting. All these aspects were significantly increased in injured animals compared to sham controls. Also of note, 20 significant correlations were detected between selected outcomes including a moderate and highly significant correlation (R = 0.59, p < 0.0004) between axial hypersensitivity and disc nerve sprouting. These data support this model as a rigorous platform to explore the pathobiology of disc‐associated low back pain and to screen treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Lillyman
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Fei San Lee
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Evie C. Barnett
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Tyler J. Miller
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Moreno Lozano Alvaro
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Henry C. Drvol
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
| | - Rebecca A. Wachs
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska USA
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11
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Keysers C, Knapska E, Moita MA, Gazzola V. Emotional contagion and prosocial behavior in rodents. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:688-706. [PMID: 35667978 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Empathy is critical to adjusting our behavior to the state of others. The past decade dramatically deepened our understanding of the biological origin of this capacity. We now understand that rodents robustly show emotional contagion for the distress of others via neural structures homologous to those involved in human empathy. Their propensity to approach others in distress strengthens this effect. Although rodents can also learn to favor behaviors that benefit others via structures overlapping with those of emotional contagion, they do so less reliably and more selectively. Together, this suggests evolution selected mechanisms for emotional contagion to prepare animals for dangers by using others as sentinels. Such shared emotions additionally can, under certain circumstances, promote prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Keysers
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Laboratory of Emotions' Neurobiology, Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta A Moita
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Progamme, Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Valeria Gazzola
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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12
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Lomas JD, Lin A, Dikker S, Forster D, Lupetti ML, Huisman G, Habekost J, Beardow C, Pandey P, Ahmad N, Miyapuram K, Mullen T, Cooper P, van der Maden W, Cross ES. Resonance as a Design Strategy for AI and Social Robots. Front Neurorobot 2022; 16:850489. [PMID: 35574227 PMCID: PMC9097027 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2022.850489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Resonance, a powerful and pervasive phenomenon, appears to play a major role in human interactions. This article investigates the relationship between the physical mechanism of resonance and the human experience of resonance, and considers possibilities for enhancing the experience of resonance within human-robot interactions. We first introduce resonance as a widespread cultural and scientific metaphor. Then, we review the nature of "sympathetic resonance" as a physical mechanism. Following this introduction, the remainder of the article is organized in two parts. In part one, we review the role of resonance (including synchronization and rhythmic entrainment) in human cognition and social interactions. Then, in part two, we review resonance-related phenomena in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). These two reviews serve as ground for the introduction of a design strategy and combinatorial design space for shaping resonant interactions with robots and AI. We conclude by posing hypotheses and research questions for future empirical studies and discuss a range of ethical and aesthetic issues associated with resonance in human-robot interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Derek Lomas
- Department of Human Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Albert Lin
- Center for Human Frontiers, Qualcomm Institute, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Suzanne Dikker
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Deborah Forster
- Center for Human Frontiers, Qualcomm Institute, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Maria Luce Lupetti
- Department of Human Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Gijs Huisman
- Department of Human Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Julika Habekost
- The Design Lab, California Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Caiseal Beardow
- Department of Human Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Pankaj Pandey
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Nashra Ahmad
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Krishna Miyapuram
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Tim Mullen
- Intheon Labs, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Patrick Cooper
- Department of Physics, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Willem van der Maden
- Department of Human Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Emily S. Cross
- Social Robotics, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- SOBA Lab, School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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13
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Park J, Ha S, Shin H, Jeong J. Experience of a hierarchical relationship between a pair of mice specifically influences their affective empathy toward each other. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12810. [PMID: 35451184 PMCID: PMC9744536 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Prior experience of social hierarchy is known to modulate emotional contagion, a basic form of affective empathy. However, it is not known whether this behavioral effect occurs through changes in an individual's traits due to their experience of social hierarchy or specific social interrelationships between the individuals. Groups of four mice with an established in-group hierarchy were used to address this in conjunction with a tube test. The rank-1 and rank-4 mice were designated as the dominant or subordinate groups, respectively. The two individuals in between were designated as the intermediate groups, which were then used as the observers in observational fear learning (OFL) experiments, an assay for emotional contagion. The intermediate observers showed greater OFL responses to the dominant demonstrator than the subordinate demonstrators recruited from the same home-cage. When the demonstrators were strangers from different cages, the intermediate observers did not distinguish between dominant and subordinate, displaying the same level of OFL. In a reverse setting in which the intermediate group was used as the demonstrator, the subordinate observers showed higher OFL responses than the dominant observers, and this occurred only when the demonstrators were cagemates of the observers. Furthermore, the bigger the rank difference between a pair, the higher the OFL level that the observer displayed. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the hierarchical interrelationship established between a given pair of animals is critical for expressing emotional contagion between them rather than any potential changes in intrinsic traits due to the experience of dominant/subordinate hierarchy. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Subordinate observer or dominant demonstrator resulted in higher affective empathic response in familiar pairs but not unfamiliar pairs. The relative social rank of the observer with respect to the demonstrator had a negative linear correlation with the affective empathic response of the observer in familiar pairs but not unfamiliar pairs. The effect of social rank on affective empathy is attributed to the prior social hierarchical interrelationship between them and is not due to intrinsic attributes of an individual based on one's dominance rank.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungjoon Park
- Department of Bio and Brain EngineeringKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)DaejeonRepublic of Korea,Center for Cognition and SocialityInstitute for Basic Science (IBS)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Seungshin Ha
- Center for Cognition and SocialityInstitute for Basic Science (IBS)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Hee‐Sup Shin
- Center for Cognition and SocialityInstitute for Basic Science (IBS)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Jaeseung Jeong
- Department of Bio and Brain EngineeringKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
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14
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Tashjian SM, Fedrigo V, Molapour T, Mobbs D, Camerer CF. Physiological Responses to a Haunted-House Threat Experience: Distinct Tonic and Phasic Effects. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:236-248. [PMID: 35001710 PMCID: PMC9096462 DOI: 10.1177/09567976211032231] [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] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Threats elicit physiological responses, the frequency and intensity of which have implications for survival. Ethical and practical limitations on human laboratory manipulations present barriers to studying immersive threat. Furthermore, few investigations have examined group effects and concordance with subjective emotional experiences to threat. The current preregistered study measured electrodermal activity in 156 adults while they participated in small groups in a 30-min haunted-house experience involving various immersive threats. Results revealed positive associations between (a) friends and tonic arousal, (b) unexpected attacks and phasic activity (frequency and amplitude), (c) subjective fear and phasic frequency, and (d) dissociable sensitization effects linked to baseline orienting response. Findings demonstrate the relevance of (a) social dynamics (friends vs. strangers) for tonic arousal and (b) subjective fear and threat predictability for phasic arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Tashjian
- Division of the Humanities and Social
Sciences, California Institute of Technology,Sarah M. Tashjian, California Institute of
Technology, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences
| | - Virginia Fedrigo
- Division of the Humanities and Social
Sciences, California Institute of Technology
| | - Tanaz Molapour
- Division of the Humanities and Social
Sciences, California Institute of Technology
| | - Dean Mobbs
- Division of the Humanities and Social
Sciences, California Institute of Technology,Computation and Neural Systems Program,
California Institute of Technology
| | - Colin F. Camerer
- Division of the Humanities and Social
Sciences, California Institute of Technology
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15
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Chun EK, Donovan M, Liu Y, Wang Z. Behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroimmune changes associated with social buffering and stress contagion. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 16:100427. [PMID: 35036478 PMCID: PMC8749234 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Social buffering can provide protective effects on stress responses and their subsequent negative health outcomes. Although social buffering is beneficial for the recipient, it can also have anxiogenic effects on the provider of the social buffering - a phenomena referred to as stress contagion. Social buffering and stress contagion usually occur together, but they have traditionally been studied independently, thus limiting our understanding of this dyadic social interaction. In the present study, we examined the effects of preventative social buffering and stress contagion in socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). We tested the hypothesis that this dynamic social interaction is associated with coordinated alterations in behaviors, neurochemical activation, and neuroimmune responses. To do so, adult male prairie voles were stressed via an acute immobilization restraint tube (IMO) either alone (Alone) or with their previously pair-bonded female partner (Partner) in the cage for 1 h. In contrast, females were placed in a cage containing either an empty IMO tube (Empty) or one that contained their pair-bonded male (Partner). Anxiety-like behavior was tested on the elevated plus maze (EPM) following the 60-mins test and brain sections were processed for neurochemical/neuroimmune marker labeling for all subjects. Our data indicate that females in the Partner group were in contact with and sniffed the IMO tube more, showed fewer anxiety-like behaviors, and had a higher level of oxytocin expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) compared to the Empty group females. Males in the Partner group had lower levels of anxiety-like behavior during the EPM test, greater activation of corticotropin-releasing hormone expressing neurons in the PVN, lower activation of serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe, and lower levels of microgliosis in the nucleus accumbens. Taken together, these data suggest brain region- and neurochemical-specific alterations as well as neuroinflammatory changes that may be involved in the regulation of social buffering and stress contagion behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen K. Chun
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Meghan Donovan
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, 1700 N Wheeling St, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
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16
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Horesh D, Hasson-Ohayon I, Harwood-Gross A. The Contagion of Psychopathology across Different Psychiatric Disorders: A Comparative Theoretical Analysis. Brain Sci 2021; 12:67. [PMID: 35053808 PMCID: PMC8774068 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychopathology is often studied and treated from an individual-centered approach. However, studies have shown that psychological distress is often best understood from a contextual, environmental perspective. This paper explores the literature on emotional contagion and symptom transmission in psychopathology, i.e., the complex ways in which one person's psychological distress may yield symptoms among others in his/her close environment. We argue that emotions, cognitions, and behaviors often do not stay within the borders of the individual, but rather represent intricate dynamic experiences that are shared by individuals, as well as transmitted between them. While this claim was comprehensively studied in the context of some disorders (e.g., secondary traumatization and the "mimicking" of symptoms among those close to a trauma survivor), it was very scarcely examined in the context of others. We aim to bridge this gap in knowledge by examining the literature on symptom transmission across four distinct psychiatric disorders: PTSD, major depression, OCD, and psychosis. We first review the literature on emotional contagion in each disorder separately, and then we subsequently conduct a comparative analysis highlighting the shared and differential mechanisms underlying these processes in all four disorders. In this era of transdiagnostic conceptualizations of psychopathology, such an examination is timely, and it may carry important clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Horesh
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (I.H.-O.); (A.H.-G.)
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (I.H.-O.); (A.H.-G.)
| | - Anna Harwood-Gross
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (I.H.-O.); (A.H.-G.)
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17
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Puścian A, Bryksa A, Kondrakiewicz L, Kostecki M, Winiarski M, Knapska E. Ability to share emotions of others as a foundation of social learning. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:23-36. [PMID: 34838526 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The natural habitats of most species are far from static, forcing animals to adapt to continuously changing conditions. Perhaps the most efficient strategy addressing this challenge consists of obtaining and acting upon pertinent information from others through social learning. We discuss how animals transfer information via social channels and what are the benefits of such exchanges, playing out on different levels, from theperception of socially delivered information to emotional sharing, manifesting themselves across different taxa of increasing biological complexity. We also discuss how social learning is influenced by different factors including pertinence of information for survival, the complexity of the environment, sex, genetic relatedness, and most notably, the relationship between interacting partners. The results appear to form a consistent picture once we shift our focus from emotional contagion as a prerequisite for empathy onto the role of shared emotions in providing vital information about the environment. From this point of view, we can propose approaches that are the most promising for further investigation of complex social phenomena, including learning from others.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Puścian
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders - BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - A Bryksa
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders - BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - L Kondrakiewicz
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders - BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Kostecki
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders - BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Winiarski
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders - BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - E Knapska
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders - BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
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18
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Asadi E, Khodagholi F, Asadi S, Mohammadi Kamsorkh H, Kaveh N, Maleki A. Quality of early-life maternal care predicts empathy-like behavior in adult male rats: Linking empathy to BDNF gene expression in associated brain regions. Brain Res 2021; 1767:147568. [PMID: 34192516 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147568] [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: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Empathy is the ability to experience a shared affective state as others. It enhances group living and manifests itself as helping behavior towards a distressed person. It also can flourish by nurturing. Recent findings suggest that rodents exhibit empathy-like behavior towards their conspecifics. However, the role of early-life experiences (e.g., maternal care) is not clear on the development of empathy-like behavior. Moreover, brain-derived neutrophilic factor (BDNF) is a pivotal protein in modulating the brain's function and behaviors. Evidence suggests that the expression of the BDNF gene can be affected by the quality of maternal care. In this study, we questioned whether variation in maternal care modulates empathy-like behavior of male rats in adulthood. Additionally, gene expression of BDNF was measured in the amygdala, hippocampus, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and striatum in these adult male rats. Based on the pattern of maternal care, the offspring were divided into high maternal care (HMC) and low maternal care (LMC) groups. We confirmed that the early-life experience of HMC significantly promoted the empathy-like behavior of rats in adulthood compared to LMC. In terms of gene expression, the HMC group consistently had higher BDNF gene expression in all studied regions, except anterior cingulate cortex which groups were not different. Taken together, it suggests that maternal care in infancy predicts empathy-like behavior in adulthood and differences in BDNF gene expression in different brain regions may reflect the underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Asadi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fariba Khodagholi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Sareh Asadi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Neda Kaveh
- Neurobiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Maleki
- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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19
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Pérez-Manrique A, Gomila A. Emotional contagion in nonhuman animals: A review. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2021; 13:e1560. [PMID: 33951303 PMCID: PMC9285817 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Emotional contagion, the emotional state‐matching of an individual with another, seems to be crucial for many social species. In recent years evidence on emotional contagion in different animal species has accumulated. However, despite its adaptative advantages and its presumed simplicity, the study and direct demonstration of this phenomenon present more complexities than previously thought. For these reasons, a review of the literature on emotional contagion in nonhuman species is timely to integrate current findings. In this paper thus, we carry out a comprehensive review of the most relevant studies on emotional contagion in animals and discuss the main problems and challenges of the field. We conclude that more research is needed to broaden our understanding of the mechanisms and functions of emotional contagion and the extent to which this process is present in a wide variety of species. Furthermore, the comparative study of emotional contagion would benefit from the use of systematized paradigms including both behavioral and physiological measures and the simultaneous recording of the responses of the interacting individuals to reliably assess an emotional state‐matching between them and reliable controls. This article is categorized under:Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Psychology > Comparative Psychology Psychology > Emotion and Motivation
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Pérez-Manrique
- Department of Psychology, Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog), UIB, IFISC, Associated Unit to CSIC, Palma, Spain
| | - Antoni Gomila
- Department of Psychology, Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog), UIB, IFISC, Associated Unit to CSIC, Palma, Spain
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