1
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LaDue CA, Snyder RJ. Asian elephants distinguish sexual status and identity of unfamiliar elephants using urinary odours. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230491. [PMID: 38115746 PMCID: PMC10731322 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the ubiquity of odours in mammals, few studies have documented the natural olfactory abilities of many 'non-model' species such as the Asian elephant. As Asian elephants are endangered, we may apply odours to more effectively manage threatened populations. We implemented a habituation-discrimination paradigm for the first time in Asian elephants to test the ability of elephants to discriminate between unfamiliar male elephant urine, hypothesizing that elephants would successfully distinguish non-musth from musth urine and also distinguish identity between two closely related individuals. We conducted two bioassay series, exposing three female and three male zoo-housed elephants to the same urine sample (non-musth urine in the first series, and urine from an unfamiliar individual in the second) over 5 days. On the sixth day, we simultaneously presented each elephant with a novel sample (either musth urine or urine from a second unfamiliar individual) alongside the habituated urine sample, comparing rates of chemosensory response to each sample to indicate discrimination. All elephants successfully discriminated non-musth from musth urine, and also urine from two unfamiliar half-brothers. Our results further demonstrate the remarkable olfactory abilities of elephants with promising implications for conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase A. LaDue
- Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Snyder
- Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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2
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Kong E, Lee KH, Do J, Kim P, Lee D. Dynamic and stable hippocampal representations of social identity and reward expectation support associative social memory in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2597. [PMID: 37147388 PMCID: PMC10163237 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38338-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing an individual and retrieving and updating the value information assigned to the individual are fundamental abilities for establishing social relationships. To understand the neural mechanisms underlying the association between social identity and reward value, we developed Go-NoGo social discrimination paradigms that required male subject mice to distinguish between familiar mice based on their individually unique characteristics and associate them with reward availability. We found that mice could discriminate individual conspecifics through a brief nose-to-nose investigation, and this ability depended on the dorsal hippocampus. Two-photon calcium imaging revealed that dorsal CA1 hippocampal neurons represented reward expectation during social, but not non-social tasks, and these activities were maintained over days regardless of the identity of the associated mouse. Furthermore, a dynamically changing subset of hippocampal CA1 neurons discriminated between individual mice with high accuracy. Our findings suggest that the neuronal activities in CA1 provide possible neural substrates for associative social memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunji Kong
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- KI for Health Science and Technology (KIHST), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Hee Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongrok Do
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Pilhan Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- KI for Health Science and Technology (KIHST), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Doyun Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Yoest KE, Henry MG, Velisek HA, Veenema AH. Development of social recognition ability in female rats: Effect of pubertal ovarian hormones. Horm Behav 2023; 151:105347. [PMID: 36966657 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
The ability to recognize previously encountered conspecifics is crucial for social interaction. This social recognition ability is well characterized in adult rodents of both sexes but remains largely unexplored in juveniles. Using the social discrimination test of social recognition with short intervals (30 min and 1 h), we first found that juvenile female rats do not display a difference in investigation directed toward a novel vs. familiar stimulus rat. Using the social discrimination test with a 30-minute interval, we then showed that social recognition is established by the time of adolescence in female rats. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that social recognition is dependent on the initiation of ovarian hormone release during puberty. To test this, we ovariectomized females prior to puberty and found that prepubertal ovariectomy prevented the development of social recognition ability in adulthood. Administration of estradiol benzoate, 48 h prior to testing, to juvenile females or prepubertally ovariectomized adult females did not restore social recognition, suggesting that ovarian hormones organize the neural circuitry regulating this behavior during adolescence. These findings provide the first evidence of an effect of pubertal development on social recognition ability in female rats and highlight the importance of considering sex and age when interpreting results from behavioral paradigms initially designed for use in adult males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie E Yoest
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Morgen G Henry
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Haley A Velisek
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
| | - Alexa H Veenema
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America.
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4
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Aspesi D, Bass N, Kavaliers M, Choleris E. The role of androgens and estrogens in social interactions and social cognition. Neuroscience 2023:S0306-4522(23)00151-3. [PMID: 37080448 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.03.028] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Gonadal hormones are becoming increasingly recognized for their effects on cognition. Estrogens, in particular, have received attention for their effects on learning and memory that rely upon the functioning of various brain regions. However, the impacts of androgens on cognition are relatively under investigated. Testosterone, as well as estrogens, have been shown to play a role in the modulation of different aspects of social cognition. This review explores the impact of testosterone and other androgens on various facets of social cognition including social recognition, social learning, social approach/avoidance, and aggression. We highlight the relevance of considering not only the actions of the most commonly studied steroids (i.e., testosterone, 17β-estradiol, and dihydrotestosterone), but also that of their metabolites and precursors, which interact with a plethora of different receptors and signalling molecules, ultimately modulating behaviour. We point out that it is also essential to investigate the effects of androgens, their precursors and metabolites in females, as prior studies have mostly focused on males. Overall, a comprehensive analysis of the impact of steroids such as androgens on behaviour is fundamental for a full understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying social cognition, including that of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Aspesi
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph
| | - Noah Bass
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph
| | - Martin Kavaliers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph; Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph.
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5
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Higuchi Y, Arakawa H. Contrasting central and systemic effects of arginine-vasopressin on urinary marking behavior as a social signal in male mice. Horm Behav 2022; 141:105128. [PMID: 35180615 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is a neurohypophyseal peptide that plays a critical role in the regulation of social behavior in mammals. Neuronal AVP regulates male-specific social signaling processes, such as exocrine urinary scent deposition and marking behavior in mice. In the periphery, AVP is transported to the portal bloodstream and acts as an antidiuretic hormone. These AVP dynamics imply that the central role of AVP in the stimulation of urinary marking is dissociated with the peripheral role of AVP in the retention of osmotic conditions. Using male BALB/c mice as subjects, peripheral injection of AVP decreased urinary marking and urination. In contrast, a central infusion of AVP facilitated urinary marking with no effect on urination, while an antagonist of the AVP 1a receptor inhibited marking. Centrally AVP-injected mice also exhibited typical behaviors, such as hiccough/sneeze-like reactions and flash scratching, particularly when confronted with a stimulus mouse through a wire mesh screen. Significant expression of these typical reactions in these mice resulted in the disruption of marking deposition. Further analysis of AVP synthesis illustrated that AVP levels increased in the midbrain but not in the circulation immediately after the test, particularly when confronted with a stimulus mouse. The central AVP regulates urinary marking and other typical behaviors in a dose- and situation-dependent manner. The sequential process implies that centrally synthesized AVP may be secreted into the circulation following immediate neuronal processes, and then peripheral AVP acts as an antidiuretic hormone on urinary marking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Higuchi
- Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan.
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6
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Arakawa H, Higuchi Y. Exocrine scent marking: Coordinative role of arginine vasopressin in the systemic regulation of social signaling behaviors. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104597. [PMID: 35248677 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neurohypophysial hormone that coordinatively regulates central socio-emotional behavior and peripheral control of antidiuretic fluid homeostasis. Most mammals, including rodents, utilize exocrine or urine-contained scent marking as a social signaling tool that facilitates social adaptation. The exocrine scent marking behavior is postulated to fine-tune sensory and cognitive abilities to recognize key social features via exocrine/urinary olfactory cues and subsequently control exocrine deposition or urinary marking through the mediation of osmotic fluid balance. AVP is implicated as a major player in controlling both recognition and signaling responses. This review provides constructive hypotheses on the coordinative processes of the AVP neurohypophysial circuits in the systemic regulations of fluid control and social-communicative behavior, via the expression of exocrine scent marking, and further emphasizes a potential role of AVP in a common mechanism underlying social communication in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Depertment of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Yuki Higuchi
- Depertment of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan
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7
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Freeman AR, Ophir AG. Sex differences in social odor discrimination by southern giant pouched rats (
Cricetomys ansorgei
). Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela R. Freeman
- Department of Psychology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Salisbury University Salisbury Maryland USA
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8
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Zhang C, Sun C, Lucas JR, Gu H, Feng J, Jiang T. Individuality and function of chemical signals during conflict resolution of a mammal. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1509:74-88. [PMID: 34761396 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14712] [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: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Individual recognition via communication signals is a critical component of social behavior, and provides the basis of conflict resolution, territorial behavior, and mate choice. However, the function of chemical signals in mammalian individual recognition and conflict resolution has largely been unexplored despite olfaction being a dominant sensory modality in many mammalian species. Here, we describe behavioral tests designed to evaluate the potential role of forehead gland secretions during conflict related to territorial defense in male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats. We used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify the chemical composition. Our results showed that forehead gland secretions contain 16 categories of compounds, including 84 volatile compounds. The concentrations of compounds and their categories differed significantly among individuals. Moreover, behavioral studies indicated that males can use chemical signals for individual recognition. Contests were staged between males with or without functioning forehead glands. Paired males without functioning forehead glands displayed more physical contact and longer contest duration compared with pairs with functioning glands. Moreover, males with a functioning gland were more likely to win in contests when paired with males without a functioning gland. These findings support a growing amount of evidence that chemical signals play a vital role in conflict resolution in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmian Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Congnan Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Hao Gu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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9
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Burghardt GM, Partin AM, Pepper HE, Steele JM, Liske SM, Stokes AE, Lathan AN, Springer CM, Jenkins MS. Chemically mediated self-recognition in sibling juvenile common gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) reared on same or different diets: evidence for a chemical mirror? BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Although self-recognition or self-awareness has been studied with the visually-based mirror test, passed by several species, primarily apes, the possibility of a chemically-based analogue is controversial. Prior studies suggested that chemical self-recognition may occur in some squamate reptiles. To evaluate this possibility, we studied 24 individually housed gartersnakes, Thamnophis sirtalis, raised from birth on either earthworm or fish diets and tested 12 male and 12 female snakes with cage liners that were either clean, their own, or from same-sex siblings fed their own or the opposite diet. Tongue flicking and activity were recorded in 30-minute video-recorded trials in a balanced design. After initial habituation to the stimuli, male, but not female, snakes discriminated between their own stimuli and those from littermates fed the same diet. Combined with other data and studies, the possibility that a chemical ‘mirror’ form of self-recognition exists in squamate reptiles is supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon M. Burghardt
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Adam M. Partin
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Harry E. Pepper
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Jordan M. Steele
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Samuel M. Liske
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Allyson E. Stokes
- Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Ariel N. Lathan
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Cary M. Springer
- Office of Information Technology, Research Computing Support, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - Matthew S. Jenkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
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10
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Gromov VS. Ecology and social behaviour of the Mongolian gerbil: a generalised review. BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The present review provides a compilation of the published data on the ecology and social behaviour of Mongolian gerbils. Behavioural observations in the wild show that the Mongolian gerbil is a diurnal social rodent living in extended family groups. Seasonal breeding is typical of Mongolian gerbils in their natural habitat. Social monogamy seems to be characteristic of the Mongolian gerbil reproductive strategy, which however does not exclude facultative polygyny and promiscuity. A typical feature of the space use system in this species is territoriality. Social relationships in family groups may be defined as a subordination hierarchy. The hierarchy order is primarily determined by the age of the animals and maintained chiefly by the subordinates’ behaviour patterns. The complex social organisation in the Mongolian gerbil is characterised by cooperation in different activities. Cooperation appears to enhance the survival of family groups of this species under the extreme climatic conditions of Central Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir S. Gromov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, Leninsky Avenue 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
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11
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Transmission of food preference via faeces in male and female house mice: Who is a good provider of food cues? Behav Processes 2020; 179:104199. [PMID: 32710992 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104199] [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: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The social transmission of food preference (STFP) is a phenomenon that allows rodents to use food information perceived from their conspecifics to guide their own food choices. This social information can be collected via olfactory cues, during direct social interactions, or indirectly, via faeces left in the environment by individuals. Although reducing the risks associated with a social confrontation, faeces also convey different types of information about traits and states of individuals which could affect the indirect STFP. Here, we evaluated in the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, which conspecifics could be good providers of food cues for indirect STFP. Our results indicated that female mice acquire an indirect STFP from faeces of adult females, familiar or not and from faeces of adult unfamiliar males. On the contrary, males do not establish an indirect STFP from faeces of males, whether they are familiar or not, nor from those of unfamiliar females. Indirect STFP was however effective in males when the faeces were those of an unfamiliar juvenile male. A prior habituation to the odour of an unfamiliar female allowed the establishment of indirect STFP in males. Conversely, the presence of faeces of another adult male during the presentation of faeces of an accustomed female precluded the acquisition of indirect STFP in males. This study suggested that in the context of the indirect STFP, females prioritize socio-olfactory information relative to food, whereas food cues were not priority information for males. Under these conditions, females appear to be the best vectors for disseminating food information within the population. These results are discussed according to the socio-spatial organization of the species.
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12
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Clark KE, Messler KA, Ferkin MH. Sex differences in olfactory social recognition memory in meadow voles,
Microtus pennsylvanicus. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Memphis Memphis TN USA
| | - Kaitlynn A. Messler
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Memphis Memphis TN USA
- Department of Health Professions University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis TN USA
| | - Michael H. Ferkin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Memphis Memphis TN USA
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13
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Chemosensory mechanisms of host seeking and infectivity in skin-penetrating nematodes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:17913-17923. [PMID: 32651273 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1909710117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 800 million people worldwide are infected with one or more species of skin-penetrating nematodes. These parasites persist in the environment as developmentally arrested third-stage infective larvae (iL3s) that navigate toward host-emitted cues, contact host skin, and penetrate the skin. iL3s then reinitiate development inside the host in response to sensory cues, a process called activation. Here, we investigate how chemosensation drives host seeking and activation in skin-penetrating nematodes. We show that the olfactory preferences of iL3s are categorically different from those of free-living adults, which may restrict host seeking to iL3s. The human-parasitic threadworm Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum have highly dissimilar olfactory preferences, suggesting that these two species may use distinct strategies to target humans. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of the S. stercoralis tax-4 gene abolishes iL3 attraction to a host-emitted odorant and prevents activation. Our results suggest an important role for chemosensation in iL3 host seeking and infectivity and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie these processes.
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15
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16
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The Role of the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors in Social Behavior in Rodents. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20225599. [PMID: 31717513 PMCID: PMC6887971 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The appropriate display of social behaviors is essential for the well-being, reproductive success and survival of an individual. Deficits in social behavior are associated with impaired N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated neurotransmission. In this review, we describe recent studies using genetically modified mice and pharmacological approaches which link the impaired functioning of the NMDA receptors, especially of the receptor subunits GluN1, GluN2A and GluN2B, to abnormal social behavior. This abnormal social behavior is expressed as impaired social interaction and communication, deficits in social memory, deficits in sexual and maternal behavior, as well as abnormal or heightened aggression. We also describe the positive effects of pharmacological stimulation of the NMDA receptors on these social deficits. Indeed, pharmacological stimulation of the glycine-binding site either by direct stimulation or by elevating the synaptic glycine levels represents a promising strategy for the normalization of genetically-induced, pharmacologically-induced or innate deficits in social behavior. We emphasize on the importance of future studies investigating the role of subunit-selective NMDA receptor ligands on different types of social behavior to provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms, which might support the development of selective tools for the optimized treatment of disorders associated with social deficits.
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17
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Rosell F, Cross HB, Johnsen CB, Sundell J, Zedrosser A. Scent-sniffing dogs can discriminate between native Eurasian and invasive North American beavers. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15952. [PMID: 31685895 PMCID: PMC6828808 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52385-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasion of a species can cause population reduction or extinction of a similar native species due to replacement competition. There is a potential risk that the native Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) may eventually be competitively excluded by the invasive North American beaver (C. canadensis) from areas where they overlap in Eurasia. Yet currently available methods of census and population estimates are costly and time-consuming. In a laboratory environment, we investigated the potential of using dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) as a conservation tool to determine whether the Eurasian or the North American beaver is present in a specific beaver colony. We hypothesized that dogs can discriminate between the two beaver species, via the odorant signal of castoreum from males and females, in two floor platform experiments. We show that dogs detect scent differences between the two species, both from dead beaver samples and from scent marks collected in the field. Our results suggest that dogs can be used as an “animal biosensor” to discriminate olfactory signals of beaver species, however more tests are needed. Next step should be to test if dogs discern between beaver species in the field under a range of weather conditions and habitat types and use beaver samples collected from areas where the two species share the same habitat. So far, our results show that dogs can be used as a promising tool in the future to promote conservation of the native beaver species and eradication of the invasive one. We therefore conclude that dogs may be an efficient non-invasive tool to help conservationist to manage invasive species in Europe, and advocate for European wildlife agencies to invest in this new tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Rosell
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø in Telemark, Norway.
| | - Hannah B Cross
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø in Telemark, Norway
| | - Christin B Johnsen
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø in Telemark, Norway
| | - Janne Sundell
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, 16900, Lammi, Finland
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø in Telemark, Norway
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18
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GC × GC-MS-Based Volatile Profiling of Male Domestic Cat Urine and the Olfactory Abilities of Cats to Discriminate Temporal Changes and Individual Differences in Urine. J Chem Ecol 2019; 45:579-587. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01083-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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19
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Zoicas I, Kornhuber J. The Role of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Social Behavior in Rodents. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061412. [PMID: 30897826 PMCID: PMC6470515 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The appropriate display of social behavior is critical for the well-being and survival of an individual. In many psychiatric disorders, including social anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorders, depression and schizophrenia social behavior is severely impaired. Selective targeting of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) has emerged as a novel treatment strategy for these disorders. In this review, we describe some of the behavioral paradigms used to assess different types of social behavior, such as social interaction, social memory, aggressive behavior and sexual behavior. We then focus on the effects of pharmacological modulation of mGluR1-8 on these types of social behavior. Indeed, accumulating evidence indicates beneficial effects of selective ligands of specific mGluRs in ameliorating innate or pharmacologically-induced deficits in social interaction and social memory as well as in reducing aggression in rodents. We emphasize the importance of future studies investigating the role of selective mGluR ligands on different types of social behavior to provide a better understanding of the neural mechanisms involved which, in turn, might promote the development of selective mGluR-targeted tools for the improved treatment of psychiatric disorders associated with social deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Zoicas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
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Scent marks of rodents can provide information to conspecifics. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:445-452. [PMID: 30778801 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01250-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
For a scent mark to be informative it must provide a reliable, honest signal that allows individuals that detect it to predict fitness tradeoffs if they choose or not choose to respond to it. I argue that scent marks provide a great deal of information about the sender to receivers. The manner in which an animal uses this information to make decisions will depend on the context and manner in which it encounters these scent marks. Receivers can use the information found in the scent marks and odors to locate the donor, learn its identity, determine the donor's phenotype or genotype, and assess whether the scent marks were encountered earlier by conspecifics. For receivers to make potentially informed decisions, when they encounter the scent marks of conspecifics with whom they have had different experiences across a variety of contexts higher level cognitive processing involving procedural memory, episodic memory, autobiographical memory and making judgements of numerical discrimination would be required. Senders should have some insight into the receivers to increase the likelihood that the targets respond appropriately to the scent mark by reducing uncertainty. The sender's state or the current state of the environment and the context will affect when and where the scent marks were deposited. Decisions to deposit scent marks and respond to them must represent a tradeoff in the benefits and costs to the sender and receivers in terms of their fitness and survival. The actual tradeoff should be context dependent and reflect the experience, physiology, and life history constraints affecting the receiver. Calculating these tradeoffs likely involves some cognitive processing and requires some sort of information transfer between the sender and the receiver.
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Olfactory discrimination between litter mates by mothers and alien adult cats: lump or split? Anim Cogn 2018; 22:61-69. [PMID: 30382446 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1221-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Mother cats can discriminate between their own and alien kittens using kittens' body odour. Here we ask whether they can also distinguish between body odours of kittens from the same litter. We conducted three experiments using the habituation-dishabituation technique with the odour of 1- and 7-week-old kittens of both sexes. In Experiment 1, we found no evidence that mothers discriminated among their own kittens of either age when presented three times with the odour of one individual (habituation trials) and then with the odour of a different individual (dishabituation or discrimination trial), even when the donor kittens were of different sex. In Experiment 2, alien adults of both sexes distinguished between 7 but not between 1-week-old litter mates. In Experiment 3, mothers distinguished between unknown litter mates in a similar and age-dependent manner to the animals of Experiment 2. We conclude that litter mates possess individual odour signatures that can be discriminated by adult cats, that these cues take some time to develop, but are not discriminated by their own mother, at least not during the pre-weaning period. Mothers possibly perceive and respond to a learned "nest"/litter odour shared by all litter mates or categorize the individual odours of their kittens as belonging to an "own kitten" category. That mothers did not discriminate between the odours of their own kittens but did so between individual kittens of alien litters suggests that different levels of processing olfactory information exist in mothers' ability to cognitively partition and differentially respond to such odours.
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Fanjul MS, Varas MF, Zenuto RR. Female preference for males that have exclusively marked or invaded territories depends on male presence and its identity in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- María Sol Fanjul
- Grupo ‘Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento’; Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC); Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Mar del Plata Argentina
| | - María Florencia Varas
- Grupo ‘Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento’; Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC); Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Mar del Plata Argentina
| | - Roxana Rita Zenuto
- Grupo ‘Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento’; Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC); Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Mar del Plata Argentina
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Roberts SA, Prescott MC, Davidson AJ, McLean L, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. Individual odour signatures that mice learn are shaped by involatile major urinary proteins (MUPs). BMC Biol 2018; 16:48. [PMID: 29703213 PMCID: PMC5921788 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-018-0512-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reliable recognition of individuals requires phenotypic identity signatures that are both individually distinctive and appropriately stable over time. Individual-specific vocalisations or visual patterning are well documented among birds and some mammals, whilst odours play a key role in social recognition across many vertebrates and invertebrates. Less well understood, though, is whether individuals are recognised through variation in cues that arise incidentally from a wide variety of genetic and non-genetic differences between individuals, or whether animals evolve distinctive polymorphic signals to advertise identity reliably. As a bioassay to understand the derivation of individual-specific odour signatures, we use female attraction to the individual odours of male house mice (Mus musculus domesticus), learned on contact with a male’s scent marks. Results Learned volatile odour signatures are determined predominantly by individual differences in involatile major urinary protein (MUP) signatures, a specialised set of communication proteins that mice secrete in their urine. Recognition of odour signatures in genetically distinct mice depended on differences in individual MUP genotype. Direct manipulation using recombinant MUPs confirmed predictable changes in volatile signature recognition according to the degree of matching between MUP profiles and the learned urine template. Both the relative amount of the male-specific MUP pheromone darcin, which induces odour learning, and other MUP isoforms influenced learned odour signatures. By contrast, odour recognition was not significantly influenced by individual major histocompatibility complex genotype. MUP profiles shape volatile odour signatures through isoform-specific differences in binding and release of urinary volatiles from scent deposits, such that volatile signatures were recognised from the urinary protein fraction alone. Manipulation using recombinant MUPs led to quantitative changes in the release of known MUP ligands from scent deposits, with MUP-specific and volatile-specific effects. Conclusions Despite assumptions that many genes contribute to odours that can be used to recognise individuals, mice have evolved a polymorphic combinatorial MUP signature that shapes distinctive volatile signatures in their scent. Such specific signals may be more prevalent within complex body odours than previously realised, contributing to the evolution of phenotypic diversity within species. However, differences in selection may also result in species-specific constraints on the ability to recognise individuals through complex body scents. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-018-0512-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Roberts
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Mark C Prescott
- Centre for Proteome Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Amanda J Davidson
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Lynn McLean
- Centre for Proteome Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Robert J Beynon
- Centre for Proteome Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Jane L Hurst
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK.
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de Miguel FJ, Ruiz-Montero S, San Andrés H, Arregui L. Do European hedgehogs select substrates when they defecate? BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Like most mammals, European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are nocturnal animals, with a notable sense of smell. This fact suggests that faeces could play a communicative role in this species, and therefore hedgehogs could choose the location of their faeces in order to increase their detectability. To verify this assumption, the spatial distribution of faeces of European hedgehog in a suburban forest (Valdelatas, Madrid) was analysed. The study lasted eight months, during which we sampled three transects fortnightly. The data obtained show that faeces were placed on clear substrates which were visually highlighted (territorial mark amplification). Besides, hedgehogs placed the faeces in the lateral regions of the trails, not far from their margins. These results seem to indicate that European hedgehogs select the places where to defecate, apparently seeking a trade-off between detectability and safety for its marking behaviour, and they put on the table the possibility that this species uses their faeces as communicative marks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Ruiz-Montero
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin, 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor San Andrés
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin, 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Arregui
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin, 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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25
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The effects of familiarity and reproductive status on olfactory discrimination by female Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2410-5] [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]
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Arakawa H. Analysis of Social Process in Two Inbred Strains of Male Mice: A Predominance of Contact-Based Investigation in BALB/c Mice. Neuroscience 2017; 369:124-138. [PMID: 29138108 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.10.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Developing mouse models for social communication deficits requires a better understanding of the nature of social investigatory processes between mice. Mice use different investigatory strategies based on a possibility of contacts with social sources. A detailed investigation of contact distance revealed strain differences in behavioral strategy between two male inbred C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/c (BALB) mouse strains. When direct physical contact with stimulus mice was restricted, BALB mice displayed lower social approaches than B6 mice, accompanied by heightened innate anxiety in an unfamiliar environment. However, both BALB and B6 mice expressed distinct object and social recognition in the habituation/dishabituation paradigm. When allowed direct contact with stimulus mice, both B6 and BALB mice showed approach and discrimination of strain differences in the stimulus mice. Furthermore, BALB mice discriminated individuals of the same strain among cagemates and showed a discrete aversion to the anogenital but not facial region of the stranger mice. This anogenital aversion disappeared when the stranger mice received a buspirone injection that reduced anxiety or when familiar cagemates were exposed. These strain differences in investigatory strategies illustrate that B6 mice are able to respond to and process social cues in a vicinity, which does not require physical contact with the source, while BALB mice predominantly process social cues by direct contact with the source. Although BALB mice exhibit marked anxiety and defensive responses to unfamiliarity, there is no evidence of any defect in sociability in BALB mice as a possible autism model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Rodent Behavioral Core, Department of Research Administration, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, United States.
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Fanjul MS, Zenuto RR. Female choice, male dominance and condition-related traits in the polygynous subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. Behav Processes 2017; 142:46-55. [PMID: 28591643 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ctenomys talarum is a solitary and highly territorial species in which dominant males aggressively deter other males and monopolize reproductive activity. Female preference for dominant males is not easy to assess due to coercive mating by males. Hence, we aimed to answer if behavioural dominance and several condition-related traits like testosterone and cortisol levels, endoparasite load, and hematocrit volume may affect female preference when they have the opportunity to exert it. We designed a laboratory experiment using wild-caught C. talarum and employed a combined approach involving behavioural observations and the measurements of parameters of physical condition. We staged dyadic encounters between males to determine dominance index and then analyzed female preference towards tethered males (n=15) or their odours (n=18). Male dominance did not affect female preferences when odours were presented. When two tethered males were offered, females preferred those with higher dominance index. Preference of females for dominant males would mainly represent indirect benefits. Females did not show preference for males in relation to any physiological trait evaluated. Dominance was found negatively related to cortisol levels, probably avoiding the glucocorticoids-related costs, and positively related to parasite diversity, since they could tolerate it without impairing their health.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Fanjul
- Grupo 'Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento', Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Box 1260, CP 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - R R Zenuto
- Grupo 'Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento', Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Box 1260, CP 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Bánszegi O, Jacinto E, Urrutia A, Szenczi P, Hudson R. Can but don't: olfactory discrimination between own and alien offspring in the domestic cat. Anim Cogn 2017; 20:795-804. [PMID: 28540504 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1100-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian maternal care usually comes at a large energetic cost. To maximize their fitness, mothers should preferentially care for their own offspring. However, the majority of studies of mother-offspring recognition have focused on herd- or colony-living species and there is little information on maternal discrimination in more solitary-living species. Olfaction has been found to play a major role in mother-offspring recognition across various taxa. Therefore, our aim was to study this in a species evolved from a solitary-living ancestor, the domestic cat. We asked whether cat mothers distinguish between their own and alien offspring when providing maternal care, and whether cat mothers use olfactory cues in the offspring discrimination process. Results of Experiment 1 showed that cat mothers do not discriminate between own and alien young when retrieving them to the nest. They treated own and alien young similarly with respect to latency and order of retrieval. However, the results of Experiments 2 and 3, where we used an olfactory habituation-discrimination technique, showed that mothers were able to distinguish between the odours of their own and alien kittens. We discuss what ecological and/or behavioural factors might influence a mother's decision when faced with discriminating between own and alien young, and why mothers might not discriminate between them when they are able to do so. Our findings support the view that maternal care alone should not be used as a measure of offspring recognition, and equal maternal care of own and alien young should not be immediately interpreted as an inability to discriminate between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oxána Bánszegi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, CP 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Elisa Jacinto
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Andrea Urrutia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, CP 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Péter Szenczi
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Km. 1.5 Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla, CP 90062, La Loma Xicohténcatl, Mexico
| | - Robyn Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, CP 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Graham BM, Solomon NG, Noe DA, Keane B. Male prairie voles with different avpr1a microsatellite lengths do not differ in courtship behaviour. Behav Processes 2016; 128:53-7. [PMID: 27083501 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Females are generally expected to be selective when choosing their social and sexual partners. In a previous laboratory study, female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) showed significant social and sexual preferences for males with longer microsatellite DNA within the avpr1a gene encoding the vasopressin 1a receptor, as predicted if females select mates whose parental behaviour should increase female reproductive success. We tested the hypothesis that males with short versus long avpr1a microsatellite alleles exhibit differences in courtship behaviour, which could act as cues for female mate preference. The only behavioural difference we detected between males with short versus long avpr1a microsatellite alleles in mate preference trials was that males with short avpr1a microsatellite alleles sniffed the anogenital region of females more frequently during the first two days of the trials. Our results did not strongly support the hypothesis that a male's avpr1a genotype predicts the courtship behaviours we measured and suggests that other courtship behaviours or traits, such as odour and vocalizations, may be more important to female prairie voles when choosing mates. Additional studies using a wider array of species are needed to assess the degree to which male mammal courtship behaviour provides information on mate quality to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney M Graham
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Hamilton, OH 45011, United States.
| | - Nancy G Solomon
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States
| | - Douglas A Noe
- Department of Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States
| | - Brian Keane
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Hamilton, OH 45011, United States.
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Bee M, Reichert M, Tumulty J. Assessment and Recognition of Rivals in Anuran Contests. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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31
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Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) recognize group membership via olfactory cues alone. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Kean EF, Chadwick EA, Müller CT. Scent signals individual identity and country of origin in otters. Mamm Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Ferkin MH. The response of rodents to scent marks: four broad hypotheses. Horm Behav 2015; 68:43-52. [PMID: 25637402 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Chemosignals and Reproduction". Many terrestrial mammals must be able to distinguish between the myriad of scent marks they encounter in order for them to facilitate or deter direct interactions with their scent donors. I review studies that examine how rodents, mainly meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), respond when they encounter the scent marks of conspecifics and heterospecifics, and how context, as well as the age and condition of senders and receivers, affect their responses. The review uses four broad hypotheses to discuss the response of rodents to scent marks. The four hypotheses are as follows: 1) Scent marks convey accurate information to the receiver about the sender's state and phenotype and genotype. 2) Scent marks are individually distinct. 3) The response of receivers to scent marks is flexible and would be modulated by the cognitive abilities of receivers. 4) Receivers respond to the information contained or conveyed by the scent mark in a manner that will increase their survival and fitness. The studies cited in this review show that scent marks signal accurate information about the sender's phenotype, genotype, and condition, which receivers use to distinguish among the scent marks of different conspecifics and heterospecifics, and by doing so, receivers tailor their response accordingly to increase their survival and fitness. Thus, the four broad hypotheses may serve as guide to increase our understanding of the response of receivers to scent marks and provide a conceptual framework for future research and the development of additional hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael H Ferkin
- The University of Memphis, Department of Biological Sciences, Ellington Hall, 3700 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
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35
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M. Mateo
- Department of Comparative Human Development; Institute for Mind and Biology; The University of Chicago; Chicago IL USA
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36
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Kent L, Tang-Martínez Z. Evidence of individual odors and individual discrimination in the raccoon,Procyon lotor. J Mammal 2014. [DOI: 10.1644/14-mamm-a-009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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The genetic architecture of chemosensory cues involved in species recognition: a behavioral approach in the house mouse. Behav Genet 2013; 44:56-67. [PMID: 24158628 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-013-9621-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The genetics of chemical signals is poorly understood. We addressed this issue in two subspecies of mice, Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus, comparing their odor phenotypes with that of their hybrids. Earlier studies indicated that these subspecies could be discriminated on the basis of their urinary odor. We assessed male odor phenotypes from perception of musculus mice acting as olfactometers. Our results point to a complex genetic determinism. Reciprocal F1 hybrids produced a distinct odor phenotype, with shared characteristics distinguishing them from their parents, and stronger similarity to domesticus than to musculus. These results are consistent with implications of genes with partial dominance and a parent of origin effect. Further, similarities between reciprocal F2 allowed us to reject a direct role of the Y-chromosome in shaping the odor phenotype. However we show that the X-chromosome could be involved in explaining domesticus phenotype, while epistasis between genes on the sex chromosomes and the autosomes might influence musculus phenotype.
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Drea CM, Boulet M, Delbarco-Trillo J, Greene LK, Sacha CR, Goodwin TE, Dubay GR. The "secret" in secretions: methodological considerations in deciphering primate olfactory communication. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:621-42. [PMID: 23526595 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2012] [Revised: 01/06/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory communication in primates is gaining recognition; however, studies on the production and perception of primate scent signals are still scant. In general, there are five tasks to be accomplished when deciphering the chemical signals contained in excretions and secretions: (1) obtaining the appropriate samples; (2) extracting the target organic compounds from the biological matrix; (3) separating the extracted compounds from one another (by gas chromatography, GC or liquid chromatography, LC); (4) identifying the compounds (by mass spectrometry, MS and associated procedures); and (5) revealing biologically meaningful patterns in the data. Ultimately, because some of the compounds identified in odorants may not be relevant, associated steps in understanding signal function involve verifying the perception or biological activity of putative semiochemicals via (6) behavioral bioassays or (7) receptor response studies. This review will focus on the chemical analyses and behavioral bioassays of volatile, primate scent signals. Throughout, we highlight the potential pitfalls of working with highly complex, chemical matrices and suggest ways for minimizing problems. A recurring theme in this review is that multiple approaches and instrumentation are required to characterize the full range of information contained in the complex mixtures that typify primate or, indeed, many vertebrate olfactory cues. Only by integrating studies of signal production with those verifying signal perception will we better understand the function of olfactory communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0383, USA.
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Detection of oestrous-related odour in bovine ( Bos taurus) saliva: bioassay of identified compounds. Animal 2012; 1:1321-7. [PMID: 22444887 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731107000614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to identify the volatile constituents across the oestrous cycle of bovine in order to detect oestrous-specific chemical signal. The bovine saliva was extracted with diethyl ether (1 : 1 ratio, v/v) and analysed by gas chromatography-linked mass spectrometry. Numerous compounds were identified during oestrous cycle of bovine saliva. Among these, the compounds, namely, trimethylamine, acetic acid, phenol 4-propyl, pentanoic acid and propionic acid were specific to oestrous stage. The behaviour assay revealed that the compound, trimethylamine, is involved in attracting the male animal. The result concludes that the trimethylamine is considered as a putative oestrous-specific salivary chemo-signal in the bovine.
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Gherardi F, Aquiloni L, Tricarico E. Revisiting social recognition systems in invertebrates. Anim Cogn 2012; 15:745-62. [PMID: 22639070 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-012-0513-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Revised: 05/01/2012] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1970s, the ability of some invertebrate species to recognize individual conspecifics has attracted increased scientific interest. However, there is still confusion in the literature, possibly due to the lack of unambiguous criteria for classifying social recognition in its different forms. Here, we synthesize the results of studies on invertebrates and provide a framework with the purpose of identifying research needs and directions for future investigations. Following in part Sherman et al.'s (Behavioural ecology: an evolutionary approach. Blackwell Science, Oxford, pp 69-96, 1997) definition of 'recognition systems' and Tibbetts and Dale's (Trends Ecol Evol 22:529-537, 2007) classification of 'individual recognition,' we first discuss different case studies that exemplify the categories of 'familiar recognition' and 'class-level recognition.' Then, through the analysis of the invertebrate literature, we illustrate eight key properties that characterize 'true individual recognition' systems. We are confident that the proposed framework will provide opportunities for exciting discoveries of the cognitive abilities in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gherardi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Leo Pardi, University of Florence, Via Romana 17, 50125, Florence, Italy.
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Choleris E, Clipperton-Allen AE, Phan A, Valsecchi P, Kavaliers M. Estrogenic involvement in social learning, social recognition and pathogen avoidance. Front Neuroendocrinol 2012; 33:140-59. [PMID: 22369749 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2012.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2011] [Revised: 02/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Sociality comes with specific cognitive skills that allow the proper processing of information about others (social recognition), as well as of information originating from others (social learning). Because sociality and social interactions can also facilitate the spread of infection among individuals the ability to recognize and avoid pathogen threat is also essential. We review here various studies primarily from the rodent literature supporting estrogenic involvement in the regulation of social recognition, social learning (socially acquired food preferences and mate choice copying) and the recognition and avoidance of infected and potentially infected individuals. We consider both genomic and rapid estrogenic effects involving estrogen receptors α and β, and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1, along with their interactions with neuropeptide systems in the processing of social stimuli and the regulation and expression of these various socially relevant behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.
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WANG Z, WANG B, LU J. Behavioral and physiological responses of striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) to predator odor. Integr Zool 2011; 6:334-40. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2011.00262.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Sinding C, Thomas-Danguin T, Crepeaux G, Schaal B, Coureaud G. Experience influences elemental and configural perception of certain binary odour mixtures in newborn rabbits. J Exp Biol 2011; 214:4171-8. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.063610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Elemental and configural olfactory perception allows interaction with the environment from very early in life. To evaluate how newborn rabbits can extract and respond to information from the highly complex chemical surroundings, and how experience acts on this sensory, cognitive and behavioural capability, we ran a study in four steps including a total of eight experiments. We mainly used a binary AB mixture comprising ethyl isobutyrate (component A) and ethyl maltol (component B), previously shown as a bearer of blending properties; in rabbit pups (as in human adults), the mixture elicits a weak configural perception, i.e. the perception of a configural odour different from the odours of the components. First, a repeated exposure to one component of AB led to a more elemental perception of this mixture; conversely, a repeated exposure to AB facilitated its configural processing. Second, similar impact of experience did not appear with a non-blending AC mixture (ethyl isobutyrate-guaïacol). Third, repeated exposure to AB impacted not only the perception of AB, but also and in the same way the perception of the AC mixture sharing one component, and reciprocally. However, facilitation to perceive one mixture in one mode (configural/elemental) was not generalized to a mixture sharing no components with the experienced mixture [AB versus DE (damascenone and vanillin)]. Thus, experience contributes to the neonatal perception of odour mixtures and adds plasticity to the perceptual system. However, this impact remains dependent on the chemical composition of the mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Sinding
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Agrosup Dijon, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Thierry Thomas-Danguin
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Agrosup Dijon, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Guillemette Crepeaux
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Agrosup Dijon, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Benoist Schaal
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Agrosup Dijon, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Gérard Coureaud
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Agrosup Dijon, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21000 Dijon, France
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Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of volatile metabolites in bovine vaginal fluid and assessment of their bioactivity. Int J Anal Chem 2011; 2011:256106. [PMID: 22114602 PMCID: PMC3202105 DOI: 10.1155/2011/256106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2011] [Revised: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 07/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemical
profiles of vaginal fluid collected from cows in
oestrus and nonoestrus were analysed by gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
to establish any qualitative differences that
might have potential value in bovine
biocommunication. Eight different organic
compounds were detected using the two
chromatograms. The chemical profiles of oestrus
vaginal fluid were distinguished significantly by
the presence of three specific substances, namely,
trimethylamine, acetic acid, and propionic acid
that were not present in nonoestrus phase. The
oestrus specific synthetic compounds were rubbed
onto the genital region of nonoestrus animals
(dummy cows), and the bulls were allowed to
sniff the genital region and observed sexual
behaviours. The statistical significance was
higher (P < 0.001) in bulls exhibiting repeated flehmen and mounting
behaviours towards the mixture of acetic acid, propionic acid, and
trimethylamine as compared to test these compounds separately. It was concluded that the volatile substances present in the bovine vaginal fluid during oestrus may act as chemical communicators.
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Rajanarayanan S, Archunan G. Identification of urinary sex pheromones in female buffaloes and their influence on bull reproductive behaviour. Res Vet Sci 2011; 91:301-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2010.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2009] [Revised: 11/30/2010] [Accepted: 12/20/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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O'Connell LA, Hofmann HA. Genes, hormones, and circuits: an integrative approach to study the evolution of social behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 2011; 32:320-35. [PMID: 21163292 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2010] [Revised: 12/03/2010] [Accepted: 12/09/2010] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of the ultimate and proximate mechanisms underlying social behavior, yet an integrative evolutionary analysis of its underpinnings has been difficult. In this review, we propose that modern genomic approaches can facilitate such studies by integrating four approaches to brain and behavior studies: (1) animals face many challenges and opportunities that are ecologically and socially equivalent across species; (2) they respond with species-specific, yet quantifiable and comparable approach and avoidance behaviors; (3) these behaviors in turn are regulated by gene modules and neurochemical codes; and (4) these behaviors are governed by brain circuits such as the mesolimbic reward system and the social behavior network. For each approach, we discuss genomic and other studies that have shed light on various aspects of social behavior and its underpinnings and suggest promising avenues for future research into the evolution of neuroethological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A O'Connell
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78705, USA
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49
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Liu D, Huang KJ, Zhang JX. Individual Recognition and Odor in Rat-Like Hamsters: Behavioral Responses and Chemical Properties. Chem Senses 2011; 36:799-810. [PMID: 21745800 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjr055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dingzhen Liu
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Arakawa H, Arakawa K, Blandino P, Deak T. The role of neuroinflammation in the release of aversive odor cues from footshock-stressed rats: Implications for the neural mechanism of alarm pheromone. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:557-68. [PMID: 20888127 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2010] [Revised: 09/01/2010] [Accepted: 09/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Stressed animals have been known to release aversive chemosignals toward which conspecifics show avoidance-like responses. The present studies assessed whether inflammatory cytokine responses provoked by footshock stress modulate odor signals released from male rats. Male rats were exposed to 30min of intermittent footshock (60 shocks, 1.0mA, 100ms each, variable ITI of 30s) or remained in their home cages as non-stressed controls. Real time RT-PCR analysis of brain tissues indicated that footshock increased the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-1β and hnCRH as well as c-fos mRNA expressions in the paraventricular nucleus, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and increased plasma corticosterone levels. Soiled bedding collected from rats exposed to 30-min, but not 5-min, of footshock elicited a differential response, as expressed by decreased sniffing and increased avoidance in male test subjects. Soiled bedding from rats given corticosterone injection (s.c. 1.25 or 3.75mg/ml) 3h before bedding collection evoked no avoidance response in odor-recipients. Furthermore, ICV infusion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (20 or 200ng) into the stimulus animals 30-min before a 30-min footshock session, had no effect on plasma corticosterone levels in the stimulus animals, but attenuated the release of aversive odor as indicated by dose-dependently diminished avoidance in odor-recipient rats. These results demonstrated that stressed rats release odorant cues that cause other rats to move away from the source of the signal. Such stress-induced chemosignals may be mediated by inflammatory cytokine responses in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA.
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