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Guadagno A, Triki Z. Executive functions and brain morphology of male and female dominant and subordinate cichlid fish. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3484. [PMID: 38680075 PMCID: PMC11056711 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Living in a social dominance hierarchy presents different benefits and challenges for dominant and subordinate males and females, which might in turn affect their cognitive needs. Despite the extensive research on social dominance in group-living species, there is still a knowledge gap regarding how social status impacts brain morphology and cognitive abilities. METHODS Here, we tested male and female dominants and subordinates of Neolamprologus pulcher, a social cichlid fish species with size-based hierarchy. We ran three executive cognitive function tests for cognitive flexibility (reversal learning test), self-control (detour test), and working memory (object permanence test), followed by brain and brain region size measurements. RESULTS Performance was not influenced by social status or sex. However, dominants exhibited a brain-body slope that was relatively steeper than that of subordinates. Furthermore, individual performance in reversal learning and detour tests correlated with brain morphology, with some trade-offs among major brain regions like telencephalon, cerebellum, and optic tectum. CONCLUSION As individuals' brain growth strategies varied depending on social status without affecting executive functions, the different associated challenges might yield a potential effect on social cognition instead. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of studying the individual and not just species to understand better how the individual's ecology might shape its brain and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Guadagno
- Behavioural Ecology Division, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Zegni Triki
- Behavioural Ecology Division, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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2
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Yang Y, Axelrod CJ, Grant E, Earl SR, Urquhart EM, Talbert K, Johnson LE, Walker Z, Hsiao K, Stone I, Carlson BA, López-Sepulcre A, Gordon SP. Evolutionary divergence of developmental plasticity and learning of mating tactics in Trinidadian guppies. J Anim Ecol 2023. [PMID: 38156548 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14043] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural plasticity is a major driver in the early stages of adaptation, but its effects in mediating evolution remain elusive because behavioural plasticity itself can evolve. In this study, we investigated how male Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) adapted to different predation regimes diverged in behavioural plasticity of their mating tactic. We reared F2 juveniles of high- or low-predation population origins with different combinations of social and predator cues and assayed their mating behaviour upon sexual maturity. High-predation males learned their mating tactic from conspecific adults as juveniles, while low-predation males did not. High-predation males increased courtship when exposed to chemical predator cues during development; low-predation males decreased courtship in response to immediate chemical predator cues, but only when they were not exposed to such cues during development. Behavioural changes induced by predator cues were associated with developmental plasticity in brain morphology, but changes acquired through social learning were not. We thus show that guppy populations diverged in their response to social and ecological cues during development, and correlational evidence suggests that different cues can shape the same behaviour via different neural mechanisms. Our study demonstrates that behavioural plasticity, both environmentally induced and socially learnt, evolves rapidly and shapes adaptation when organisms colonize ecologically divergent habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusan Yang
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Caleb J Axelrod
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Elly Grant
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Shayna R Earl
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Ellen M Urquhart
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Katie Talbert
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Lauren E Johnson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zakiya Walker
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kyle Hsiao
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Isabel Stone
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Bruce A Carlson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Andrés López-Sepulcre
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Swanne P Gordon
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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3
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Balcaen T, Piens C, Mwema A, Chourrout M, Vandebroek L, Des Rieux A, Chauveau F, De Borggraeve WM, Hoffmann D, Kerckhofs G. Revealing the three-dimensional murine brain microstructure by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1141615. [PMID: 37034159 PMCID: PMC10076597 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1141615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
To improve our understanding of the brain microstructure, high-resolution 3D imaging is used to complement classical 2D histological assessment techniques. X-ray computed tomography allows high-resolution 3D imaging, but requires methods for enhancing contrast of soft tissues. Applying contrast-enhancing staining agents (CESAs) ameliorates the X-ray attenuating properties of soft tissue constituents and is referred to as contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Despite the large number of chemical compounds that have successfully been applied as CESAs for imaging brain, they are often toxic for the researcher, destructive for the tissue and without proper characterization of affinity mechanisms. We evaluated two sets of chemically related CESAs (organic, iodinated: Hexabrix and CA4+ and inorganic polyoxometalates: 1:2 hafnium-substituted Wells-Dawson phosphotungstate and Preyssler anion), for CECT imaging of healthy murine hemispheres. We then selected the CESA (Hexabrix) that provided the highest contrast between gray and white matter and applied it to a cuprizone-induced demyelination model. Differences in the penetration rate, effect on tissue integrity and affinity for tissue constituents have been observed for the evaluated CESAs. Cuprizone-induced demyelination could be visualized and quantified after Hexabrix staining. Four new non-toxic and non-destructive CESAs to the field of brain CECT imaging were introduced. The added value of CECT was shown by successfully applying it to a cuprizone-induced demyelination model. This research will prove to be crucial for further development of CESAs for ex vivo brain CECT and 3D histopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Balcaen
- MolDesignS, Sustainable Chemistry for Metals and Molecules, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- ContrasT Team, Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Mechatronic, Electrical Energy and Dynamic Systems, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Pole of Morphology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Catherine Piens
- ContrasT Team, Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Mechatronic, Electrical Energy and Dynamic Systems, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Ariane Mwema
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Chourrout
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon U1028 UMR 5292, Bron, France
| | - Laurens Vandebroek
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Modelling and Design (LBMD), Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anne Des Rieux
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fabien Chauveau
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon U1028 UMR 5292, Bron, France
| | - Wim M. De Borggraeve
- MolDesignS, Sustainable Chemistry for Metals and Molecules, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Delia Hoffmann
- Pole of Morphology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greet Kerckhofs
- ContrasT Team, Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Mechatronic, Electrical Energy and Dynamic Systems, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Pole of Morphology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Greet Kerckhofs,
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Vila-Pouca C, De Waele H, Kotrschal A. The effect of experimental hybridization on cognition and brain anatomy: Limited phenotypic variation and transgression in Poeciliidae. Evolution 2022; 76:2864-2878. [PMID: 36181444 PMCID: PMC10091962 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14644] [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: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Hybridization can promote phenotypic variation and often produces trait combinations distinct from the parental species. This increase in available variation can lead to the manifestation of functional novelty when new phenotypes bear adaptive value under the environmental conditions in which they occur. Although the role of hybridization as a driver of variation and novelty in traits linked to fitness is well recognized, it remains largely unknown whether hybridization can fuel behavioral novelty by promoting phenotypic variation in brain morphology and/or cognitive traits. To address this question, we investigated the effect of hybridization on brain anatomy, learning ability, and cognitive flexibility in first- and second-generation hybrids of two closely related fish species (Poecilia reticulata and Poecilia wingei). Overall, we found that F1 and F2 hybrids showed intermediate brain morphology and cognitive traits compared to parental groups. Moreover, as phenotypic dispersion and transgression were low for both brain and cognitive traits, we suggest that hybridization is not a strong driver of brain anatomical and cognitive diversification in these Poeciliidae. To determine the generality of this conclusion, hybridization experiments with cognitive tests need to be repeated in other families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Vila-Pouca
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6700 HB, The Netherlands
| | - Hannah De Waele
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6700 HB, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6700 HB, The Netherlands
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5
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Estimating the volume of biological structures from a single 2D image: considering apparent cross-sectional area as an alternative to the ellipsoid method. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10211-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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6
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Bshary R, Triki Z. Fish ecology and cognition: insights from studies on wild and wild-caught teleost fishes. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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7
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Triki Z, Granell-Ruiz M, Fong S, Amcoff M, Kolm N. Brain morphology correlates of learning and cognitive flexibility in a fish species ( Poecilia reticulata). Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220844. [PMID: 35858069 PMCID: PMC9277233 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0844] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining how variation in brain morphology affects cognitive abilities is important to understand inter-individual variation in cognition and, ultimately, cognitive evolution. Yet, despite many decades of research in this area, there is surprisingly little experimental data available from assays that quantify cognitive abilities and brain morphology in the same individuals. Here, we tested female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in two tasks, colour discrimination and reversal learning, to evaluate their learning abilities and cognitive flexibility. We then estimated the size of five brain regions (telencephalon, optic tectum, hypothalamus, cerebellum and dorsal medulla), in addition to relative brain size. We found that optic tectum relative size, in relation to the rest of the brain, correlated positively with discrimination learning performance, while relative telencephalon size correlated positively with reversal learning performance. The other brain measures were not associated with performance in either task. By evaluating how fast learning occurs and how fast an animal adjusts its learning rules to changing conditions, we find support for that different brain regions have distinct functional correlations at the individual level. Importantly, telencephalon size emerges as an important neural correlate of higher executive functions such as cognitive flexibility. This is rare evidence supporting the theory that more neural tissue in key brain regions confers cognitive benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zegni Triki
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusväg 18 B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Granell-Ruiz
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusväg 18 B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephanie Fong
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusväg 18 B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mirjam Amcoff
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusväg 18 B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusväg 18 B, Stockholm, Sweden
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8
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Fong S, Rogell B, Amcoff M, Kotrschal A, van der Bijl W, Buechel SD, Kolm N. Rapid mosaic brain evolution under artificial selection for relative telencephalon size in the guppy ( Poecilia reticulata). SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj4314. [PMID: 34757792 PMCID: PMC8580313 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj4314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The mosaic brain evolution hypothesis, stating that brain regions can evolve relatively independently during cognitive evolution, is an important idea to understand how brains evolve with potential implications even for human brain evolution. Here, we provide the first experimental evidence for this hypothesis through an artificial selection experiment in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). After four generations of selection on relative telencephalon volume (relative to brain size), we found substantial changes in telencephalon size but no changes in other regions. Further comparisons revealed that up-selected lines had larger telencephalon, while down-selected lines had smaller telencephalon than wild Trinidadian populations. Our results support that independent evolutionary changes in specific brain regions through mosaic brain evolution can be important facilitators of cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Fong
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author. (S.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Björn Rogell
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Mirjam Amcoff
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Wouter van der Bijl
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author. (S.F.); (N.K.)
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9
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Axelrod CJ, Laberge F, Robinson BW. Interspecific and intraspecific comparisons reveal the importance of evolutionary context in sunfish brain form divergence. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:639-652. [PMID: 33484022 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Habitats can select for specialized phenotypic characteristics in animals. However, the consistency of evolutionary responses to particular environmental conditions remains difficult to predict. One trait of great ecological importance is brain form, which is expected to vary between habitats that differ in their cognitive requirements. Here, we compared divergence in brain form and oral jaw size across a common littoral-pelagic ecological axis in two sunfishes at both the intraspecific and interspecific levels. Brain form differed between habitats at every level of comparison; however, divergence was inconsistent, despite consistent differences in oral jaw size. Pumpkinseed and bluegill species differed in cerebellum, optic tectum and olfactory bulb size. These differences are consistent with a historical ecological divergence because they did not manifest between littoral and pelagic ecotypes within either species, suggesting constraints on changes to these regions over short evolutionary time scales. There were also differences in brain form between conspecific ecotypes, but they were inconsistent between species. Littoral pumpkinseed had larger brains than their pelagic counterpart, and littoral bluegill had smaller telencephalons than their pelagic counterpart. Inconsistent brain form divergence between conspecific ecotypes of pumpkinseed and bluegill sharing a common littoral-pelagic habitat axis suggests that contemporary ecological conditions and historic evolutionary context interact to influence evolutionary changes in brain form in fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb J Axelrod
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Frédéric Laberge
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Beren W Robinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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10
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Abrahão VP, Ballen GA, Pastana MNL, Shibatta OA. Ontogeny of the brain of Microglanis garavelloi Shibatta and Benine 2005 (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae). J Morphol 2021; 282:489-499. [PMID: 33432686 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The gross brain morphology and the peripheral olfactory organ of Microglanis garavelloi are described throughout development, and the relationship of these organs to the general behaviour of the species is discussed. During the development, the main brain subdivisions undergo a series of morphological changes keeping a relatively constant volume increase. However, we observed different growth rates in the brains of males and females when these were compared. During the maturation process, a series of hormonal events result in the development of some secondary sexual traits in the brain of male specimens, like faster growth rate of brain areas linked to motor control, olfactory and visual responses. The number of olfactory-organ lamellae increases continuously in both males and females, during their maturation period. These results suggest that changes may be caused by cognitive demands that this species is exposed to throughout its lifespan. The gross morphological arrangement of the central nervous system indicates shared patterns with other members of the family Pseudopimelodidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitor P Abrahão
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Gustavo A Ballen
- Ichthyology Department, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Murilo N L Pastana
- Division of Fishes, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Oscar A Shibatta
- Museu de Zoologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
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11
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de Oliveira RC, da Graça WJ. Encephalon gross morphology of the cichlid Geophagus sveni (Cichlidae: Geophagini): Comparative description and ecological perspectives. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 97:1363-1374. [PMID: 32799341 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The encephalon gross morphology of Geophagus sveni is described, compared between male and female specimens and discussed in relation to evolutionary, ecological and behavioural aspects. The Student's t-test revealed that there are no sexual dimorphism regarding the volume or linear measurements obtained from the main encephalon subdivisions (telencephalon, tectum mesencephali, cerebellum, gustative lobes, hypothalamus and hypophysis) in proportion to encephalon length, which is congruent with the absence of external dimorphic characters and presence of biparental care behaviour. In all specimens examined, the tectum mesencephali is the largest structure of the encephalon, which may be explained by feeding habit and by the importance of the vision center in a social context (i.e., brood guarding and territory defence, which are common behaviours in cichlids). Also, the lobus vagi is more developed than usual for other teleosts, which may be explained by the presence, in G. sveni as well as in other Geophagini species, of a differentiated pharyngeal apparatus, probably an adaptation to winnowing, a specialized feeding habit. The little intraspecific variation in neuroanatomical characters observed herein indicates a possible source of morphological characters to be explored in cichlid phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne Caroline de Oliveira
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Weferson Júnio da Graça
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
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12
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Udagawa S, Miyara K, Takekata H, Takeuchi Y, Takemura A. Investigation on the validity of 3D micro-CT imaging in the fish brain. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 328:108416. [PMID: 31472188 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Micro-computed tomography (CT) is a non-invasive technique that is used to obtain three-dimensional (3D) images of tissue structure in small animals. Compared with extensive mammal studies, few 3D imaging studies of fish have been conducted using micro-CT. An optimized method for imaging fish tissue structure is necessary, because they have adapted to diverse environments via functional and structural specialization. NEW METHOD Brains of three species with different sizes and habitats were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and immersed in non-ionic iodinated contrast agent (Iopamiron). We examined the relationship between Iopamiron concentration and immersion time to determine universally optimal conditions for use in fish. RESULTS We reconstructed 3D images of whole fish brains from cross-sections of brains from the Malabar grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus), bastard halibut (Paralichthys olivaceus), and threespot wrasse (Halichoeres trimaculatus). Developmental changes in brain structure were observed in the bastard halibut. Most brain regions of the threespot wrasse were distinguishable, although inner regions of the brain were less visible. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Histological techniques are typically used to observe fish brain structure, despite its drawbacks in terms of tissue sample preparation (shrinkage and distortion) and image capture (3D image constriction). The technique examined in the present study solves these problems and allows for the simultaneous handling of multiple specimens. CONCLUSION Micro-CT imaging is suitable for observing the surfaces and inner structures of fish of various species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Udagawa
- Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Keitaro Miyara
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takekata
- Organization for Research Promotion, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Yuki Takeuchi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan; Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Akihiro Takemura
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
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13
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Fong S, Buechel SD, Boussard A, Kotrschal A, Kolm N. Plastic changes in brain morphology in relation to learning and environmental enrichment in the guppy ( Poecilia reticulata). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.200402. [PMID: 31053644 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite the common assumption that the brain is malleable to surrounding conditions mainly during ontogeny, plastic neural changes can occur also in adulthood. One of the driving forces responsible for alterations in brain morphology is increasing environmental complexity that may demand enhanced cognitive abilities (e.g. attention, memory and learning). However, studies looking at the relationship between brain morphology and learning are scarce. Here, we tested the effects of both learning and environmental enrichment on neural plasticity in guppies (Poecilia reticulata), by means of either a reversal-learning test or a spatial-learning test. Given considerable evidence supporting environmentally induced plastic alterations, two separate control groups that were not subjected to any cognitive test were included to account for potential changes induced by the experimental setup alone. We did not find any effect of learning on any of our brain measurements. However, we found strong evidence for an environmental effect, where fish given access to the spatial-learning environment had larger relative brain size and optic tectum size in relation to those exposed to the reversal-learning environment. Our results demonstrate the plasticity of the adult brain to respond adaptively mainly to environmental conditions, providing support for the environmental enhancement theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Fong
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Séverine D Buechel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annika Boussard
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Axelrod CJ, Laberge F, Robinson BW. Intraspecific brain size variation between coexisting sunfish ecotypes. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1971. [PMID: 30404883 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in spatial complexity and foraging requirements between habitats can impose different cognitive demands on animals that may influence brain size. However, the relationship between ecologically related cognitive performance and brain size is not well established. We test whether variation in relative brain size and brain region size is associated with habitat use within a population of pumpkinseed sunfish composed of different ecotypes that inhabit either the structurally complex shoreline littoral habitat or simpler open-water pelagic habitat. Sunfish using the littoral habitat have on average 8.3% larger brains than those using the pelagic habitat. We found little difference in the proportional sizes of five brain regions between ecotypes. The results suggest that cognitive demands on sunfish may be reduced in the pelagic habitat given no habitat-specific differences in body condition. They also suggest that either a short divergence time or physiological processes may constrain changes to concerted, global modifications of brain size between sunfish ecotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb J Axelrod
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Frédéric Laberge
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Beren W Robinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
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15
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Puga S, Cardoso V, Pinto-Ribeiro F, Pacheco M, Almeida A, Pereira P. Brain morphometric profiles and their seasonal modulation in fish (Liza aurata) inhabiting a mercury contaminated estuary. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 237:318-328. [PMID: 29499575 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a potent neurotoxicant known to induce important adverse effects on fish, but a deeper understanding is lacking regarding how environmental exposure affects the brain morphology and neural plasticity of specific brain regions in wild specimens. In this work, it was evaluated the relative volume and cell density of the lateral pallium, hypothalamus, optic tectum and molecular layer of the cerebellum on wild Liza aurata captured in Hg-contaminated (LAR) and non-contaminated (SJ) sites of a coastal system (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Given the season-related variations in the environment that fish are naturally exposed, this assessment was performed in the winter and summer. Hg triggered a deficit in cell density of hypothalamus during the winter that could lead to hormonal dysfunctions, while in the summer Hg promoted larger volumes of the optic tectum and cerebellum, indicating the warm period as the most critical for the manifestation of putative changes in visual acuity and motor-dependent tasks. Moreover, in fish from the SJ site, the lateral pallium relative volume and the cell density of the hypothalamus and optic tectum were higher in the winter than in summer. Thus, season-related stimuli strongly influence the size and/or cell density of specific brain regions in the non-contaminated area, pointing out the ability of fish to adapt to environmental and physiological demands. Conversely, fish from the Hg-contaminated site showed a distinct seasonal profile of brain morphology, presenting a larger optic tectum in the summer, as well as a larger molecular layer of the cerebellum with higher cell density. Moreover, Hg exposure impaired the winter-summer variation of the lateral pallium relative size (as observed at SJ). Altogether, seasonal variations in fish neural morphology and physiology should be considered when performing ecotoxicological studies in order to better discriminate the Hg neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sónia Puga
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine (EM), Campus of Gualtar, University of Minho, 4750-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Vera Cardoso
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine (EM), Campus of Gualtar, University of Minho, 4750-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Filipa Pinto-Ribeiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine (EM), Campus of Gualtar, University of Minho, 4750-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Mário Pacheco
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Armando Almeida
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine (EM), Campus of Gualtar, University of Minho, 4750-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Patrícia Pereira
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
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16
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Abrahão VP, Pupo FM, Shibatta OA. Comparative brain gross morphology of the Neotropical catfish family Pseudopimelodidae (Osteichthyes, Ostariophysi, Siluriformes), with phylogenetic implications. Zool J Linn Soc 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vitor Pimenta Abrahão
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
- Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fabio Müller Pupo
- Museu Nacional/UFRJ, Setor de Ictiologia, Departamento de Vertebrados, São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Oscar Akio Shibatta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
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17
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Angulo A, Langeani F. Gross brain morphology of the armoured catfishRineloricaria heteroptera, Isbrücker and Nijssen (1976), (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Loricariinae): A descriptive and quantitative approach. J Morphol 2017; 278:1689-1705. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Angulo
- División de Ictiología; Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Laboratório de Ictiologia; Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto SP Brazil
- División de Ictiología; Museo de Zoología, Universidad de Costa Rica; 11501-2060, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia (CIMAR), Universidad de Costa Rica; 11501-2060, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José Costa Rica
| | - Francisco Langeani
- División de Ictiología; Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Laboratório de Ictiologia; Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto SP Brazil
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18
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Kotrschal A, Deacon AE, Magurran AE, Kolm N. Predation pressure shapes brain anatomy in the wild. Evol Ecol 2017; 31:619-633. [PMID: 32009719 PMCID: PMC6961500 DOI: 10.1007/s10682-017-9901-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is remarkable diversity in brain anatomy among vertebrates and evidence is accumulating that predatory interactions are crucially important for this diversity. To test this hypothesis, we collected female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from 16 wild populations and related their brain anatomy to several aspects of predation pressure in this ecosystem, such as the biomass of the four major predators of guppies (one prawn and three fish species), and predator diversity (number of predatory fish species in each site). We found that populations from localities with higher prawn biomass had relatively larger telencephalon size as well as larger brains. Optic tectum size was positively associated with one of the fish predator’s biomass and with overall predator diversity. However, both olfactory bulb and hypothalamus size were negatively associated with the biomass of another of the fish predators. Hence, while fish predator occurrence is associated with variation in brain anatomy, prawn occurrence is associated with variation in brain size. Our results suggest that cognitive challenges posed by local differences in predator communities may lead to changes in prey brain anatomy in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kotrschal
- 1Department of Ethology/Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arheniusväg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amy E Deacon
- 2Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Anne E Magurran
- 3School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| | - Niclas Kolm
- 1Department of Ethology/Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arheniusväg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Toli EA, Noreikiene K, DeFaveri J, Merilä J. Environmental enrichment, sexual dimorphism, and brain size in sticklebacks. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1691-1698. [PMID: 28331580 PMCID: PMC5355184 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence for phenotypic plasticity in brain size and the size of different brain parts is widespread, but experimental investigations into this effect remain scarce and are usually conducted using individuals from a single population. As the costs and benefits of plasticity may differ among populations, the extent of brain plasticity may also differ from one population to another. In a common garden experiment conducted with three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) originating from four different populations, we investigated whether environmental enrichment (aquaria provided with structural complexity) caused an increase in the brain size or size of different brain parts compared to controls (bare aquaria). We found no evidence for a positive effect of environmental enrichment on brain size or size of different brain parts in either of the sexes in any of the populations. However, in all populations, males had larger brains than females, and the degree of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in relative brain size ranged from 5.1 to 11.6% across the populations. Evidence was also found for genetically based differences in relative brain size among populations, as well as for plasticity in the size of different brain parts, as evidenced by consistent size differences among replicate blocks that differed in their temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisavet A Toli
- Molecular Ecology & Conservation Genetics Lab Department of Biological Applications & Technology University of Ioannina Ioannina Greece; Ecological Genetics Research Unit Department of Biosciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Kristina Noreikiene
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit Department of Biosciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Jacquelin DeFaveri
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit Department of Biosciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Juha Merilä
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit Department of Biosciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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20
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Li Z, Guo B, Yang J, Herczeg G, Gonda A, Balázs G, Shikano T, Calboli FCF, Merilä J. Deciphering the genomic architecture of the stickleback brain with a novel multilocus gene-mapping approach. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:1557-1575. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zitong Li
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Baocheng Guo
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Jing Yang
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology; Eötvös Loránd University; Pázmány Péter sétány1/C 1117 Budapest Hungary
| | - Abigél Gonda
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Gergely Balázs
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology; Eötvös Loránd University; Pázmány Péter sétány1/C 1117 Budapest Hungary
| | - Takahito Shikano
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Federico C. F. Calboli
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Juha Merilä
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit; Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
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21
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Herczeg G, Gonda A, Balázs G, Noreikiene K, Merilä J. Experimental evidence for sex-specific plasticity in adult brain. Front Zool 2015; 12:38. [PMID: 26705404 PMCID: PMC4690261 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-015-0130-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plasticity in brain size and the size of different brain regions during early ontogeny is known from many vertebrate taxa, but less is known about plasticity in the brains of adults. In contrast to mammals and birds, most parts of a fish’s brain continue to undergo neurogenesis throughout adulthood, making lifelong plasticity in brain size possible. We tested whether maturing adult three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) reared in a stimulus-poor environment exhibited brain plasticity in response to environmental enrichment, and whether these responses were sex-specific, thus altering the degree of sexual size dimorphism in the brain. Results Relative sizes of total brain and bulbus olfactorius showed sex-specific responses to treatment: males developed larger brains but smaller bulbi olfactorii than females in the enriched treatment. Hence, the degree of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in relative brain size and the relative size of the bulbus olfactorius was found to be environment-dependent. Furthermore, the enriched treatment induced development of smaller tecta optica in both sexes. Conclusions These results demonstrate that adult fish can alter the size of their brain (or brain regions) in response to environmental stimuli, and these responses can be sex-specific. Hence, the degree of SSD in brain size can be environment-dependent, and our results hint at the possibility of a large plastic component to SSD in stickleback brains. Apart from contributing to our understanding of the processes shaping and explaining variation in brain size and the size of different brain regions in the wild, the results show that provision of structural complexity in captive environments can influence brain development. Assuming that the observed plasticity influences fish behaviour, these findings may also have relevance for fish stocking, both for economical and conservational purposes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12983-015-0130-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary ; Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Abigél Gonda
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gergely Balázs
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kristina Noreikiene
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Merilä
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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