1
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Gibbons M, Pasquini E, Kowalewska A, Read E, Gibson S, Crump A, Solvi C, Versace E, Chittka L. Noxious stimulation induces self-protective behavior in bumblebees. iScience 2024; 27:110440. [PMID: 39104408 PMCID: PMC11298632 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110440] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
It has been widely stated that insects do not show self-protective behavior toward noxiously-stimulated body parts, but this claim has never been empirically tested. Here, we tested whether an insect species displays a type of self-protective behavior: self-grooming a noxiously-stimulated site. We touched bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) on an antenna with a noxiously heated (65°C) probe and found that, in the first 2 min after this stimulus, bees groomed their touched antenna more than their untouched antenna, and more than bees that were touched with an unheated probe or not touched at all did. Our results present evidence that bumblebees display self-protective behavior. We discuss the potential neural mechanisms of this behavior and the implications for whether insects feel pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilda Gibbons
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Elisa Pasquini
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy
| | - Amelia Kowalewska
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Academic Training Team, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Eva Read
- Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, London School of Economics, London WC2A 2AE, UK
| | - Sam Gibson
- Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, London School of Economics, London WC2A 2AE, UK
| | - Andrew Crump
- Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, London School of Economics, London WC2A 2AE, UK
- Department of Pathobiology & Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Cwyn Solvi
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Elisabetta Versace
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Lars Chittka
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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2
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Andrade MP, Santos CMD, De Paiva MMM, Medeiros SLS, O’Brien CE, Lima FD, Machado JF, Leite TS. Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3021. [PMID: 37835627 PMCID: PMC10571587 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Welfare metrics have been established for octopuses in the laboratory, but not for octopuses living in the wild. Wild octopuses are constantly exposed to potentially harmful situations, and the ability to assess the welfare status of wild octopuses could provide pertinent information about individuals' health and species' resilience to stressors. Here, we used underwater photos and videos to identify injuries and stress-related behaviors in wild Octopus insularis in a variety of contexts, including interacting with fishermen, interacting with other octopuses and fish, proximity to predators, in den, foraging, and in senescence. We adapted established metrics of octopus welfare from the laboratory to these wild octopuses. In addition to observing all of the stress measures, we also identified two previously unknown measures associated with decreased welfare: (1) a half white eye flash and (2) a half-and-half blotch body pattern. More than half of the individuals analyzed had arm loss, and almost half of the individuals had skin injuries. We also observed that irregular chromatophore expression and abnormal motor coordination were associated with interactions with fishermen. This is the first study to apply measures of welfare from the laboratory to wild octopuses. Our results may also aid in the identification of welfare measures for other wild invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaella P. Andrade
- Graduate Program in Evolution and Diversity, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Bairro Bangu, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil;
| | - Charles Morphy D. Santos
- Graduate Program in Evolution and Diversity, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Bairro Bangu, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil;
| | - Mizziara M. M. De Paiva
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, Brazil; (M.M.M.D.P.); (S.L.S.M.)
| | - Sylvia L. S. Medeiros
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, Brazil; (M.M.M.D.P.); (S.L.S.M.)
| | - C. E. O’Brien
- The School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies, Cockburn Harbour TKCA 1ZZ, Turks and Caicos Islands;
| | - Françoise D. Lima
- OKEANOS, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of the Azores, 9901862 Horta, Portugal;
| | - Janaina F. Machado
- Regional Program for Development and Environment, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, Brazil;
| | - Tatiana S. Leite
- Department of Ecology and Zoology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil;
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3
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Hoynoski J, Dohn J, Franzen AD, Burrell BD. Repetitive nociceptive stimulation elicits complex behavioral changes in Hirudo: evidence of arousal and motivational adaptations. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245895. [PMID: 37497630 PMCID: PMC10445732 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245895] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Appropriate responses to real or potential damaging stimuli to the body (nociception) are critical to an animal's short- and long-term survival. The initial goal of this study was to examine habituation of withdrawal reflexes (whole-body and local shortening) to repeated mechanical nociceptive stimuli (needle pokes) in the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, and assess whether injury altered habituation to these nociceptive stimuli. While repeated needle pokes did reduce shortening in H. verbana, a second set of behavior changes was observed. Specifically, animals began to evade subsequent stimuli by either hiding their posterior sucker underneath adjacent body segments or engaging in locomotion (crawling). Animals differed in terms of how quickly they adopted evasion behaviors during repeated stimulation, exhibiting a multi-modal distribution for early, intermediate and late evaders. Prior injury had a profound effect on this transition, decreasing the time frame in which animals began to carry out evasion and increasing the magnitude of these evasion behaviors (more locomotory evasion). The data indicate the presence in Hirudo of a complex and adaptive defensive arousal process to avoid noxious stimuli that is influenced by differences in internal states, prior experience with injury of the stimulated areas, and possibly learning-based processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Hoynoski
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavioral Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - John Dohn
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavioral Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Avery D. Franzen
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavioral Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Brian D. Burrell
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavioral Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
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4
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Seymour B, Crook RJ, Chen ZS. Post-injury pain and behaviour: a control theory perspective. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:378-392. [PMID: 37165018 PMCID: PMC10465160 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00699-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Injuries of various types occur commonly in the lives of humans and other animals and lead to a pattern of persistent pain and recuperative behaviour that allows safe and effective recovery. In this Perspective, we propose a control-theoretic framework to explain the adaptive processes in the brain that drive physiological post-injury behaviour. We set out an evolutionary and ethological view on how animals respond to injury, illustrating how the behavioural state associated with persistent pain and recuperation may be just as important as phasic pain in ensuring survival. Adopting a normative approach, we suggest that the brain implements a continuous optimal inference of the current state of injury from diverse sensory and physiological signals. This drives the various effector control mechanisms of behavioural homeostasis, which span the modulation of ongoing motivation and perception to drive rest and hyper-protective behaviours. However, an inherent problem with this is that these protective behaviours may partially obscure information about whether injury has resolved. Such information restriction may seed a tendency to aberrantly or persistently infer injury, and may thus promote the transition to pathological chronic pain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Seymour
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Rennolds CW, Bely AE. Integrative biology of injury in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:34-62. [PMID: 36176189 PMCID: PMC10087827 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical injury is a prevalent challenge in the lives of animals with myriad potential consequences for organisms, including reduced fitness and death. Research on animal injury has focused on many aspects, including the frequency and severity of wounding in wild populations, the short- and long-term consequences of injury at different biological scales, and the variation in the response to injury within or among individuals, species, ontogenies, and environmental contexts. However, relevant research is scattered across diverse biological subdisciplines, and the study of the effects of injury has lacked synthesis and coherence. Furthermore, the depth of knowledge across injury biology is highly uneven in terms of scope and taxonomic coverage: much injury research is biomedical in focus, using mammalian model systems and investigating cellular and molecular processes, while research at organismal and higher scales, research that is explicitly comparative, and research on invertebrate and non-mammalian vertebrate species is less common and often less well integrated into the core body of knowledge about injury. The current state of injury research presents an opportunity to unify conceptually work focusing on a range of relevant questions, to synthesize progress to date, and to identify fruitful avenues for future research. The central aim of this review is to synthesize research concerning the broad range of effects of mechanical injury in animals. We organize reviewed work by four broad and loosely defined levels of biological organization: molecular and cellular effects, physiological and organismal effects, behavioural effects, and ecological and evolutionary effects of injury. Throughout, we highlight the diversity of injury consequences within and among taxonomic groups while emphasizing the gaps in taxonomic coverage, causal understanding, and biological endpoints considered. We additionally discuss the importance of integrating knowledge within and across biological levels, including how initial, localized responses to injury can lead to long-term consequences at the scale of the individual animal and beyond. We also suggest important avenues for future injury biology research, including distinguishing better between related yet distinct injury phenomena, expanding the subjects of injury research to include a greater variety of species, and testing how intrinsic and extrinsic conditions affect the scope and sensitivity of injury responses. It is our hope that this review will not only strengthen understanding of animal injury but will contribute to building a foundation for a more cohesive field of 'injury biology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey W Rennolds
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Alexandra E Bely
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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6
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Deutsch S, Parsons R, Shia J, Detmering S, Seng C, Ng A, Uribe J, Manahan M, Friedman A, Winters-Bostwick G, Crook RJ. Evaluation of Candidates for Systemic Analgesia and General Anesthesia in the Emerging Model Cephalopod, Euprymna berryi. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:201. [PMID: 36829480 PMCID: PMC9953149 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cephalopods' remarkable behavior and complex neurobiology make them valuable comparative model organisms, but studies aimed at enhancing welfare of captive cephalopods remain uncommon. Increasing regulation of cephalopods in research laboratories has resulted in growing interest in welfare-oriented refinements, including analgesia and anesthesia. Although general and local anesthesia in cephalopods have received limited prior study, there have been no studies of systemic analgesics in cephalopods to date. Here we show that analgesics from several different drug classes may be effective in E. berryi. Buprenorphine, ketorolac and dexmedetomidine, at doses similar to those used in fish, showed promising effects on baseline nociceptive thresholds, excitability of peripheral sensory nerves, and on behavioral responses to transient noxious stimulation. We found no evidence of positive effects of acetaminophen or ketamine administered at doses that are effective in vertebrates. Bioinformatic analyses suggested conserved candidate receptors for dexmedetomidine and ketorolac, but not buprenorphine. We also show that rapid general immersion anesthesia using a mix of MgCl2 and ethanol was successful in E. berryi at multiple age classes, similar to findings in other cephalopods. These data indicate that systemic analgesia and general anesthesia in Euprymna berryi are achievable welfare enhancing interventions, but further study and refinement is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skyler Deutsch
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Rachel Parsons
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Jonathan Shia
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02445, USA
| | - Sarah Detmering
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Christopher Seng
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Alyssa Ng
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Jacqueline Uribe
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Megan Manahan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Amanda Friedman
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | | | - Robyn J. Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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7
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De Sio F, Imperadore P. Deciphering regeneration through non-model animals: A century of experiments on cephalopod mollusks and an outlook at the future. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1072382. [PMID: 36699008 PMCID: PMC9868252 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1072382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of marine stations in the last quarter of the 19th Century has given biologists the possibility of observing and experimenting upon myriad marine organisms. Among them, cephalopod mollusks have attracted great attention from the onset, thanks to their remarkable adaptability to captivity and a great number of biologically unique features including a sophisticate behavioral repertoire, remarkable body patterning capacities under direct neural control and the complexity of nervous system rivalling vertebrates. Surprisingly, the capacity to regenerate tissues and complex structures, such as appendages, albeit been known for centuries, has been understudied over the decades. Here, we will first review the limited in number, but fundamental studies on the subject published between 1920 and 1970 and discuss what they added to our knowledge of regeneration as a biological phenomenon. We will also speculate on how these relate to their epistemic and disciplinary context, setting the base for the study of regeneration in the taxon. We will then frame the peripherality of cephalopods in regeneration studies in relation with their experimental accessibility, and in comparison, with established models, either simpler (such as planarians), or more promising in terms of translation (urodeles). Last, we will explore the potential and growing relevance of cephalopods as prospective models of regeneration today, in the light of the novel opportunities provided by technological and methodological advances, to reconsider old problems and explore new ones. The recent development of cutting-edge technologies made available for cephalopods, like genome editing, is allowing for a number of important findings and opening the way toward new promising avenues. The contribution offered by cephalopods will increase our knowledge on regenerative mechanisms through cross-species comparison and will lead to a better understanding of the complex cellular and molecular machinery involved, shedding a light on the common pathways but also on the novel strategies different taxa evolved to promote regeneration of tissues and organs. Through the dialogue between biological/experimental and historical/contextual perspectives, this article will stimulate a discussion around the changing relations between availability of animal models and their specificity, technical and methodological developments and scientific trends in contemporary biology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio De Sio
- Heinrich Heine Universität, Institut für Geschichte, Theorie und Ethik der Medizin, Centre for Health and Society, Medizinische Fakultät, Düsseldorf, Germany,*Correspondence: Fabio De Sio, ; Pamela Imperadore, ,
| | - Pamela Imperadore
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy,Association for Cephalopod Research—CephRes, Napoli, Italy,*Correspondence: Fabio De Sio, ; Pamela Imperadore, ,
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8
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The Case for Octopus Consciousness: Valence. NEUROSCI 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/neurosci3040047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Octopuses may demonstrate perceptual richness, neural unity, temporality, and finally, valence or affective evaluation, as the neural basis for consciousness. Octopuses attach a positive valence to food as ‘specializing generalists’ with long-term learning and flexible choices. They value shelter, yet modify, adapt and even transport it where necessary. They attach a negative valence to what may be described as pain, monitoring and protecting the damaged area and learning to associate locations with pain relief. Finally and surprisingly, octopuses attach a negative value to uncertainty so that they explore their environment before exploiting certain aspects of it and even exhibit motor play. This series of four papers, culminating in the present one, demonstrates in detail why the Cambridge Declaration of Consciousness has suggested octopuses might have the substrate for consciousness, although it is likely not similar to or as complex as that shown by ‘higher’ vertebrate lineages.
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9
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Kuo TH, Sneddon LU, Spencer JW, Chiao CC. Impact of Lidocaine on Pain-Related Grooming in Cuttlefish. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1560. [PMID: 36358261 PMCID: PMC9687578 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Nociception is the neural process of encoding noxious stimuli and is typically accompanied by a reflex withdrawal response away from the potentially injurious stimulus. Studies on nociception in cephalopods have so far focused on octopus and squid, with no investigations to our knowledge on cuttlefish. Yet, these are an important species both in scientific and commercial use. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that a standard pain stimulus, acetic acid, induced grooming behaviour directed towards the injection site in cuttlefish and that the injection of lidocaine reduces grooming behaviours in acetic-acid-injected cuttlefish. Wound-directed behaviour demonstrates that the animal is aware of the damage; thus, when subjecting these animals to any painful treatments in the laboratory, researchers should consider alleviating pain by the administration of pain-relieving drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Hsin Kuo
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan
| | - Lynne U. Sneddon
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 463, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joseph W. Spencer
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GJ, UK
| | - Chuan-Chin Chiao
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan
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10
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Nieder A. In search for consciousness in animals: Using working memory and voluntary attention as behavioral indicators. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104865. [PMID: 36096205 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Whether animals have subjective experiences about the content of their sensory input, i.e., whether they are aware of stimuli, is a notoriously difficult question to answer. If consciousness is present in animals, it must share fundamental characteristics with human awareness. Working memory and voluntary/endogenous attention are suggested as diagnostic features of conscious awareness. Behavioral evidence shows clear signatures of both working memory and voluntary attention as minimal criterium for sensory consciousness in mammals and birds. In contrast, reptiles and amphibians show no sign of either working memory or volitional attention. Surprisingly, some species of teleost fishes exhibit elementary working memory and voluntary attention effects suggestive of possibly rudimentary forms of subjective experience. With the potential exception of honeybees, evidence for conscious processing is lacking in invertebrates. These findings suggest that consciousness is not ubiquitous in the animal kingdom but also not exclusive to humans. The phylogenetic gap between animal taxa argues that evolution does not rely on specific neural substrates to endow distantly related species with basic forms of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology Unit, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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11
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Browning H, Birch J. Animal sentience. PHILOSOPHY COMPASS 2022; 17:e12822. [PMID: 35859762 PMCID: PMC9285591 DOI: 10.1111/phc3.12822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
'Sentience' sometimes refers to the capacity for any type of subjective experience, and sometimes to the capacity to have subjective experiences with a positive or negative valence, such as pain or pleasure. We review recent controversies regarding sentience in fish and invertebrates and consider the deep methodological challenge posed by these cases. We then present two ways of responding to the challenge. In a policy-making context, precautionary thinking can help us treat animals appropriately despite continuing uncertainty about their sentience. In a scientific context, we can draw inspiration from the science of human consciousness to disentangle conscious and unconscious perception (especially vision) in animals. Developing better ways to disentangle conscious and unconscious affect is a key priority for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Browning
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social ScienceLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceLondonUK
| | - Jonathan Birch
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social ScienceLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceLondonUK
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12
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Ponte G, Chiandetti C, Edelman DB, Imperadore P, Pieroni EM, Fiorito G. Cephalopod Behavior: From Neural Plasticity to Consciousness. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 15:787139. [PMID: 35495582 PMCID: PMC9039538 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.787139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is only in recent decades that subjective experience - or consciousness - has become a legitimate object of scientific inquiry. As such, it represents perhaps the greatest challenge facing neuroscience today. Subsumed within this challenge is the study of subjective experience in non-human animals: a particularly difficult endeavor that becomes even more so, as one crosses the great evolutionary divide between vertebrate and invertebrate phyla. Here, we explore the possibility of consciousness in one group of invertebrates: cephalopod molluscs. We believe such a review is timely, particularly considering cephalopods' impressive learning and memory abilities, rich behavioral repertoire, and the relative complexity of their nervous systems and sensory capabilities. Indeed, in some cephalopods, these abilities are so sophisticated that they are comparable to those of some higher vertebrates. Following the criteria and framework outlined for the identification of hallmarks of consciousness in non-mammalian species, here we propose that cephalopods - particularly the octopus - provide a unique test case among invertebrates for examining the properties and conditions that, at the very least, afford a basal faculty of consciousness. These include, among others: (i) discriminatory and anticipatory behaviors indicating a strong link between perception and memory recall; (ii) the presence of neural substrates representing functional analogs of thalamus and cortex; (iii) the neurophysiological dynamics resembling the functional signatures of conscious states in mammals. We highlight the current lack of evidence as well as potentially informative areas that warrant further investigation to support the view expressed here. Finally, we identify future research directions for the study of consciousness in these tantalizing animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Ponte
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | | | - David B. Edelman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Association for Cephalopod Research ‘CephRes' a non-profit Organization, Naples, Italy
| | - Pamela Imperadore
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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13
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The effect of unexpected rewards on decision making in cuttlefish. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2514. [PMID: 35169192 PMCID: PMC8847567 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06443-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite numerous studies demonstrating the cognitive ability of cephalopods, there is currently no study showing an emotion-like behavior in this group of animals. To examine whether cuttlefish have different internal states, we developed a behavioral paradigm to assess if prior surprised events are able to alter the choice made by cuttlefish. By presenting unexpected food rewards to cuttlefish before the test, we investigated whether the reaction time of choosing between two shrimps, an intuitive response toward the prey without previous learning, at three different levels of discriminative tests (easy, difficult, and ambiguous), are different compared to the one without an unexpected reward. This behavioral paradigm serves to demonstrate whether cuttlefish are aware of ambiguous situations, and their choice outcome and reaction time are dependent of their internal states. The results show that the response latency was significantly shortened in the difficult and ambiguous tests when choosing from two shrimps that are either moderately different in size or similar sizes, respectively, when cuttlefish have received unexpected rewards before the test. These results were compared with tests during which the cuttlefish did not receive any reward in advance. Furthermore, this shortening of latency did not result in a difference in choice outcome during the difficult and ambiguous tests. Interestingly, even when cuttlefish have obtained the expected food rewards or simply made tentacular strike without prey capture each time before test, these prior experiences were sufficient to shorten the response latency in the difficult and ambiguous tests. However, different from the result of unexpected rewards, food consumption alone or prey capture failure did affect the choice outcome during the simple and difficult tests. Taken together, our findings suggest that pre-test treatments of unexpected and expected rewards or simply unsuccessful visual attack seem to induce cuttlefish to adopt different foraging behaviors. This context dependent decision making suggests that cuttlefish’s foraging strategies are influenced by the previously surprised event and their internal states. It also shows a speed-accuracy tradeoff in difficult and ambiguous situations when foraging for prey. This observation may lead to a future investigation of the presence of emotional state in cephalopods.
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Abbo LA, Himebaugh NE, DeMelo LM, Hanlon RT, Crook RJ. Anesthetic Efficacy of Magnesium Chloride and Ethyl Alcohol in Temperate Octopus and Cuttlefish Species. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2021; 60:556-567. [PMID: 34233805 PMCID: PMC8603373 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-20-000076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cephalopods are important in biologic and biomedical research, yet relatively little objective information is available to guide researchers and veterinarians regarding the best methods for anesthetizing these animals for various experimental procedures. Recent studies demonstrate that ethyl alcohol and magnesium chloride are effective at depressing efferent and afferent neural signals in some tropical cephalopod species when measured via the pallial nerve. Here we used similar methods to test 2 temperate species (Octopus bimaculoides and Sepia officinalis) and demonstrate that (1) ethyl alcohol and magnesium chloride were effective at reversibly depressing evoked activity in the pallial nerve, (2) ethyl alcohol generally had shorter induction and recovery times compared with magnesium chloride, (3) both agents were associated with a latency between the behavioral and neural effects, and it was longer with magnesium chloride, and (4) senescent animals generally had longer induction or recovery times than young animals. Both agents successfully anesthetized both life stages; however, our data show that assessing anesthesia based solely on behavior may lead to premature commencement of invasive procedures. We conclude that temperate cephalopods can be humanely, effectively, and completely anesthetized by using these 2 agents and that the loss of neural signal we show here is consistent with true anesthesia and not merely paralysis. This relatively simple, nondestructive nerve recording technique can be applied to the study of other prospective anesthetic agents in cephalopods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Abbo
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts;,Corresponding author.
| | - Nicole E Himebaugh
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | | | | | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California
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15
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Crook RJ. Behavioral and neurophysiological evidence suggests affective pain experience in octopus. iScience 2021; 24:102229. [PMID: 33733076 PMCID: PMC7941037 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is a negative affective state arising from tissue damage or inflammation. Because pain is aversive and its relief is innately rewarding, animals may learn to avoid a context in which pain is experienced and prefer one where pain relief occurs. It is generally accepted that vertebrate animals experience pain; however, there is currently inconclusive evidence that the affective component of pain occurs in any invertebrate. Here, we show that octopuses, the most neurologically complex invertebrates, exhibit cognitive and spontaneous behaviors indicative of affective pain experience. In conditioned place preference assays, octopuses avoided contexts in which pain was experienced, preferred a location in which they experienced relief from pain, and showed no conditioned preference in the absence of pain. Injection site grooming occurred in all animals receiving acetic acid injections, but this was abolished by local anesthesia. Thus, octopuses are likely to experience the affective component of pain. Octopuses avoid a location after it is associated with a noxious stimulus Injection of dilute acetic acid induces lasting, location-specific grooming Nerve recordings show central processing of noxious sensory input Octopuses are capable both of discriminative and affective pain experience
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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16
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Schnell AK, Clayton NS. Cephalopods: Ambassadors for rethinking cognition. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 564:27-36. [PMID: 33390247 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.12.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Traditional approaches in comparative cognition have a long history of focusing on a narrow range of vertebrate species. However, in recent years the range of model species has expanded. Despite this development, invertebrate taxa are still largely neglected in comparative cognition, which limits our ability to locate the origins of cognitive traits. The time has come to rethink cognition and develop a more comprehensive understanding of cognitive evolution by expanding comparative analyses to include a diverse range of invertebrate taxa. In this review, we contend that cephalopods are suitable ambassadors for rethinking cognition. Cephalopods have large complex brains, exhibit sophisticated behavioral traits, and increasing evidence suggests that they possess complex cognitive abilities once thought to be unique to large-brained vertebrates. Comparing cephalopods with vertebrates, whose cognition has evolved independently, provides prominent opportunities to circumvent current limitations in comparative cognition that have arisen from traditional vertebrate comparisons. Increased efforts in investigating the cognitive abilities of cephalopods have also led to important welfare-related improvements. These large-brained molluscs are paving the way for a more inclusive approach to investigating cognitive evolution that we hope will extend to other invertebrate taxa.
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17
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Birch J, Schnell AK, Clayton NS. Dimensions of Animal Consciousness. Trends Cogn Sci 2020; 24:789-801. [PMID: 32830051 PMCID: PMC7116194 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
How does consciousness vary across the animal kingdom? Are some animals 'more conscious' than others? This article presents a multidimensional framework for understanding interspecies variation in states of consciousness. The framework distinguishes five key dimensions of variation: perceptual richness, evaluative richness, integration at a time, integration across time, and self-consciousness. For each dimension, existing experiments that bear on it are reviewed and future experiments are suggested. By assessing a given species against each dimension, we can construct a consciousness profile for that species. On this framework, there is no single scale along which species can be ranked as more or less conscious. Rather, each species has its own distinctive consciousness profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Birch
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK.
| | - Alexandra K Schnell
- Comparative Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Nicola S Clayton
- Comparative Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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18
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Bazarini SN, Crook RJ. Environmental estrogen exposure disrupts sensory processing and nociceptive plasticity in the cephalopod Euprymna scolopes. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb218008. [PMID: 32487666 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.218008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Endogenous estrogens affect multiple sensory systems, including those involved in processing noxious and painful stimuli. Extensive evidence demonstrates that estrogenic environmental pollutants have profound, negative effects on growth and reproductive physiology, but there is limited information about how estrogenic pollutants might affect sensory systems known to be modulated by endogenous estrogens. Here, we show that ethinyl estradiol, the most common artificial estrogen found in coastal marine environments, disrupts normal behavioral and neural responses to tissue injury in the sepiolid Euprymna scolopes (Hawaiian bobtail squid), which inhabits shallow tropical waters close to dense human habitation. Behavioral hypersensitivity and neural plasticity that occur normally after tissue injury were impaired both under chronic estrogen exposure beginning during embryogenesis and after a single, high dose co-incident with injury. This suggests that these naturally selected responses to injury, which function to protect animals from predation and infection risk, may be impaired by anthropogenic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Bazarini
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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19
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De Sio F, Hanke FD, Warnke K, Marazia C, Galligioni V, Fiorito G, Stravidou I, Ponte G. E Pluribus Octo - Building Consensus on Standards of Care and Experimentation in Cephalopod Research; a Historical Outlook. Front Physiol 2020; 11:645. [PMID: 32655409 PMCID: PMC7325997 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Directive 2010/63/EU "on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes" originally induced some concern among cephalopod researchers, because of the inclusion of cephalopod mollusks as the only invertebrates among the protected species. Here we reflect on the challenges and issues raised by the Directive on cephalopod science, and discuss some of the arguments that elicited discussion within the scientific community, to facilitate the implementation of the Directive 2010/63/EU in the scientific research context. A short overview of the aims of the COST Action FA1301 "CephsInAction," serves as a paradigmatic instance of a pragmatic and progressive approach adopted to respond to novel legislative concerns through community-building and expansion of the historical horizon. Between 2013 and 2017, the COST Action FA1301 has functioned as a hub for consolidation of the cephalopod research community, including about 200 representatives from 21 countries (19 European). Among its aims, CephsInAction promoted the collection, rationalization, and diffusion of knowledge relevant to cephalopods. In the Supplementary Material to this work, we present the translation of the first-published systematic set of guidelines on the care, management and maintenance of cephalopods in captivity (Grimpe, 1928), as an example of the potential advantages deriving from the confluence of pressing scientific concerns and historical interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio De Sio
- Department of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Warnke
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Palaeontology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chantal Marazia
- Department of the History, Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Viola Galligioni
- Comparative Medicine Unit, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Association for Cephalopod Research “CephRes,” Naples, Italy
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Association for Cephalopod Research “CephRes,” Naples, Italy
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Ioanna Stravidou
- COST Association, Brussels, Belgium
- European Research Area, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Giovanna Ponte
- Association for Cephalopod Research “CephRes,” Naples, Italy
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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20
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Howard RB, Lopes LN, Lardie CR, Perez PP, Crook RJ. Early-life injury produces lifelong neural hyperexcitability, cognitive deficit and altered defensive behaviour in the squid Euprymna scolopes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190281. [PMID: 31544621 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Injury occurring in the neonatal period in mammals is known to induce plasticity in pain pathways that may lead to pain dysfunction in later life. Whether these effects are unique to the mammalian nervous system is not well understood. Here, we investigate whether similar effects of early-life injury are found in a large-brained comparative model, the cephalopod Euprymna scolopes. We show that the peripheral nervous system of E. scolopes undergoes profound and permanent plasticity after injury of peripheral tissue in the early post-hatching period, but not after the same injury given in the later juvenile period. Additionally, both innate defensive behaviour and learning are impaired by injury in early life. We suggest that these similar patterns of nervous system and behavioural remodelling that occur in squid and in mammals indicate an adaptive value for long-lasting plasticity arising from early-life injury, and suggest that injuries inflicted in very early life may signal to the nervous system that the environment is highly dangerous. Thus, neonatal pain plasticity may be a conserved pattern whose purpose is to set the developing nervous system's baseline responsiveness to threat. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Evolution of mechanisms and behaviour important for pain'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan B Howard
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Hollloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Lauren N Lopes
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Hollloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Christina R Lardie
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Hollloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Paul P Perez
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Hollloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Hollloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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21
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Cooke GM, Anderson DB, Begout ML, Dennison N, Osorio D, Tonkins B, Kristiansen T, Fiorito G, Galligioni V, Ponte G, Andrews PL. Prospective severity classification of scientific procedures in cephalopods: Report of a COST FA1301 Working Group survey. Lab Anim 2019; 53:541-563. [PMID: 31474182 DOI: 10.1177/0023677219864626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cephalopods are the first invertebrate class regulated by the European Union (EU) under Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, which requires prospective assessment of severity of procedures. To assist the scientific community in establishing severity classification for cephalopods, we undertook a web-based survey of the EU cephalopod research community as represented by the participants in the European COoperation on Science and Technology (COST) Action FA1301, CephsInAction'. The survey consisted of 50 scenarios covering a range of procedures involving several cephalopod species at different life stages. Respondents (59 people from 15 countries) either allocated a severity classification to each scenario or indicated that they were unable to decide (UTD). Analyses evaluated score distributions and clustering. Overall, the UTD scores were low (7.0 ± 0.6%) and did not affect the severity classification. Procedures involving paralarvae and killing methods (not specified in Annexe IV) had the highest UTD scores. Consensus on non-recovery procedures was reached consistently, although occasionally non-recovery appeared to be confused with killing methods. Scenarios describing procedures above the lower threshold for regulation, including those describing behavioural studies, were also identified and allocated throughout the full range of severity classifications. Severity classification for scenarios based on different species (e.g. cuttlefish vs. octopus) was consistent, comparable and dependent on potentially more harmful interventions. We found no marked or statistically significant differences in the overall scoring of scenarios between the demographic subgroups (age, sex, PhD and cephalopod experience). The COST Action FA1301 survey data provide a basis for a prospective severity classification for cephalopods to serve as guide for researchers, project assessors and regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavan M Cooke
- Anglia Ruskin University, Faculty of Life Sciences, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy.,Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
| | - Viola Galligioni
- Comparative Medicine Unit, Trinity College, Ireland.,Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
| | - Giovanna Ponte
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy.,Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
| | - Paul Lr Andrews
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy.,Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
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22
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Ponte G, Andrews P, Galligioni V, Pereira J, Fiorito G. Cephalopod Welfare, Biological and Regulatory Aspects: An EU Experience. Anim Welf 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13947-6_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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23
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24
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25
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Winlow W, Polese G, Moghadam HF, Ahmed IA, Di Cosmo A. Sense and Insensibility - An Appraisal of the Effects of Clinical Anesthetics on Gastropod and Cephalopod Molluscs as a Step to Improved Welfare of Cephalopods. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1147. [PMID: 30197598 PMCID: PMC6117391 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in animal welfare legislation stresses the need to treat cephalopod molluscs, such as Octopus vulgaris, humanely, to have regard for their wellbeing and to reduce their pain and suffering resulting from experimental procedures. Thus, appropriate measures for their sedation and analgesia are being introduced. Clinical anesthetics are renowned for their ability to produce unconsciousness in vertebrate species, but their exact mechanisms of action still elude investigators. In vertebrates it can prove difficult to specify the differences of response of particular neuron types given the multiplicity of neurons in the CNS. However, gastropod molluscs such as Aplysia, Lymnaea, or Helix, with their large uniquely identifiable nerve cells, make studies on the cellular, subcellular, network and behavioral actions of anesthetics much more feasible, particularly as identified cells may also be studied in culture, isolated from the rest of the nervous system. To date, the sorts of study outlined above have never been performed on cephalopods in the same way as on gastropods. However, criteria previously applied to gastropods and vertebrates have proved successful in developing a method for humanely anesthetizing Octopus with clinical doses of isoflurane, i.e., changes in respiratory rate, color pattern and withdrawal responses. However, in the long term, further refinements will be needed, including recordings from the CNS of intact animals in the presence of a variety of different anesthetic agents and their adjuvants. Clues as to their likely responsiveness to other appropriate anesthetic agents and muscle relaxants can be gained from background studies on gastropods such as Lymnaea, given their evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Winlow
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic Diseases, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- NPC Newton, Preston, United Kingdom
| | - Gianluca Polese
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Hadi-Fathi Moghadam
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Physiology Research Centre, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | | | - Anna Di Cosmo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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26
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Walters ET. Nociceptive Biology of Molluscs and Arthropods: Evolutionary Clues About Functions and Mechanisms Potentially Related to Pain. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1049. [PMID: 30123137 PMCID: PMC6085516 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Important insights into the selection pressures and core molecular modules contributing to the evolution of pain-related processes have come from studies of nociceptive systems in several molluscan and arthropod species. These phyla, and the chordates that include humans, last shared a common ancestor approximately 550 million years ago. Since then, animals in these phyla have continued to be subject to traumatic injury, often from predators, which has led to similar adaptive behaviors (e.g., withdrawal, escape, recuperative behavior) and physiological responses to injury in each group. Comparisons across these taxa provide clues about the contributions of convergent evolution and of conservation of ancient adaptive mechanisms to general nociceptive and pain-related functions. Primary nociceptors have been investigated extensively in a few molluscan and arthropod species, with studies of long-lasting nociceptive sensitization in the gastropod, Aplysia, and the insect, Drosophila, being especially fruitful. In Aplysia, nociceptive sensitization has been investigated as a model for aversive memory and for hyperalgesia. Neuromodulator-induced, activity-dependent, and axotomy-induced plasticity mechanisms have been defined in synapses, cell bodies, and axons of Aplysia primary nociceptors. Studies of nociceptive sensitization in Drosophila larvae have revealed numerous molecular contributors in primary nociceptors and interacting cells. Interestingly, molecular contributors examined thus far in Aplysia and Drosophila are largely different, but both sets overlap extensively with those in mammalian pain-related pathways. In contrast to results from Aplysia and Drosophila, nociceptive sensitization examined in moth larvae (Manduca) disclosed central hyperactivity but no obvious peripheral sensitization of nociceptive responses. Squid (Doryteuthis) show injury-induced sensitization manifested as behavioral hypersensitivity to tactile and especially visual stimuli, and as hypersensitivity and spontaneous activity in nociceptor terminals. Temporary blockade of nociceptor activity during injury subsequently increased mortality when injured squid were exposed to fish predators, providing the first demonstration in any animal of the adaptiveness of nociceptive sensitization. Immediate responses to noxious stimulation and nociceptive sensitization have also been examined behaviorally and physiologically in a snail (Helix), octopus (Adopus), crayfish (Astacus), hermit crab (Pagurus), and shore crab (Hemigrapsus). Molluscs and arthropods have systems that suppress nociceptive responses, but whether opioid systems play antinociceptive roles in these phyla is uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar T Walters
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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27
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Key B, Brown D. Designing Brains for Pain: Human to Mollusc. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1027. [PMID: 30127750 PMCID: PMC6088194 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that the "what it feels like" subjective experience of sensory stimuli arises in the cerebral cortex in both humans as well as mammalian experimental animal models. Humans are alone in their ability to verbally communicate their experience of the external environment. In other species, sensory awareness is extrapolated on the basis of behavioral indicators. For instance, cephalopods have been claimed to be sentient on the basis of their complex behavior and anecdotal reports of human-like intelligence. We have interrogated the findings of avoidance learning behavioral paradigms and classical brain lesion studies and conclude that there is no evidence for cephalopods feeling pain. This analysis highlighted the questionable nature of anthropometric assumptions about sensory experience with increased phylogenetic distance from humans. We contend that understanding whether invertebrates such as molluscs are sentient should first begin with defining the computational processes and neural circuitries underpinning subjective awareness. Using fundamental design principles, we advance the notion that subjective awareness is dependent on observer neural networks (networks that in some sense introspect the neural processing generating neural representations of sensory stimuli). This introspective process allows the observer network to create an internal model that predicts the neural processing taking place in the network being surveyed. Predictions arising from the internal model form the basis of a rudimentary form of awareness. We develop an algorithm built on parallel observer networks that generates multiple levels of sensory awareness. A network of cortical regions in the human brain has the appropriate functional properties and neural interconnectivity that is consistent with the predicted circuitry of the algorithm generating pain awareness. By contrast, the cephalopod brain lacks the necessary neural circuitry to implement such an algorithm. In conclusion, we find no compelling behavioral, functional, or neuroanatomical evidence to indicate that cephalopods feel pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Key
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Deborah Brown
- School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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O’Brien CE, Roumbedakis K, Winkelmann IE. The Current State of Cephalopod Science and Perspectives on the Most Critical Challenges Ahead From Three Early-Career Researchers. Front Physiol 2018; 9:700. [PMID: 29962956 PMCID: PMC6014164 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, three researchers who have recently embarked on careers in cephalopod biology discuss the current state of the field and offer their hopes for the future. Seven major topics are explored: genetics, aquaculture, climate change, welfare, behavior, cognition, and neurobiology. Recent developments in each of these fields are reviewed and the potential of emerging technologies to address specific gaps in knowledge about cephalopods are discussed. Throughout, the authors highlight specific challenges that merit particular focus in the near-term. This review and prospectus is also intended to suggest some concrete near-term goals to cephalopod researchers and inspire those working outside the field to consider the revelatory potential of these remarkable creatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E. O’Brien
- Normandie Univ., UNICAEN, Rennes 1 Univ., UR1, CNRS, UMR 6552 ETHOS, Caen, France
- Association for Cephalopod Research – CephRes, Naples, Italy
| | - Katina Roumbedakis
- Association for Cephalopod Research – CephRes, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio, Benevento, Italy
| | - Inger E. Winkelmann
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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29
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Seehafer K, Brophy S, Tom SR, Crook RJ. Ontogenetic and Experience-Dependent Changes in Defensive Behavior in Captive-Bred Hawaiian Bobtail Squid, Euprymna scolopes. Front Physiol 2018; 9:299. [PMID: 29651249 PMCID: PMC5884957 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cephalopod molluscs are known for their extensive behavioral repertoire and their impressive learning abilities. Their primary defensive behaviors, such as camouflage, have received detailed study, but knowledge is limited to intensive study of relatively few species. A considerable challenge facing cephalopod research is the need to establish new models that can be captive bred, are tractable for range of different experimental procedures, and that will address broad questions in biological research. The Hawaiian Bobtail Squid (Euprymna scolopes) is a small, tropical cephalopod that has a long history of research in the field of microbial symbiosis, but offers great promise as a novel behavioral and neurobiological model. It can be bred in the laboratory through multiple generations, one of the few species of cephalopod that can meet this requirement (which is incorporated in regulations such as EU directive 2010/63/EU). Additionally, laboratory culture makes E. scolopes an ideal model for studying ontogeny- and experience-dependent behaviors. In this study, we show that captive bred juvenile and adult E. scolopes produce robust, repeatable defensive behaviors when placed in an exposed environment and presented with a visual threat. Further, adult and juvenile squid employ different innate defensive behaviors when presented with a size-matched model predator. When a 10-min training procedure was repeated over three consecutive days, defensive behaviors habituated in juvenile squid for at least 5 days after training, but memory did not appear to persist for 14 days. In contrast, adult squid did not show any evidence of long-term habituation memory. Thus we conclude that this species produces a range of quantifiable, modifiable behaviors even in a laboratory environment where ecologically-relevant, complex behavioral sequences may not reliably occur. We suggest that the lack of long-term memory in adult squid may be related to their less escalated initial response to the mimic, and thus indicates less motivation to retain memory and not necessary inability to form memory. This is the first demonstration of age-related differences in defensive behaviors in Euprymna, and the first record of habituation in this experimentally tractable genus of squid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kia Seehafer
- Department of Biology, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Samantha Brophy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sara R Tom
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Butler-Struben HM, Brophy SM, Johnson NA, Crook RJ. In Vivo Recording of Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Anesthesia Induction, Reversal, and Euthanasia in Cephalopod Molluscs. Front Physiol 2018. [PMID: 29515454 PMCID: PMC5826266 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cephalopod molluscs are among the most behaviorally and neurologically complex invertebrates. As they are now included in research animal welfare regulations in many countries, humane and effective anesthesia is required during invasive procedures. However, currently there is no evidence that agents believed to act as anesthetics produce effects beyond immobility. In this study we demonstrate, for the first time, that two of the most commonly used agents in cephalopod general anesthesia, magnesium chloride and ethanol, are capable of producing strong and reversible blockade of afferent and efferent neural signal; thus they are genuine anesthetics, rather than simply sedating agents that render animals immobile but not insensible. Additionally, we demonstrate that injected magnesium chloride and lidocaine are effective local anesthetic agents. This represents a considerable advance for cephalopod welfare. Using a reversible, minimally invasive recording procedure, we measured activity in the pallial nerve of cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis) and octopus (Abdopus aculeatus, Octopus bocki), during induction and reversal for five putative general anesthetic and two local anesthetic agents. We describe the temporal relationship between loss of behavioral responses (immobility), loss of efferent neural signal (loss of “consciousness”) and loss of afferent neural signal (anesthesia) for general anesthesia, and loss of afferent signal for local anesthesia. Both ethanol and magnesium chloride were effective as bath-applied general anesthetics, causing immobility, complete loss of behavioral responsiveness and complete loss of afferent and efferent neural signal. Cold seawater, diethyl ether, and MS-222 (tricaine) were ineffective. Subcutaneous injection of either lidocaine or magnesium chloride blocked behavioral and neural responses to pinch in the injected area, and we conclude that both are effective local anesthetic agents for cephalopods. Lastly, we demonstrate that a standard euthanasia protocol—immersion in isotonic magnesium chloride followed by surgical decerebration—produced no behavioral response and no neural activity during surgical euthanasia. Based on these data, we conclude that both magnesium chloride and ethanol can function as general anesthetic agents, and lidocaine and magnesium chloride can function as local anesthetic agents for cephalopod molluscs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samantha M Brophy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Nasira A Johnson
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Sneddon LU. Comparative Physiology of Nociception and Pain. Physiology (Bethesda) 2018; 33:63-73. [DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00022.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of diverse animal groups allows us to discern the evolution of the neurobiology of nociception. Nociception functions as an important alarm system alerting the individual to potential and actual tissue damage. All animals possess nociceptors, and, in some animal groups, it has been demonstrated that there are consistent physiological mechanisms underpinning the nociceptive system. This review considers the comparative biology of nociception and pain from an evolutionary perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne U. Sneddon
- University of Liverpool, Institute of Integrative Biology, The BioScience Building, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life P Godfrey-Smith (2017). Published by William Collins, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF, UK. 272 pages Hardback (ISBN: 978-0-00-822627-5). Price £20.00. Anim Welf 2017. [DOI: 10.1017/s0962728600008629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Allcock AL, Judkins H, Sakurai Y. Recent Advances in Cephalopod Science. CIAC 2015 Special Issue. J NAT HIST 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1389385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Louise Allcock
- Ryan Institute and School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Heather Judkins
- University of South Florida St Petersburg, St Petersburg, FL USA
| | - Yasunori Sakurai
- Hokkaido University, School of Fisheries Science, 3-1-1 Minato Cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 0418611, Japan
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Perez PV, Butler-Struben HM, Crook RJ. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine increases spontaneous afferent firing, but not mechanonociceptive sensitization, in octopus. INVERTEBRATE NEUROSCIENCE 2017; 17:10. [PMID: 28988319 DOI: 10.1007/s10158-017-0203-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin is a widely studied modulator of neural plasticity. Here we investigate the effect of fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on short-term, peripheral nociceptive plasticity in the neurologically complex invertebrate, octopus. After crush injury to isolated mantle (body wall) tissue, application of 10 nM fluoxetine increased spontaneous firing in crushed preparations, but had a minimal effect on mechanosensory sensitization. Effects largely did not persist after washout. We suggest that transiently elevated, endogenous serotonin may help promote initiation of longer-term plasticity of nociceptive afferents and drive immediate and spontaneous behaviors aimed at protecting wounds and escaping dangerous situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul V Perez
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - Hanna M Butler-Struben
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
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Sykes AV, Almansa E, Cooke GM, Ponte G, Andrews PLR. The Digestive Tract of Cephalopods: a Neglected Topic of Relevance to Animal Welfare in the Laboratory and Aquaculture. Front Physiol 2017; 8:492. [PMID: 28769814 PMCID: PMC5511845 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of health and welfare of a cephalopod is essential whether it is in a research, aquaculture or public display. The inclusion of cephalopods in the European Union legislation (Directive 2010/63/EU) regulating the use of animals for scientific purposes has prompted detailed consideration and review of all aspects of the care and welfare of cephalopods in the laboratory but the information generated will be of utility in other settings. We overview a wide range of topics of relevance to cephalopod digestive tract physiology and their relationship to the health and welfare of these animals. Major topics reviewed include: (i) Feeding cephalopods in captivity which deals with live food and prepared diets, feeding frequency (ad libitum vs. intermittent) and the amount of food provided; (ii) The particular challenges in feeding hatchlings and paralarvae, as feeding and survival of paralarvae remain major bottlenecks for aquaculture e.g., Octopus vulgaris; (iii) Digestive tract parasites and ingested toxins are discussed not only from the perspective of the impact on digestive function and welfare but also as potential confounding factors in research studies; (iv) Food deprivation is sometimes necessary (e.g., prior to anesthesia and surgery, to investigate metabolic control) but what is the impact on a cephalopod, how can it be assessed and how does the duration relate to regulatory threshold and severity assessment? Reduced food intake is also reviewed in the context of setting humane end-points in experimental procedures; (v) A range of experimental procedures are reviewed for their potential impact on digestive tract function and welfare including anesthesia and surgery, pain and stress, drug administration and induced developmental abnormalities. The review concludes by making some specific recommendations regarding reporting of feeding data and identifies a number of areas for further investigation. The answer to many of the questions raised here will rely on studies of the physiology of the digestive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- António V Sykes
- Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve, Universidade do AlgarveFaro, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Almansa
- Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Instituto Español de OceanografíaSanta Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Gavan M Cooke
- Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin UniversityCambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Ponte
- Association for Cephalopod Research (CephRes)Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnVilla Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Paul L R Andrews
- Association for Cephalopod Research (CephRes)Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnVilla Comunale, Naples, Italy
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Elwood RW, Adams L. Electric shock causes physiological stress responses in shore crabs, consistent with prediction of pain. Biol Lett 2016; 11:rsbl.2015.0800. [PMID: 26559514 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal pain is defined by a series of expectations or criteria, one of which is that there should be a physiological stress response associated with noxious stimuli. While crustacean stress responses have been demonstrated they are typically preceded by escape behaviour and thus the physiological change might be attributed to the behaviour rather than a pain experience. We found higher levels of stress as measured by lactate in shore crabs exposed to brief electric shock than non-shocked controls. However, shocked crabs showed more vigorous behaviour than controls. We then matched crabs with the same level of behaviour and still found that shocked crabs had stronger stress response compared with controls. The finding of the stress response, coupled with previous findings of long-term motivational change and avoidance learning, fulfils the criteria expected of a pain experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Elwood
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Laura Adams
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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Magee B, Elwood RW. No discrimination shock avoidance with sequential presentation of stimuli but shore crabs still reduce shock exposure. Biol Open 2016; 5:883-8. [PMID: 27305928 PMCID: PMC4958278 DOI: 10.1242/bio.019216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Insights into the potential for pain may be obtained from examination of behavioural responses to noxious stimuli. In particular, prolonged responses coupled with long-term motivational change and avoidance learning cannot be explained by nociceptive reflex but are consistent with the idea of pain. Here, we placed shore crabs alternately in two halves of a test area divided by an opaque partition. Each area had a dark shelter and in one repeated small electric shocks were delivered in an experimental but not in a control group. Crabs showed no specific avoidance of the shock shelter either during these trials or in a subsequent test in which both were offered simultaneously; however they often emerged from the shock shelter during a trial and thus avoided further shock. More crabs emerged in later trials and took less time to emerge than in early trials. Thus, despite the lack of discrimination learning between the two shelters they used other tactics to markedly reduce the amount of shock received. We note that a previous experiment using simultaneous presentation of two shelters demonstrated rapid discrimination and avoidance learning but the paradigm of sequential presentation appears to prevent this. Nevertheless, the data show clearly that the shock is aversive and tactics, other than discrimination learning, are used to avoid it. Thus, the behaviour is only partially consistent with the idea of pain. Summary: There was no discrimination shock avoidance with sequential presentation of stimuli but, consistent with pain, shore crabs used other tactics to reduce shock exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry Magee
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Robert W Elwood
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
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Magee B, Elwood RW. Trade-offs between predator avoidance and electric shock avoidance in hermit crabs demonstrate a non-reflexive response to noxious stimuli consistent with prediction of pain. Behav Processes 2016; 130:31-5. [PMID: 27374025 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Arthropods have long been thought to respond to noxious stimuli by reflex reaction. One way of testing if this is true is to provide the animal with a way to avoid the stimulus but to vary the potential cost of avoidance. If avoidance varies with potential cost then a decision making process is evident and the behaviour is not a mere reflex. Here we examine the responses of hermit crabs to electric shock within their shell when also exposed to predator or non-predator odours or to no odour. The electric shocks start with low voltage but increase in voltage with each repetition to determine how odour affects the voltage at which the shell is abandoned. There was no treatment effect on the voltage at which hermit crabs left their shells, however, those exposed to predator odours were less likely to evacuate their shells compared with no odour or low concentrations of non-predator odour. However, highly concentrated non-predator also inhibited evacuation. The data show that these crabs trade-off avoidance of electric shock with predator avoidance. They are thus not responding purely by reflex and the data are thus consistent with predictions of pain but do not prove pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry Magee
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Robert W Elwood
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
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Fiorito G, Affuso A, Basil J, Cole A, de Girolamo P, D'Angelo L, Dickel L, Gestal C, Grasso F, Kuba M, Mark F, Melillo D, Osorio D, Perkins K, Ponte G, Shashar N, Smith D, Smith J, Andrews PLR. Guidelines for the Care and Welfare of Cephalopods in Research -A consensus based on an initiative by CephRes, FELASA and the Boyd Group. Lab Anim 2016; 49:1-90. [PMID: 26354955 DOI: 10.1177/0023677215580006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This paper is the result of an international initiative and is a first attempt to develop guidelines for the care and welfare of cephalopods (i.e. nautilus, cuttlefish, squid and octopus) following the inclusion of this Class of ∼700 known living invertebrate species in Directive 2010/63/EU. It aims to provide information for investigators, animal care committees, facility managers and animal care staff which will assist in improving both the care given to cephalopods, and the manner in which experimental procedures are carried out. Topics covered include: implications of the Directive for cephalopod research; project application requirements and the authorisation process; the application of the 3Rs principles; the need for harm-benefit assessment and severity classification. Guidelines and species-specific requirements are provided on: i. supply, capture and transport; ii. environmental characteristics and design of facilities (e.g. water quality control, lighting requirements, vibration/noise sensitivity); iii. accommodation and care (including tank design), animal handling, feeding and environmental enrichment; iv. assessment of health and welfare (e.g. monitoring biomarkers, physical and behavioural signs); v. approaches to severity assessment; vi. disease (causes, prevention and treatment); vii. scientific procedures, general anaesthesia and analgesia, methods of humane killing and confirmation of death. Sections covering risk assessment for operators and education and training requirements for carers, researchers and veterinarians are also included. Detailed aspects of care and welfare requirements for the main laboratory species currently used are summarised in Appendices. Knowledge gaps are highlighted to prompt research to enhance the evidence base for future revision of these guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziano Fiorito
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli, Italy Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
| | - Andrea Affuso
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli, Italy Animal Model Facility - BIOGEM S.C.A.R.L., Ariano Irpino (AV), Italy
| | - Jennifer Basil
- Biology Department, Brooklyn College - CUNY Graduate Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Alison Cole
- Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
| | - Paolo de Girolamo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions - University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy AISAL - Associazione Italiana per le Scienze degli Animali da Laboratorio, Milano, Italy
| | - Livia D'Angelo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions - University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy AISAL - Associazione Italiana per le Scienze degli Animali da Laboratorio, Milano, Italy
| | - Ludovic Dickel
- Groupe mémoire et Plasticité comportementale, University of Caen Basse-Normandy, Caen, France
| | - Camino Gestal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain
| | - Frank Grasso
- BioMimetic and Cognitive Robotics, Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College - CUNY, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Michael Kuba
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Felix Mark
- Integrative Ecophysiology, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Daniela Melillo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Daniel Osorio
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | - Kerry Perkins
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | | | - Nadav Shashar
- Department of Life Sciences, Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer, Sheva, Israel
| | - David Smith
- FELASA, Federation for Laboratory Animal Science Associations
| | | | - Paul L R Andrews
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK Association for Cephalopod Research 'CephRes', Italy
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McMackin MZ, Lewin MR, Tabuena DR, Arreola FE, Moffatt C, Fuse M. Use of von Frey filaments to assess nociceptive sensitization in the hornworm, Manduca sexta. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 257:139-46. [PMID: 26432932 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hornworm Manduca sexta exhibits a defensive strike to noxious assaults, a response that is robust and is easily observed by experimenters. Von Frey filaments and methods typical for studying nociception in other animals were used to assess the strike response in M. sexta. NEW METHODS A series of von Frey filaments was applied to the body wall in ascending order and the data generated were used to determine the strike threshold by (i) the up-and-down method, (ii) the first response method, and (iii) the simplified up-and-down order method (SUDO). The effect of a noxious pinch on strike threshold was assessed. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS To our knowledge none of these methods has been used on M. sexta previously, making the use of the up-and-down and SUDO methods the first in an invertebrate. The use of the first response method has been used in other invertebrates, and the method appears equally suited to M. sexta. RESULTS All three methods were successful in monitoring the threshold sensitivity to touch, which was lowered (sensitized) by tissue damage induced with a pinch. Sensitization lasted 19h. CONCLUSIONS All three methods of assessing nociception were successfully applied to quantify the defensive strike response in M. sexta, although the SUDO method required empirical assessment of which filament to start the test sequence with. The results revealed both short- and long-term sensitization. These methods should prove to be useful for quantifying sensitization in M. sexta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Zubia McMackin
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
| | - Matthew R Lewin
- Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability Director Center for Exploration and Travel Health, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA.
| | - Dennis R Tabuena
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
| | - F Eric Arreola
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
| | - Christopher Moffatt
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
| | - Megumi Fuse
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
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Gestal C, Castellanos-Martínez S. Understanding the cephalopod immune system based on functional and molecular evidence. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 46:120-130. [PMID: 25982402 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2015.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Cephalopods have the most advanced circulatory and nervous system among the mollusks. Recently, they have been included in the European directive which state that suffering and pain should be minimized in cephalopods used in experimentation. The knowledge about cephalopod welfare is still limited and several gaps are yet to be filled, especially in reference to pathogens, pathologies and immune response of these mollusks. In light of the requirements of the normative, in addition to the ecologic and economic importance of cephalopods, in this review we update the work published to date concerning cephalopod immune system. Significant advances have been reached in relation to the characterization of haemocytes and defensive mechanisms comprising cellular and humoral factors mainly, but not limited, in species of high economic value like Sepia officinalis and Octopus vulgaris. Moreover, the improvement of molecular approaches has helped to discover several immune-related genes/proteins. These immune genes/proteins include antimicrobial peptides, phenoloxidases, antioxidant enzymes, serine protease inhibitor, lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor, Toll-like receptors, lectins, even clusters of differentiation among others. Most of them have been found in haemocytes but also in gills and digestive gland, and the characterization as well as their precise role in the immune response of cephalopods is still pending to be elucidated. The assessment of immune parameters in cephalopods exposed to contaminants is just starting, but the negative impact of some pollutants on the immune response of the common octopus has been reported. This review summarizes the current status of our knowledge about the cephalopod immune system that seems to be far from simply. On the contrary, the advances gained to date point out a complex innate immunity in cephalopods.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gestal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain.
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Recent developments in the study of pain in animals have demonstrated the potential for pain perception in a variety of wholly aquatic species such as molluscs, crustaceans and fish. This allows us to gain insight into how the ecological pressures and differential life history of living in a watery medium can yield novel data that inform the comparative physiology and evolution of pain. Nociception is the simple detection of potentially painful stimuli usually accompanied by a reflex withdrawal response, and nociceptors have been found in aquatic invertebrates such as the sea slug Aplysia. It would seem adaptive to have a warning system that allows animals to avoid life-threatening injury, yet debate does still continue over the capacity for non-mammalian species to experience the discomfort or suffering that is a key component of pain rather than a nociceptive reflex. Contemporary studies over the last 10 years have demonstrated that bony fish possess nociceptors that are similar to those in mammals; that they demonstrate pain-related changes in physiology and behaviour that are reduced by painkillers; that they exhibit higher brain activity when painfully stimulated; and that pain is more important than showing fear or anti-predator behaviour in bony fish. The neurophysiological basis of nociception or pain in fish is demonstrably similar to that in mammals. Pain perception in invertebrates is more controversial as they lack the vertebrate brain, yet recent research evidence confirms that there are behavioural changes in response to potentially painful events. This review will assess the field of pain perception in aquatic species, focusing on fish and selected invertebrate groups to interpret how research findings can inform our understanding of the physiology and evolution of pain. Further, if we accept these animals may be capable of experiencing the negative experience of pain, then the wider implications of human use of these animals should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne U. Sneddon
- University of Liverpool, Institute of Integrative Biology, The BioScience Building, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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Tramacere F, Pugno NM, Kuba MJ, Mazzolai B. Unveiling the morphology of the acetabulum in octopus suckers and its role in attachment. Interface Focus 2015; 5:20140050. [PMID: 25657834 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2014.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the attachment mechanism of the octopus sucker has attracted the interest of scientists from different research areas, including biology, engineering, medicine and robotics. From a technological perspective, the main goal is to identify the underlying mechanisms involved in sucker attachment for use in the development of new generations of artificial devices and materials. Recently, the understanding of the morphology of the sucker has been significantly improved; however, the mechanisms that allow attachment remain largely unknown. In this work, we present new anatomical findings: specifically, a protuberance in the acetabular roof in five different octopus species; previously, this protuberance was identified by the authors in Octopus vulgaris. Moreover, we discuss the role of the protuberance and other anatomical structures in attachment with minimal energy consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tramacere
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics , Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera 56125 , Italy
| | - Nicola M Pugno
- Laboratory of Bio-inspired and Graphene Nanomechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering , University of Trento , via Mesiano 77, Trento 38123 , Italy ; Center for Materials and Microsystems , Fondazione Bruno Kessler , via Sommarive 18, Povo 38123 , Italy ; School of Engineering and Materials Science , Queen Mary University of London , Mile End Road, London E1 4NS , UK
| | - Michael J Kuba
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research , Max Planck Institute , Max von Laue Strasse 4, Frankfurt 60438 , Germany
| | - Barbara Mazzolai
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics , Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera 56125 , Italy
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Crook RJ, Dickson K, Hanlon RT, Walters ET. Nociceptive sensitization reduces predation risk. Curr Biol 2014; 24:1121-5. [PMID: 24814149 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Sublethal injury triggers long-lasting sensitization of defensive responses in most species examined, suggesting the involvement of powerful evolutionary selection pressures [1]. In humans, this persistent nociceptive sensitization is often accompanied by heightened sensations of pain and anxiety [2]. While experimental [3] and clinical [4] evidence support the adaptive value of immediate nociception during injury, no direct evidence exists for adaptive benefits of long-lasting sensitization after injury. Recently, we showed that minor injury produces long-term sensitization of behavioral and neuronal responses in squid, Doryteuthis pealei [5, 6]. Here we tested the adaptive value of this sensitization during encounters between squid and a natural fish predator. Locomotion and other spontaneous behaviors of squid that received distal injury to a single arm (with or without transient anesthesia) showed no measurable impairment 6 hr after the injury. However, black sea bass given access to freely swimming squid oriented toward and pursued injured squid at greater distances than uninjured squid, regardless of previous anesthetic treatment. Once targeted, injured squid began defensive behavioral sequences [7, 8] earlier than uninjured squid. This effect was blocked by brief anesthetic treatment that prevented development of nociceptive sensitization [6, 9]. Importantly, the early anesthetic treatment also reduced the subsequent escape and survival of injured, but not uninjured, squid. Thus, while minor injury increases the risk of predatory attack, it also triggers a sensitized state that promotes enhanced responsiveness to threats, increasing the survival (Darwinian fitness) of injured animals during subsequent predatory encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn J Crook
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Katharine Dickson
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Roger T Hanlon
- Program in Sensory Physiology and Behavior, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Edgar T Walters
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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