1
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Seese S, Tinsley CE, Wulffraat G, Hixon JG, Monfils MH. Conspecific interactions predict social transmission of fear in female rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7804. [PMID: 38565873 PMCID: PMC10987648 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58258-6] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Social transmission of fear occurs in a subset of individuals, where an Observer displays a fear response to a previously neutral stimulus after witnessing or interacting with a conspecific Demonstrator during memory retrieval. The conditions under which fear can be acquired socially in rats have received attention in recent years, and suggest that social factors modulate social transmission of information. We previously found that one such factor, social rank, impacts fear conditioning by proxy in male rats. Here, we aimed to investigate whether social roles as determined by nape contacts in females, might also have an influence on social transmission of fear. In-line with previous findings in males, we found that social interactions in the home cage can provide insight into the social relationship between female rats and that these relationships predict the degree of fear acquired by-proxy. These results suggest that play behavior affects the social transfer/transmission of information in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Seese
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712-1043, USA
| | - Carolyn E Tinsley
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Grace Wulffraat
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712-1043, USA
| | - J Gregory Hixon
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712-1043, USA
| | - Marie-H Monfils
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712-1043, USA.
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2
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Potegal M. How it ends: A review of behavioral and psychological phenomena, physiological processes and neural circuits in the termination of aggression in other animals and anger in people. Behav Brain Res 2024; 456:114676. [PMID: 37739229 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
More is known about aggression initiation and persistence in other animals, and anger in people, than about their cessation. This review summarizes knowledge of relevant factors in aggression, mostly in vertebrates, and anger termination in people. The latency, probability and intensity of offensive aggression in mice is controlled by activity in a neuronal subpopulation in ventromedial hypothalamus [VMH]. This activity instantiates an aggressive state termed angriffsbereitschaft ["attack-readiness"]. Fighting in many species is broken into bouts with interbout breaks due to fatigue and/or signals from dorsal raphe to VMH. Eventually, losers decide durations and outcomes of fighting by transitioning to submission or flight. Factors reducing angriffsbereitschaft and triggering these defeat behaviors could include metabolic costs, e.g., lactate accumulation and glucose depletion detected by the hypothalamus, central fatigue perhaps sensed by the Salience Network [insula and anterior cingulate gyrus] and pain of injuries, the latter insufficiently blunted by opioid and non-opioid stress analgesia and transduced by anterior VMH neurons. Winners' angriffsbereitschaft continue for awhile, as indicated by post-victory attacks and, perhaps, triumph displays of some species, including humans. In longer term situations, sensory and/or response habituation of aggression may explain the "Dear enemy" tolerance of competitive neighbors. Prolonged satiation of predatory behavior could involve habenula-regulated reduction of dopaminergic reward in nucleus accumbens. Termination of human anger involves at least three processes, metaphorically termed decay, quenching and catharsis. Hypothesized neural mechanisms include anger diminution by negative feedback from accumbens to anterior cingulate and/or activity in the Salience Network that controls anger's "accumulation/offset" phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Potegal
- University of Minnesota, United States.
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3
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Kleshchev MA, Osadchuk AV, Osadchuk LV. Peculiarities of Agonistic and Marking Behavior in Male Laboratory Mice (Mus musculuc) of Different Inbred Strains during the Formation of Social Hierarchy. BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359022090151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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4
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Ferreira-Fernandes E, Peça J. The Neural Circuit Architecture of Social Hierarchy in Rodents and Primates. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:874310. [PMID: 35634473 PMCID: PMC9133341 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.874310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social status is recognized as a major determinant of social behavior and health among animals; however, the neural circuits supporting the formation and navigation of social hierarchies remain under extensive research. Available evidence suggests the prefrontal cortex is a keystone in this circuit, but upstream and downstream candidates are progressively emerging. In this review, we compare and integrate findings from rodent and primate studies to create a model of the neural and cellular networks supporting social hierarchies, both from a macro (i.e., circuits) to a micro-scale perspective (microcircuits and synapses). We start by summarizing the literature on the prefrontal cortex and other relevant brain regions to expand the current “prefrontal-centric” view of social hierarchy behaviors. Based on connectivity data we also discuss candidate regions that might inspire further investigation, as well as the caveats and strategies that have been used to further our understanding of the biological substrates underpinning social hierarchy and dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Ferreira-Fernandes
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IIIUC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Peça
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- *Correspondence: João Peça
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5
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Multidimensional nature of dominant behavior: Insights from behavioral neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:603-620. [PMID: 34902440 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Social interactions for many species of animals are critical for survival, wellbeing, and reproduction. Optimal navigation of a social system increases chances for survival and reproduction, therefore there is strong incentive to fit into social structures. Social animals rely heavily on dominant-submissive behaviors in establishment of stable social hierarchies. There is a link between extreme manifestation of dominance/submissiveness and behavioral deviations. To understand neural substrates affiliated with a specific hierarchical rank, there is a real need for reliable animal behavioral models. Different paradigms have been consolidated over time to study the neurobiology of social rank behavior in a standardized manner using rodent models to unravel the neural pathways and substrates involved in normal and abnormal intraspecific social interactions. This review summarizes and discusses the commonly used behavioral tests and new directions for the assessment of dominance in rodents. We discuss the hierarchy inheritable nature and other critical issues regarding hierarchical rank manifestation which may help in designing social-rank-related studies that serve as promising pre-clinical tools in behavioral psychiatry.
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6
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Barabas AJ, Lucas JR, Erasmus MA, Cheng HW, Gaskill BN. Who's the Boss? Assessing Convergent Validity of Aggression Based Dominance Measures in Male Laboratory Mice, Mus Musculus. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:695948. [PMID: 34307534 PMCID: PMC8301077 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.695948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggression among group housed male mice continues to challenge laboratory animal researchers because mitigation strategies are generally applied at the cage level without a good understanding of how it affects the dominance hierarchy. Aggression within a group is typically displayed by the dominant mouse targeting lower ranking subordinates; thus, the strategies for preventing aggression may be more successful if applied specifically to the dominant mouse. Unfortunately, dominance rank is often not assessed because of time intensive observations or tests. Several correlates of dominance status have been identified, but none have been directly compared to home cage behavior in standard housing. This study assessed the convergent validity of three dominance correlates (urinary darcin, tube test score, preputial gland to body length ratio) with wound severity and rankings based on home cage behavior, using factor analysis. Discriminant validity with open field measures was assessed to determine if tube test scores are independent of anxiety. Cages were equally split between SJL and albino C57BL/6 strains and group sizes of 3 or 5 (N = 24). Home cage behavior was observed during the first week, and dominance measures were recorded over the second. After controlling for strain and group size, darcin and preputial ratio had strong loadings on the same factor, which was a significant predictor of home cage ranking showing strong convergent validity. Tube test scores were not significantly impacted by open field data, showing discriminant validity. Social network analysis revealed that despotic power structures were prevalent, aggressors were typically more active and rested away from cage mates, and the amount of social investigation and aggression performed by an individual were highly correlated. Data from this study show that darcin and preputial ratio are representative of home cage aggression and provide further insight into individual behavior patterns in group housed male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Barabas
- Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Marisa A Erasmus
- Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Heng-Wei Cheng
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Brianna N Gaskill
- Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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7
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Varholick JA, Bailoo JD, Jenkins A, Voelkl B, Würbel H. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Social Dominance Status and Common Behavioral Phenotypes in Male Laboratory Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:624036. [PMID: 33551768 PMCID: PMC7855301 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.624036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Social dominance status (e.g., dominant or subordinate) is often associated with individual differences in behavior and physiology but is largely neglected in experimental designs and statistical analysis plans in biomedical animal research. In fact, the extent to which social dominance status affects common experimental outcomes is virtually unknown. Given the pervasive use of laboratory mice and culminating evidence of issues with reproducibility, understanding the role of social dominance status on common behavioral measures used in research may be of paramount importance. Methods: To determine whether social dominance status—one facet of the social environment—contributes in a systematic way to standard measures of behavior in biomedical science, we conducted a systematic review of the existing literature searching the databases of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Experiments were divided into several domains of behavior: exploration, anxiety, learned helplessness, cognition, social, and sensory behavior. Meta-analyses between experiments were conducted for the open field, elevated plus-maze, and Porsolt forced swim test. Results: Of the 696 publications identified, a total of 55 experiments from 20 published studies met our pre-specified criteria. Study characteristics and reported results were highly heterogeneous across studies. A systematic review and meta-analyses, where possible, with these studies revealed little evidence for systematic phenotypic differences between dominant and subordinate male mice. Conclusion: This finding contradicts the notion that social dominance status impacts behavior in significant ways, although the lack of an observed relationship may be attributable to study heterogeneity concerning strain, group-size, age, housing and husbandry conditions, and dominance assessment method. Therefore, further research considering these secondary sources of variation may be necessary to determine if social dominance generally impacts treatment effects in substantive ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin A Varholick
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jeremy D Bailoo
- Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States.,Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Ashley Jenkins
- Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Bernhard Voelkl
- Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hanno Würbel
- Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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8
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Taki F, Lopez K, Zupan B, Bergin P, Docampo MD, Alves-Bezerra M, Toth JG, Chen Q, Argyropoulos KV, Barboza L, Pickup E, Fancher N, Hiller A, Gross S, Cohen DE, van den Brink MRM, Toth M. Maternal Programming of Social Dominance via Milk Cytokines. iScience 2020; 23:101357. [PMID: 32712464 PMCID: PMC7390789 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Regular physical activity improves physical and mental health. Here we found that the effect of physical activity extends to the next generation. Voluntary wheel running of dams, from postpartum day 2 to weaning, increased the social dominance and reproductive success, but not the physical/metabolic health, of their otherwise sedentary offspring. The individual's own physical activity did not improve dominance status. Maternal exercise did not disrupt maternal care or the maternal and offspring microbiota. Rather, the development of dominance behavior in the offspring of running mothers could be explained by the reduction of LIF, CXCL1, and CXCL2 cytokines in breast milk. These data reveal a cytokine-mediated lactocrine pathway that responds to the mother's postpartum physical activity and programs offspring social dominance. As dominance behaviors are highly relevant to the individual's survival and reproduction, lactocrine programming could be an evolutionary mechanism by which a mother promotes the social rank of her offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faten Taki
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Katherine Lopez
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Bojana Zupan
- Psychological Science Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie 124 Raymond Avenue, New York, NY 12604, USA
| | - Paul Bergin
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Melissa D Docampo
- Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michele Alves-Bezerra
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1305 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Judit Gal Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Qiuying Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kimon V Argyropoulos
- Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Luendreo Barboza
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Emily Pickup
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nicholas Fancher
- Psychological Science Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie 124 Raymond Avenue, New York, NY 12604, USA
| | - Abbi Hiller
- Psychological Science Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie 124 Raymond Avenue, New York, NY 12604, USA
| | - Steven Gross
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David E Cohen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1305 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Marcel R M van den Brink
- Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Miklos Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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9
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Effects of pair housing on voluntary alcohol intake in male and female Wistar rats. Alcohol 2020; 86:121-128. [PMID: 31978460 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
A number of different voluntary alcohol intake paradigms are available for home cage drinking studies. Traditionally, these paradigms involve single housing in order for individual intake to be measured. This study aimed at investigating the effects of pair housing on voluntary alcohol intake. Male and female Wistar rats were housed in pairs or individually for studies of voluntary alcohol intake using the modified intermittent access paradigm with alcohol access during three consecutive days per week followed by four days of water only. Individual intake of 20% alcohol solution and water was measured during 12 sessions, i.e., 4 weeks. Pair-housed animals could interact freely with their cage mate for four consecutive days each week and were then separated by an inserted mesh divider for three consecutive days each week during alcohol intake sessions. Alcohol intake and preference were compared between pair-housed and individually housed rats. The results revealed higher alcohol intake in females than in males. Pair-housed males had a higher alcohol intake and preference during the first 3 weeks, but not during the fourth week, compared to individually housed males No effect of housing condition was observed in female rats. The alcohol intake was higher on the first day of access relative to the two consecutive days in pair-housed males and higher on the first two days relative to the third day in female rats. Social rank or female estrus cycle had no effect on alcohol intake or preference. Taken together, the use of a divider during alcohol intake sessions had no impact on alcohol intake in female rats and may not exert long-term influences in male rats. Future studies are needed in order to elucidate whether the use of a divider can constitute an experimental refinement as an alternative to individual housing in studies of voluntary alcohol intake using the limited access and/or intermittent access paradigms.
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10
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Cooper AN, Cunningham CB, Morris JS, Ruff JS, Potts WK, Carrier DR. Musculoskeletal mass and shape are correlated with competitive ability in male house mice ( Mus musculus). J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb213389. [PMID: 31915200 PMCID: PMC7033737 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.213389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Intense physical competition between males for mating opportunities is widespread among mammals. In such agonistic encounters, males with combinations of morphological, physiological and behavioral characters that allow them to dominate an opponent have greater fitness. However, the specific physical traits associated with competitive ability are poorly understood. Larger body size is often correlated with fitness in mammals. Interestingly, fitness is maximized at intermediate body masses in male house mice (Mus musculus), a species with a polygynous mating system in which males compete physically for access to reproductive resources. Here, we used competition trials in semi-natural, mixed-sex population enclosures to directly measure competitive ability in male house mice based on control of a preferred nesting site. We tested the hypothesis that the musculoskeletal systems of male mice demonstrating high competitive ability are more specialized for competition by comparing the masses of 10 major muscle groups and eight bones as well as a set of 12 skeletal shape indices associated with anatomical specialization for fighting performance in a set of nine winners and 20 losers. Winning males possessed several traits hypothesized to enhance performance in male-male contests: relatively greater mass in several muscle groups and bones of the forelimb and hindlimb and larger scapular surface area. Unexpectedly, no measurements of the head and neck differed significantly between winners and losers. These results identify musculoskeletal traits associated with competitive ability in male house mice and suggest that our current understanding of mammalian fighting performance is incomplete and more nuanced than previously considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda N Cooper
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | | | - Jeremy S Morris
- Department of Biology, Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC 29303, USA
| | - James S Ruff
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Wayne K Potts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - David R Carrier
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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11
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Gαi2 + vomeronasal neurons govern the initial outcome of an acute social competition. Sci Rep 2020; 10:894. [PMID: 31965032 PMCID: PMC6972791 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57765-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pheromone detection by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) mediates important social behaviors across different species, including aggression and sexual behavior. However, the relationship between vomeronasal function and social hierarchy has not been analyzed reliably. We evaluated the role of pheromone detection by receptors expressed in the apical layer of the VNO such as vomeronasal type 1 receptors (V1R) in dominance behavior by using a conditional knockout mouse for G protein subunit Gαi2, which is essential for V1R signaling. We used the tube test as a model to analyze the within-a-cage hierarchy in male mice, but also as a paradigm of novel territorial competition in animals from different cages. In absence of prior social experience, Gαi2 deletion promotes winning a novel social competition with an unfamiliar control mouse but had no effect on an established hierarchy in cages with mixed genotypes, both Gαi2−/− and controls. To further dissect social behavior of Gαi2−/− mice, we performed a 3-chamber sociability assay and found that mutants had a slightly altered social investigation. Finally, gene expression analysis in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) for a subset of genes previously linked to social status revealed no differences between group-housed Gαi2−/− and controls. Our results reveal a direct influence of pheromone detection on territorial dominance, indicating that olfactory communication involving apical VNO receptors like V1R is important for the outcome of an initial social competition between two unfamiliar male mice, whereas final social status acquired within a cage remains unaffected. These results support the idea that previous social context is relevant for the development of social hierarchy of a group. Overall, our data identify two context-dependent forms of dominance, acute and chronic, and that pheromone signaling through V1R receptors is involved in the first stages of a social competition but in the long term is not predictive for high social ranks on a hierarchy.
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12
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Peleh T, Ike KG, Wams EJ, Lebois EP, Hengerer B. The reverse translation of a quantitative neuropsychiatric framework into preclinical studies: Focus on social interaction and behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 97:96-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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13
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Kondrakiewicz K, Kostecki M, Szadzińska W, Knapska E. Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12525. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kacper Kondrakiewicz
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - Mateusz Kostecki
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - Weronika Szadzińska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
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14
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Park MJ, Seo BA, Lee B, Shin HS, Kang MG. Stress-induced changes in social dominance are scaled by AMPA-type glutamate receptor phosphorylation in the medial prefrontal cortex. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15008. [PMID: 30301947 PMCID: PMC6177388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33410-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The establishment and maintenance of social dominance are critical for social stability and the survival and health of individual animals. Stress lead to depression and a decrease in the social status of depressed persons is a risk factor for suicide. Therefore, we explored the mechanistic and behavioral links among stress, depression, and social dominance and found that mice subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS), an animal model of stress-induced depression, showed decreased social dominance as measured by a dominance tube test. Importantly, this submissive behavior was occluded by the antidepressant, fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It is known that social dominance is controlled by synaptic efficacy in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and that AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPA-R) is a key molecule for synaptic efficacy. We found that the phosphorylation on AMPA-R was bidirectionally changed by CRS and fluoxetine in the mPFC of mice with CRS. Moreover, we found a strong correlation between social dominance and AMPA-R phosphorylation that regulates synaptic efficacy by modulating the synaptic targeting of AMPA-R. Our correlational analysis of the behavior and biochemistry of the CRS model suggests that AMPA-R phosphorylation in the mPFC may serve as a biomarker of social dominance related to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Jung Park
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Am Seo
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Boyoung Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Sup Shin
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung-Goo Kang
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Tansley SN, Tuttle AH, Wu N, Tohyama S, Dossett K, Gerstein L, Ham B, Austin JS, Sotocinal SG, Mogil JS. Modulation of social behavior and dominance status by chronic pain in mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12514. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon N. Tansley
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Alexander H. Tuttle
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Neil Wu
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Sarasa Tohyama
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Kimberly Dossett
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Lindsay Gerstein
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Boram Ham
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Jean-Sebastien Austin
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Susana G. Sotocinal
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Jeffrey S. Mogil
- Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
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Mosher LJ, Godar SC, Morissette M, McFarlin KM, Scheggi S, Gambarana C, Fowler SC, Di Paolo T, Bortolato M. Steroid 5α-reductase 2 deficiency leads to reduced dominance-related and impulse-control behaviors. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 91:95-104. [PMID: 29544191 PMCID: PMC5901899 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The enzyme steroid 5α-reductase 2 (5αR2) catalyzes the conversion of testosterone into the potent androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone. Previous investigations showed that 5αR2 is expressed in key brain areas for emotional and socio-affective reactivity, yet the role of this enzyme in behavioral regulation remains mostly unknown. Here, we profiled the behavioral characteristics of 5αR2 heterozygous (HZ) and knockout (KO) mice, as compared with their wild-type (WT) littermates. While male 5αR2 KO mice displayed no overt alterations in motoric, sensory, information-processing and anxiety-related behaviors, they exhibited deficits in neurobehavioral correlates of dominance (including aggression against intruders, mating, and tube dominance) as well as novelty-seeking and risk-taking responses. Furthermore, male 5αR2 KO mice exhibited reduced D2-like dopamine receptor binding in the shell of the nucleus accumbens - a well-recognized molecular signature of social dominance. Collectively, these results suggest that 5αR2 is involved in the establishment of social dominance and its behavioral manifestations. Further studies are warranted to understand how the metabolic actions of 5αR2 on steroid profile may be implicated in social ranking, impulse control, and the modulation of dopamine receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Mosher
- Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Sean C Godar
- Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Marc Morissette
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, CHUL, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kenneth M McFarlin
- Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States.
| | - Simona Scheggi
- Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Carla Gambarana
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Stephen C Fowler
- Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Thérèse Di Paolo
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, CHUL, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marco Bortolato
- Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
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Phenotypic variability between Social Dominance Ranks in laboratory mice. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6593. [PMID: 29700322 PMCID: PMC5920077 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24624-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The laboratory mouse is the most prevalent animal used in experimental procedures in the biomedical and behavioural sciences. Yet, many scientists fail to consider the animals’ social context. Within a cage, mice may differ in their behaviour and physiology depending on their dominance relationships. Therefore, dominance relationships may be a confounding factor in animal experiments. The current study housed male and female C57BL/6ByJ mice in same-sex groups of 5 in standard laboratory conditions and investigated whether dominance hierarchies were present and stable across three weeks, and whether mice of different dominance ranks varied consistently in behaviour and physiology. We found that dominance ranks of most mice changed with time, but were most stable between the 2nd and 3rd week of testing. Phenotypic measures were also highly variable, and we found no relation between dominance rank and phenotype. Further, we found limited evidence that variation in measures of phenotype was associated with cage assignment for either males or females. Taken together, these findings do not lend support to the general assumption that individual variation among mice is larger between cages than within cages.
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Buwalda B, Koolhaas JM, de Boer SF. Trait aggressiveness does not predict social dominance of rats in the Visible Burrow System. Physiol Behav 2017; 178:134-143. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Arrant AE, Filiano AJ, Warmus BA, Hall AM, Roberson ED. Progranulin haploinsufficiency causes biphasic social dominance abnormalities in the tube test. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2017; 15:588-603. [PMID: 27213486 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) are a major autosomal dominant cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a neurodegenerative disorder in which social behavior is disrupted. Progranulin-insufficient mice, both Grn(+/-) and Grn(-/-) , are used as models of FTD due to GRN mutations, with Grn(+/-) mice mimicking the progranulin haploinsufficiency of FTD patients with GRN mutations. Grn(+/-) mice have increased social dominance in the tube test at 6 months of age, although this phenotype has not been reported in Grn(-/-) mice. In this study, we investigated how the tube test phenotype of progranulin-insufficient mice changes with age, determined its robustness under several testing conditions, and explored the associated cellular mechanisms. We observed biphasic social dominance abnormalities in Grn(+/-) mice: at 6-8 months, Grn(+/-) mice were more dominant than wild-type littermates, while after 9 months of age, Grn(+/-) mice were less dominant. In contrast, Grn(-/-) mice did not exhibit abnormal social dominance, suggesting that progranulin haploinsufficiency has distinct effects from complete progranulin deficiency. The biphasic tube test phenotype of Grn(+/-) mice was associated with abnormal cellular signaling and neuronal morphology in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. At 6-9 months, Grn(+/-) mice exhibited increased mTORC2/Akt signaling in the amygdala and enhanced dendritic arbors in the basomedial amygdala, and at 9-16 months Grn(+/-) mice exhibited diminished basal dendritic arbors in the prelimbic cortex. These data show a progressive change in tube test dominance in Grn(+/-) mice and highlight potential underlying mechanisms by which progranulin insufficiency may disrupt social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Arrant
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - A J Filiano
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - B A Warmus
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - A M Hall
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - E D Roberson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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So N, Franks B, Lim S, Curley JP. A Social Network Approach Reveals Associations between Mouse Social Dominance and Brain Gene Expression. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134509. [PMID: 26226265 PMCID: PMC4520683 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Modelling complex social behavior in the laboratory is challenging and requires analyses of dyadic interactions occurring over time in a physically and socially complex environment. In the current study, we approached the analyses of complex social interactions in group-housed male CD1 mice living in a large vivarium. Intensive observations of social interactions during a 3-week period indicated that male mice form a highly linear and steep dominance hierarchy that is maintained by fighting and chasing behaviors. Individual animals were classified as dominant, sub-dominant or subordinate according to their David’s Scores and I& SI ranking. Using a novel dynamic temporal Glicko rating method, we ascertained that the dominance hierarchy was stable across time. Using social network analyses, we characterized the behavior of individuals within 66 unique relationships in the social group. We identified two individual network metrics, Kleinberg’s Hub Centrality and Bonacich’s Power Centrality, as accurate predictors of individual dominance and power. Comparing across behaviors, we establish that agonistic, grooming and sniffing social networks possess their own distinctive characteristics in terms of density, average path length, reciprocity out-degree centralization and out-closeness centralization. Though grooming ties between individuals were largely independent of other social networks, sniffing relationships were highly predictive of the directionality of agonistic relationships. Individual variation in dominance status was associated with brain gene expression, with more dominant individuals having higher levels of corticotropin releasing factor mRNA in the medial and central nuclei of the amygdala and the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus, as well as higher levels of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA. This study demonstrates the potential and significance of combining complex social housing and intensive behavioral characterization of group-living animals with the utilization of novel statistical methods to further our understanding of the neurobiological basis of social behavior at the individual, relationship and group levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina So
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, United States of America
| | - Becca Franks
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
- UBC Animal Welfare Program, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sean Lim
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - James P. Curley
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Nelson AC, Cunningham CB, Ruff JS, Potts WK. Protein pheromone expression levels predict and respond to the formation of social dominance networks. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:1213-24. [PMID: 25867293 PMCID: PMC4478133 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Revised: 04/05/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Communication signals are key regulators of social networks and are thought to be under selective pressure to honestly reflect social status, including dominance status. The odours of dominants and nondominants differentially influence behaviour, and identification of the specific pheromones associated with, and predictive of, dominance status is essential for understanding the mechanisms of network formation and maintenance. In mice, major urinary proteins (MUPs) are excreted in extraordinary large quantities and expression level has been hypothesized to provide an honest signal of dominance status. Here, we evaluate whether MUPs are associated with dominance in wild-derived mice by analysing expression levels before, during and after competition for reproductive resources over 3 days. During competition, dominant males have 24% greater urinary MUP expression than nondominants. The MUP darcin, a pheromone that stimulates female attraction, is predictive of dominance status: dominant males have higher darcin expression before competition. Dominants also have a higher ratio of darcin to other MUPs before and during competition. These differences appear transient, because there are no differences in MUPs or darcin after competition. We also find MUP expression is affected by sire dominance status: socially naive sons of dominant males have lower MUP expression, but this apparent repression is released during competition. A requisite condition for the evolution of communication signals is honesty, and we provide novel insight into pheromones and social networks by showing that MUP and darcin expression is a reliable signal of dominance status, a primary determinant of male fitness in many species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Nelson
- University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Harvard University, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cambridge, MA 02144
| | - Christopher B. Cunningham
- University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- University of Georgia, Department of Genetics, Athens, GA 30602
| | - James S. Ruff
- University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Wayne K. Potts
- University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
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Wang F, Kessels HW, Hu H. The mouse that roared: neural mechanisms of social hierarchy. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:674-82. [PMID: 25160682 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Hierarchical social status greatly influences behavior and health. Human and animal studies have begun to identify the brain regions that are activated during the formation of social hierarchies. They point towards the prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a central regulator, with brain areas upstream of the PFC conveying information about social status, and downstream brain regions executing dominance behavior. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the neural circuits that control social status. We discuss how the neural mechanisms for various types of dominance behavior can be studied in laboratory rodents by selective manipulation of neuronal activity or synaptic plasticity. These studies may help in finding the cause of social stress-related mental and physical health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, The Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1019 RG, The Netherlands.
| | - Hailan Hu
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
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Anacker AMJ, Smith ML, Ryabinin AE. Establishment of stable dominance interactions in prairie vole peers: relationships with alcohol drinking and activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Soc Neurosci 2014; 9:484-94. [PMID: 24963825 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2014.931885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchies are an important aspect of group-living as they determine individual access to resources. The existence of dominance ranks in access to space has not been described in socially monogamous, communally nesting prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Here, we tested whether dominance could be assessed using the tube test. We also tested whether dominance related to alcohol intake, similar to what has been demonstrated in nonmonogamous species. Same-sex pairs of unfamiliar peers were tested in a series of three trials of the tube test, then paired and allowed individual access to alcohol and water for 4 days, and then tested again in the tube test. For all pairs, the same subjects won the majority of trials before and after alcohol drinking. The number of wins negatively correlated with alcohol intake on the first day of drinking and positively correlated with levels of Fos in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus following the tube test in a separate group of voles. Dominance was not related to Fos levels in other brain regions examined. Together, these results indicate that prairie voles quickly establish stable dominance ranks through a process possibly involving the hypothalamus and suggest that dominance is linked to alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M J Anacker
- a Department of Behavioral Neuroscience , Oregon Health & Science University , Portland , OR 97239 , USA
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Cunningham CB, Ruff JS, Chase K, Potts WK, Carrier DR. Competitive ability in male house mice (Mus musculus): genetic influences. Behav Genet 2013; 43:151-60. [PMID: 23291957 PMCID: PMC3626107 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-012-9577-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Conspecifics of many animal species physically compete to gain reproductive resources and thus fitness. Despite the importance of competitive ability across the animal kingdom, specific traits that influence or underpin competitive ability are poorly characterized. Here, we investigate whether there are genetic influences on competitive ability within male house mice. Additionally, we examined if litter demographics (litter size and litter sex ratio) influence competitive ability. We phenotyped two generations for a male's ability to possess a reproductive resource--a prime nesting site--using semi-natural enclosures with mixed sex groupings. We used the "Animal Model" coupled with an extensive pedigree to estimate several genetic parameters. Competitive ability was found to be highly heritable, but only displayed a moderate genetic correlation to body mass. Interestingly, litter sex ratio had a weak negative influence on competitive ability. Litter size had no significant influence on competitive ability. Our study also highlights how much remains unknown about the proximal causes of competitive ability.
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Wang F, Zhu J, Zhu H, Zhang Q, Lin Z, Hu H. Bidirectional control of social hierarchy by synaptic efficacy in medial prefrontal cortex. Science 2011; 334:693-7. [PMID: 21960531 DOI: 10.1126/science.1209951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchy has a profound impact on animals' survival, health, and reproductive success, but its neural circuit mechanism is virtually unknown. We found that dominance ranking in mice is transitive, relatively stable, and highly correlates among multiple behavior measures. Recording from layer V pyramidal neurons of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) showed higher strength of excitatory synaptic inputs in mice with higher ranking, as compared with their subordinate cage mates. Furthermore, molecular manipulations that resulted in an increase and decrease in the synaptic efficacy in dorsal mPFC neurons caused an upward and downward movement in the social rank, respectively. These results provide direct evidence for mPFC's involvement in social hierarchy and suggest that social rank is plastic and can be tuned by altering synaptic strength in mPFC pyramidal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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Abstract
AbstractThe concept of dominance is used in the behavioral and biological sciences to describe outcomes in a variety of competitive interactions. In some taxa, a history of agonistic encounters among individuals modifies the course of future agonistic encounters such that the existence of a certain type of relationship can be inferred. If one is to characterize such relationships as dominance, however, then they must be distinguished from other kinds of interaction patterns for which the term tends to be used, as well as from factors such as territoriality and "trained" winners and losers, which may also influence the expression of agonistic behavior. Operational definitions based on causal, functional, evolutionary, and ontogenetic considerations have been proposed. Reliability and validity problems have been discussed, but the dominance concept has proved useful despite methodological difficulties. The confusion of dominance relationships (which involve two or more individuals) with dominance ranks (which are assigned to a single individual) has obscured the possible evolutionary basis of dominance relationships. If benefits accrue to dominant members of pairs, then those attributes which allow an animal to establish dominance can be selected. Dominance per se and dominance ranks, on the other hand, cannot be genetically transmitted since they constitute relationships with other individuals rather than absolute attributes. Dominance rankings in particular may be useful for describing behavioral patterns within a group, but they may reflect our own ability to count rather than any important variable in social organization.
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A trouble shared is a trouble halved: social context and status affect pain in mouse dyads. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4143. [PMID: 19129917 PMCID: PMC2613518 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2008] [Accepted: 11/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In mice behavioral response to pain is modulated by social status. Recently, social context also has been shown to affect pain sensitivity. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effects of interaction between status and social context in dyads of outbred CD-1 male mice in which the dominance/submission relationship was stable. Mice were assessed for pain response in a formalin (1% concentration) test either alone (individually tested-IT), or in pairs of dominant and subordinate mice. In the latter condition, they could be either both injected (BI) or only one injected (OI) with formalin. We observed a remarkable influence of social context on behavioral response to painful stimuli regardless of the social status of the mice. In the absence of differences between OI and IT conditions, BI mice exhibited half as much Paw-licking behavior than OI group. As expected, subordinates were hypoalgesic in response to the early phase of the formalin effects compared to dominants. Clear cut-differences in coping strategies of dominants and subordinates appeared. The former were more active, whereas the latter were more passive. Finally, analysis of behavior of the non-injected subjects (the observers) in the OI dyads revealed that dominant observers were more often involved in Self-grooming behavior upon observation of their subordinate partner in pain. This was not the case for subordinate mice observing the pain response of their dominant partner. In contrast, subordinate observers Stared at the dominant significantly more frequently compared to observer dominants in other dyads. The observation of a cagemate in pain significantly affected the observer's behavior. Additionally, the quality of observer's response was also modulated by the dominance/submission relationship.
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