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Bolton PE, Ryder TB, Dakin R, Houtz JL, Moore IT, Balakrishnan CN, Horton BM. Neurogenomic landscape associated with status-dependent cooperative behaviour. Mol Ecol 2024:e17327. [PMID: 38511765 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The neurogenomic mechanisms mediating male-male reproductive cooperative behaviours remain unknown. We leveraged extensive transcriptomic and behavioural data on a neotropical bird species (Pipra filicauda) that performs cooperative courtship displays to understand these mechanisms. In this species, the cooperative display is modulated by testosterone, which promotes cooperation in non-territorial birds, but suppresses cooperation in territory holders. We sought to understand the neurogenomic underpinnings of three related traits: social status, cooperative display behaviour and testosterone phenotype. To do this, we profiled gene expression in 10 brain nuclei spanning the social decision-making network (SDMN), and two key endocrine tissues that regulate social behaviour. We associated gene expression with each bird's behavioural and endocrine profile derived from 3 years of repeated measures taken from free-living birds in the Ecuadorian Amazon. We found distinct landscapes of constitutive gene expression were associated with social status, testosterone phenotype and cooperation, reflecting the modular organization and engagement of neuroendocrine tissues. Sex-steroid and neuropeptide signalling appeared to be important in mediating status-specific relationships between testosterone and cooperation, suggesting shared regulatory mechanisms with male aggressive and sexual behaviours. We also identified differentially regulated genes involved in cellular activity and synaptic potentiation, suggesting multiple mechanisms underpin these genomic states. Finally, we identified SDMN-wide gene expression differences between territorial and floater males that could form the basis of 'status-specific' neurophysiological phenotypes, potentially mediated by testosterone and growth hormone. Overall, our findings provide new, systems-level insights into the mechanisms of cooperative behaviour and suggest that differences in neurogenomic state are the basis for individual differences in social behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peri E Bolton
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - T Brandt Ryder
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Roslyn Dakin
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer L Houtz
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ignacio T Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Brent M Horton
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Barbasch TA, Behrens C, McLain M, Arredondo E, Bell AM. A distinct neurogenomic response to a trade-off between social challenge and opportunity in male sticklebacks ( Gasterosteus aculeatus). Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230253. [PMID: 37935370 PMCID: PMC10645126 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0253] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals frequently make adaptive decisions about what to prioritize when faced with multiple, competing demands simultaneously. However, the proximate mechanisms of decision-making in the face of competing demands are not well understood. We explored this question using brain transcriptomics in a classic model system: threespined sticklebacks, where males face conflict between courtship and territorial defence. We characterized the behaviour and brain gene expression profiles of males confronted by a trade-off between courtship and territorial defence by comparing them to males not confronted by this trade-off. When faced with the trade-off, males behaviourally prioritized defence over courtship, and this decision was reflected in their brain gene expression profiles. A distinct set of genes and biological processes was recruited in the brain when males faced a trade-off and these responses were largely non-overlapping across two brain regions. Combined, these results raise new questions about the interplay between the neural and molecular mechanisms involved in decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. A. Barbasch
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - C. Behrens
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - M. McLain
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - E. Arredondo
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - A. M. Bell
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Afonso-Oramas D, Santana-Cordón L, Lemus-Mesa A, Teixidó-Trujillo S, Rodríguez-Rodríguez AE, Cruz-Muros I, González-Gómez M, Barroso-Chinea P. Drastic decline in vasoactive intestinal peptide expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in obese mice on a long-term high-fat diet. Brain Res Bull 2023; 202:110756. [PMID: 37678442 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110756] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the main region for the regulation of circadian rhythms. Although the SCN contains a heterogeneous neurochemical phenotype with a wide variety of neuropeptides, a key role has been suggested for the vasoactive intestinal neuropeptide (VIP) as a modulator circadian, reproductive, and seasonal rhythms. VIP is a 28-amino acid polypeptide hormone that belongs to the secretin-glucagon peptide superfamily and shares 68 % homology with the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). VIP acts as an endogenous appetite inhibitor in the central nervous system, where it participates in the control of appetite and energy homeostasis. In recent years, significant efforts have been made to better understand the role of VIP in the regulation of appetite/satiety and energy balance. This study aimed to elucidate the long-term effect of an obesogenic diet on the distribution and expression pattern of VIP in the SCN and nucleus accumbens (NAc) of C57BL/6 mice. A total of 15 female C57BL/6J mice were used in this study. Female mice were fed ad libitum with water and, either a standard diet (SD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity. There were 7 female mice on the SD and 8 on the HFD. The duration of the experiment was 365 days. The morphological study was performed using immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence techniques to study the neurochemical profile of VIP neurons of the SCN of C57BL/6 mice. Our data show that HFD-fed mice gained weight and showed reduced VIP expression in neurons of the SCN and also in fibres located in the NAc. Moreover, we observed a loss of neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in fibres surrounding the SCN. Our findings on VIP may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying obesity in regions associated with uncontrolled intake of high-fat foods and the reward system, thus facilitating the identification of novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Afonso-Oramas
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas de Canarias (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Neurociencias. Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
| | - Laura Santana-Cordón
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Alejandro Lemus-Mesa
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Silvia Teixidó-Trujillo
- Departamento de Medicina Interna, Dermatología y Psiquiatría. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | | | - Ignacio Cruz-Muros
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas de Canarias (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Miriam González-Gómez
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas de Canarias (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Neurociencias. Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Pedro Barroso-Chinea
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto de Tecnologías Biomédicas de Canarias (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Neurociencias. Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
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4
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Prichard MR, Grogan KE, Merritt JR, Root J, Maney DL. Allele-specific cis-regulatory methylation of the gene for vasoactive intestinal peptide in white-throated sparrows. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12831. [PMID: 36220804 PMCID: PMC9744568 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
White-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) offer a unique opportunity to connect genotype with behavioral phenotype. In this species, a rearrangement of the second chromosome is linked with territorial aggression; birds with a copy of this "supergene" rearrangement are more aggressive than those without it. The supergene has captured the gene VIP, which encodes vasoactive intestinal peptide, a neuromodulator that drives aggression in other songbirds. In white-throated sparrows, VIP expression is higher in the anterior hypothalamus of birds with the supergene than those without it, and expression of VIP in this region predicts the level of territorial aggression regardless of genotype. Here, we aimed to identify epigenetic mechanisms that could contribute to differential expression of VIP both in breeding adults, which exhibit morph differences in territorial aggression, and in nestlings, before territorial behavior develops. We extracted and bisulfite-converted DNA from samples of the hypothalamus in wild-caught adults and nestlings and used high-throughput sequencing to measure DNA methylation of a region upstream of the VIP start site. We found that the allele inside the supergene was less methylated than the alternative allele in both adults and nestlings. The differential methylation was attributed primarily to CpG sites that were shared between the alleles, not to polymorphic sites, which suggests that epigenetic regulation is occurring independently of the genetic differentiation within the supergene. This work represents an initial step toward understanding how epigenetic differentiation inside chromosomal inversions leads to the development of alternative behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathleen E. Grogan
- Department of PsychologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Present address:
Departments of Anthropology and BiologyUniversity of CincinnatiCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Jennifer R. Merritt
- Department of PsychologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Present address:
Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental BiologyColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Jessica Root
- Department of PsychologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Present address:
Department of Pharmacology and Chemical BiologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Donna L. Maney
- Department of PsychologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
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5
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Duclot F, Liu Y, Saland SK, Wang Z, Kabbaj M. Transcriptomic analysis of paternal behaviors in prairie voles. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:679. [PMID: 36183097 PMCID: PMC9526941 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08912-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The importance of fathers’ engagement in care and its critical role in the offspring’s cognitive and emotional development is now well established. Yet, little is known on the underlying neurobiology due to the lack of appropriate animal models. In the socially monogamous and bi-parental prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), while 60–80% of virgin males show spontaneous paternal behaviors (Paternal), others display pup-directed aggression (Attackers). Here we took advantage of this phenotypic dichotomy and used RNA-sequencing in three important brain areas to characterize gene expression associated with paternal behaviors of Paternal males and compare it to experienced Fathers and Mothers. Results While Paternal males displayed the same range and extent of paternal behaviors as experienced Fathers, we observed structure-specific transcriptomic differences between parental behaviors phenotypes. Using differential expression, gene set expression, as well as co-expression network analyses, we found that phenotypic differences between Paternal males and Attackers were mainly reflected by the lateral septum (LS), and to a lower extent, the nucleus accumbens (NAc), transcriptomes. In the medial preoptic area (MPOA), the profiles of gene expression mainly reflected differences between females and males regardless of their parental behaviors phenotype. Functional enrichment analyses of those gene sets associated with Paternal males or Attackers in the LS and the NAc revealed the involvement of processes related to the mitochondria, RNA translation, protein degradation processes, as well as epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Conclusions By leveraging the natural phenotypic differences in parental behaviors in virgin male prairie voles alongside fathers and mothers, we identified a marked structure- and phenotype-specific pattern of gene expression associated with spontaneous paternal behaviors independently from fatherhood and pair-bonding. The LS transcriptome related to the mitochondria, RNA translation, and protein degradation processes was thus highlighted as a primary candidate associated with the spontaneous display of paternal behaviors. Altogether, our observations further characterize the behavioral and transcriptomic signature of parental behaviors in the socially monogamous prairie vole and lay the groundwork to further our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of paternal behavior. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08912-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. .,Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
| | - Yan Liu
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.,Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Samantha K Saland
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.,Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.,Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. .,Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
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6
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Martins AB, Brownlow ML, Araújo BB, Garnica-Siqueira MC, Zaia DAM, Leite CM, Zaia CTBV, Uchoa ET. Arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus contributes to the hypophagic effect and plasma metabolic changes induced by vasoactive intestinal peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide. Neurochem Int 2022; 155:105300. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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7
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Maney DL, Merritt JR, Prichard MR, Horton BM, Yi SV. Inside the supergene of the bird with four sexes. Horm Behav 2020; 126:104850. [PMID: 32937166 PMCID: PMC7725849 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) offers unique opportunities to understand the adaptive value of supergenes, particularly their role in alternative phenotypes. In this species, alternative plumage morphs segregate with a nonrecombining segment of chromosome 2, which has been called a 'supergene'. The species mates disassortatively with respect to the supergene; that is, each breeding pair consists of one individual with it and one without it. This species has therefore been called the "bird with four sexes". The supergene segregates with a behavioral phenotype; birds with it are more aggressive and less parental than birds without it. Here, we review our efforts to identify the genes inside the supergene that are responsible for the behavioral polymorphism. The gene ESR1, which encodes estrogen receptor α, differs between the morphs and predicts both territorial and parental behavior. Variation in the regulatory regions of ESR1 causes an imbalance in expression of the two alleles, and the degree to which this imbalance favors the supergene allele predicts territorial singing. In heterozygotes, knockdown of ESR1 causes a phenotypic switch, from more aggressive to less aggressive. We recently showed that another gene important for social behavior, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), is differentially expressed between the morphs and predicts territorial singing. We hypothesize that ESR1 and VIP contribute to behavior in a coordinated way and could represent co-adapted alleles. Because the supergene contains more than 1000 individual genes, this species provides rich possibilities for discovering alleles that work together to mediate life-history trade-offs and maximize the fitness of alternative complex phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | | | | | - Brent M Horton
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - Soojin V Yi
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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8
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Kelly AM, Wilson LC. Aggression: Perspectives from social and systems neuroscience. Horm Behav 2020; 123:104523. [PMID: 31002771 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Exhibiting behavioral plasticity in order to mount appropriate responses to dynamic and novel social environments is crucial to the survival of all animals. Thus, how animals regulate flexibility in the timing, duration, and intensity of specific behaviors is of great interest to biologists. In this review, we discuss how animals rapidly respond to social challenges, with a particular focus on aggression. We utilize a conceptual framework to understand the neural mechanisms of aggression that is grounded in Wingfield and colleagues' Challenge Hypothesis, which has profoundly influenced how scientists think about aggression and the mechanisms that allow animals to exhibit flexible responses to social instability. Because aggressive behavior is rooted in social interactions, we propose that mechanisms modulating prosocial behavior may be intricately tied to mechanisms of aggression. Therefore, in order to better understand how aggressive behavior is mediated, we draw on perspectives from social neuroscience and discuss how social context, species-typical behavioral phenotype, and neural systems commonly studied in relation to prosocial behavior (i.e., neuropeptides) contribute to organizing rapid responses to social challenges. Because complex behaviors are not the result of one mechanism or a single neural system, we consider how multiple neural systems important for prosocial and aggressive behavior (i.e., neuropeptides and neurosteroids) interact in the brain to produce behavior in a rapid, context-appropriate manner. Applying a systems neuroscience perspective and seeking to understand how multiple systems functionally integrate to rapidly modulate behavior holds great promise for expanding our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying social behavioral plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Leah C Wilson
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
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9
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Horton BM, Michael CM, Prichard MR, Maney DL. Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a mediator of the effects of a supergene on social behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200196. [PMID: 32259472 PMCID: PMC7209063 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Supergenes, or linked groups of alleles that are inherited together, present excellent opportunities to understand gene-behaviour relationships. In white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis), a supergene on the second chromosome associates with a more aggressive and less parental phenotype. This supergene includes the gene for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide known to play a causal role in both aggression and parental behaviour. Here, using a free-living population, we compared the levels of VIP mRNA between birds with and without the supergene. We focused on the anterior hypothalamus and infundibular region, two brain regions containing VIP neurons known to play a causal role in aggression and parental behaviour, respectively. First, we show that the supergene enhances VIP expression in the anterior hypothalamus and that expression positively predicts vocal aggression independently of genotype in both sexes. Next, we show that the supergene reduces VIP expression in the infundibular region, which suggests reduced secretion of prolactin, a pro-parental hormone. Thus, the patterns of VIP expression in these two regions are consistent with the enhanced aggression and reduced parental behaviour of birds with the supergene allele. Our results illustrate mechanisms by which elements of genomic architecture, such as supergenes, can contribute to the evolution of alternative behavioural phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent M. Horton
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Donna L. Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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10
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Qi XR, Zhang L. The Potential Role of Gut Peptide Hormones in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:73. [PMID: 32296309 PMCID: PMC7136424 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut peptide hormones are one group of secretory factors produced from gastrointestinal endocrine cells with potent functions in modulating digestive functions. In recent decades, they have been found across different brain regions, many of which are involved in autism-related social, emotional and cognitive deficits. Clinical studies have revealed possible correlation between those hormones and autism spectrum disorder pathogenesis. In animal models, gut peptide hormones modulate neurodevelopment, synaptic transmission and neural plasticity, explaining their behavioral relevance. This review article will summarize major findings from both clinical and basic research showing the role of gut peptide hormones in mediating autism-related neurological functions, and their potential implications in autism pathogenesis. The pharmaceutical value of gut hormones in alleviating autism-associated behavioral syndromes will be discussed to provide new insights for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Rui Qi
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of CNS Regeneration, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Robinson KJ, Bosch OJ, Levkowitz G, Busch KE, Jarman AP, Ludwig M. Social creatures: Model animal systems for studying the neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12807. [PMID: 31679160 PMCID: PMC6916380 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of animals with conspecifics, termed social behaviour, has a major impact on the survival of many vertebrate species. Neuropeptide hormones modulate the underlying physiology that governs social interactions, and many findings concerning the neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behaviours have been extrapolated from animal models to humans. Neurones expressing neuropeptides show similar distribution patterns within the hypothalamic nucleus, even when evolutionarily distant species are compared. During evolution, hypothalamic neuropeptides and releasing hormones have retained not only their structures, but also their biological functions, including their effects on behaviour. Here, we review the current understanding of the mechanisms of social behaviours in several classes of animals, such as worms, insects and fish, as well as laboratory, wild and domesticated mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J. Robinson
- Sea Mammal Research UnitScottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Oliver J. Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular NeurobiologyUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | | | - Andrew P. Jarman
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Mike Ludwig
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Centre for NeuroendocrinologyDepartment of ImmunologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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12
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Wilson LC, Goodson JL, Kingsbury MA. Neural responses to familiar conspecifics are modulated by a nonapeptide receptor in a winter flocking sparrow. Physiol Behav 2018; 196:165-175. [PMID: 30196086 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.09.002] [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: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The social behavior network, a collection of reciprocally connected areas within the basal forebrain and midbrain, plays a conserved role in the regulation of vertebrate social behavior. Specific behaviors are associated with patterns of activity across the network, and these activity profiles vary with species and context. We investigated how the social behavior network responds to familiar social stimuli in a seasonally flocking songbird. Further, we explored how socially-induced neural responses are modulated by endogenous nonapeptide receptor blockade. Winter flocking dark-eyed juncos were exposed to either familiar conspecifics or a familiar empty aviary following a peripheral injection of either saline or [desGly-NH2,d(CH2)5, Tyr(Me)2,Thr4]-ornithine vasotocin, an VT3 receptor antagonist. Socially-exposed animals exhibited greater Fos induction across the social behavior network. Sex and drug effects were site-specific, with females tending to exhibit greater Fos responses to social stimuli and a greater sensitivity to VT3 antagonism. We suggest that in flocking animals, VT3 activation during social interaction may shift the pattern of neural activity towards the dorsocaudal lateral septum and rostral arcopallium and away from the extended amygdala, anterior and ventromedial hypothalamus, and the caudal ventral/ventrolateral lateral septum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah C Wilson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - James L Goodson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Marcy A Kingsbury
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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13
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Kasper C, Colombo M, Aubin-Horth N, Taborsky B. Brain activation patterns following a cooperation opportunity in a highly social cichlid fish. Physiol Behav 2018; 195:37-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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