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Rousseau K, Prunet P, Dufour S. Special features of neuroendocrine interactions between stress and reproduction in teleosts. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 300:113634. [PMID: 33045232 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Stress and reproduction are both essential functions for vertebrate survival, ensuring on one side adaptative responses to environmental changes and potential life threats, and on the other side production of progeny. With more than 25,000 species, teleosts constitute the largest group of extant vertebrates, and exhibit a large diversity of life cycles, environmental conditions and regulatory processes. Interactions between stress and reproduction are a growing concern both for conservation of fish biodiversity in the frame of global changes and for the development of sustainability of aquaculture including fish welfare. In teleosts, as in other vertebrates, adverse effects of stress on reproduction have been largely documented and will be shortly overviewed. Unexpectedly, stress notably via cortisol, may also facilitate reproductive function in some teleost species in relation to their peculiar life cyles and this review will provide some examples. Our review will then mainly address the neuroendocrine axes involved in the control of stress and reproduction, namely the corticotropic and gonadotropic axes, as well as their interactions. After reporting some anatomo-functional specificities of the neuroendocrine systems in teleosts, we will describe the major actors of the corticotropic and gonadotropic axes at the brain-pituitary-peripheral glands (interrenals and gonads) levels, with a special focus on the impact of teleost-specific whole genome duplication (3R) on the number of paralogs and their potential differential functions. We will finally review the current knowledge on the neuroendocrine mechanisms of the various interactions between stress and reproduction at different levels of the two axes in teleosts in a comparative and evolutionary perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Rousseau
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Research Unit BOREA, Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Prunet
- INRAE, UR1037, Laboratoire de Physiologie et de Génomique des Poissons (LPGP), Rennes, France
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Research Unit BOREA, Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Paris, France.
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2
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Romero A, Vega M, Santibáñez N, Spies J, Pérez T, Enríquez R, Kausel G, Oliver C, Oyarzún R, Tort L, Vargas-Chacoff L. Salmo salar glucocorticoid receptors analyses of alternative splicing variants under stress conditions. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 293:113466. [PMID: 32194046 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cortisol is the main corticosteroid in teleosts, exerting multiple functions by activating glucocorticoid receptors (GR). Most teleost species have two GR genes, gr-1 and gr-2. Some teleost also presents two splice variants for gr-1; gr-1a and gr-1b. In this study, we report for first time the presence of 2 homeologous genes for gr-1 and gr-2, located on chromosomes 4q-13q (gr-1) and 5p-9q (gr-2) of the Salmo salar genome. Furthermore, our results describe gr-1 splice variants derived from chromosome 4 and 13, sharing typical teleost GR elements such as the 9 amino acid insertion in the DNA binding domain (DBD) and variations in the length of the ligand binding domain (LBD). Three splice variants were predicted for the gr-2 homeologous gene in chromosome 5, with differences of a 5 amino acid insertion in the DBD. We also identified an uncommon truncated gr-2 gene in chromosome 9 in salmon, which lacked the DBD and LBD domains. Finally, by designing specific primers for each predicted splice variant, we validated and evaluated the expression of their transcripts in S. salar subjected to stress caused by stocking density. Differences were observed in the expression of all identified mRNAs, revealing that gr-1 and gr-2 splice variants were upregulated in head kidney and gills of post-stressed fish. In conclusion, our findings suggest that from specific salmonid genomic duplication (125 MYA), two gene copies of each GR receptor were generated in S. salar. The identified splice variants could contribute to the variability of GR receptor complex modulation expression during stressful events, leading to variations in physiological responses in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Romero
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile; Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Centro FONDAP, Chile.
| | - Matías Vega
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile; Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Centro FONDAP, Chile
| | - Natacha Santibáñez
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile; Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Centro FONDAP, Chile
| | - Johana Spies
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Tatiana Pérez
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile; Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Centro FONDAP, Chile
| | - Ricardo Enríquez
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile.
| | - Gudrun Kausel
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile.
| | - Cristian Oliver
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral De Chile, Chile; Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Centro FONDAP, Chile
| | - Ricardo Oyarzún
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Centro Fondap de Investigación de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Lluis Tort
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Luis Vargas-Chacoff
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Centro Fondap de Investigación de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
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3
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Hilliard AT, Xie D, Ma Z, Snyder MP, Fernald RD. Genome-wide effects of social status on DNA methylation in the brain of a cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:699. [PMID: 31506062 PMCID: PMC6737626 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6047-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Successful social behavior requires real-time integration of information about the environment, internal physiology, and past experience. The molecular substrates of this integration are poorly understood, but likely modulate neural plasticity and gene regulation. In the cichlid fish species Astatotilapia burtoni, male social status can shift rapidly depending on the environment, causing fast behavioral modifications and a cascade of changes in gene transcription, the brain, and the reproductive system. These changes can be permanent but are also reversible, implying the involvement of a robust but flexible mechanism that regulates plasticity based on internal and external conditions. One candidate mechanism is DNA methylation, which has been linked to social behavior in many species, including A. burtoni. But, the extent of its effects after A. burtoni social change were previously unknown. RESULTS We performed the first genome-wide search for DNA methylation patterns associated with social status in the brains of male A. burtoni, identifying hundreds of Differentially Methylated genomic Regions (DMRs) in dominant versus non-dominant fish. Most DMRs were inside genes supporting neural development, synapse function, and other processes relevant to neural plasticity, and DMRs could affect gene expression in multiple ways. DMR genes were more likely to be transcription factors, have a duplicate elsewhere in the genome, have an anti-sense lncRNA, and have more splice variants than other genes. Dozens of genes had multiple DMRs that were often seemingly positioned to regulate specific splice variants. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed genome-wide effects of A. burtoni social status on DNA methylation in the brain and strongly suggest a role for methylation in modulating plasticity across multiple biological levels. They also suggest many novel hypotheses to address in mechanistic follow-up studies, and will be a rich resource for identifying the relationships between behavioral, neural, and transcriptional plasticity in the context of social status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dan Xie
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Zhihai Ma
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Michael P. Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
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Solomon-Lane TK, Hofmann HA. Early-life social environment alters juvenile behavior and neuroendocrine function in a highly social cichlid fish. Horm Behav 2019; 115:104552. [PMID: 31276665 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Early-life experiences can shape adult behavior, with consequences for fitness and health, yet fundamental questions remain unanswered about how early-life social experiences are translated into variation in brain and behavior. The African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni, a model system in social neuroscience, is well known for its highly plastic social phenotypes in adulthood. Here, we rear juveniles in either social groups or pairs to investigate the effects of early-life social environments on behavior and neuroendocrine gene expression. We find that both juvenile behavior and neuroendocrine function are sensitive to early-life effects. Behavior robustly co-varies across multiple contexts (open field, social cue investigation, and dominance behavior assays) to form a behavioral syndrome, with pair-reared juveniles towards the end of syndrome that is less active and socially interactive. Pair-reared juveniles also submit more readily as subordinates. In a separate cohort, we measured whole brain expression of stress and sex hormone genes. Expression of glucocorticoid receptor 1a was elevated in group-reared juveniles, supporting a highly-conserved role for the stress axis mediating early-life effects. The effect of rearing environment on androgen receptor α and estrogen receptor α expression was mediated by treatment duration (1 vs. 5 weeks). Finally, expression of corticotropin-releasing factor and glucocorticoid receptor 2 decreased significantly over time. Rearing environment also caused striking differences in gene co-expression, such that expression was tightly integrated in pair-reared juveniles but not group-reared or isolates. Together, this research demonstrates the important developmental origins of behavioral phenotypes and identifies potential behavioral and neuroendocrine mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa K Solomon-Lane
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America; Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America.
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America; Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
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Faykoo-Martinez M, Monks DA, Zovkic IB, Holmes MM. Sex- and brain region-specific patterns of gene expression associated with socially-mediated puberty in a eusocial mammal. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193417. [PMID: 29474488 PMCID: PMC5825099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The social environment can alter pubertal timing through neuroendocrine mechanisms that are not fully understood; it is thought that stress hormones (e.g., glucocorticoids or corticotropin-releasing hormone) influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to inhibit puberty. Here, we use the eusocial naked mole-rat, a unique species in which social interactions in a colony (i.e. dominance of a breeding female) suppress puberty in subordinate animals. Removing subordinate naked mole-rats from this social context initiates puberty, allowing for experimental control of pubertal timing. The present study quantified gene expression for reproduction- and stress-relevant genes acting upstream of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in brain regions with reproductive and social functions in pre-pubertal, post-pubertal, and opposite sex-paired animals (which are in various stages of pubertal transition). Results indicate sex differences in patterns of neural gene expression. Known functions of genes in brain suggest stress as a key contributing factor in regulating male pubertal delay. Network analysis implicates neurokinin B (Tac3) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus as a key node in this pathway. Results also suggest an unappreciated role for the nucleus accumbens in regulating puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - D. Ashley Monks
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Iva B. Zovkic
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa M. Holmes
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Yang T, Yang CF, Chizari MD, Maheswaranathan N, Burke KJ, Borius M, Inoue S, Chiang MC, Bender KJ, Ganguli S, Shah NM. Social Control of Hypothalamus-Mediated Male Aggression. Neuron 2017; 95:955-970.e4. [PMID: 28757304 PMCID: PMC5648542 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
How environmental and physiological signals interact to influence neural circuits underlying developmentally programmed social interactions such as male territorial aggression is poorly understood. We have tested the influence of sensory cues, social context, and sex hormones on progesterone receptor (PR)-expressing neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) that are critical for male territorial aggression. We find that these neurons can drive aggressive displays in solitary males independent of pheromonal input, gonadal hormones, opponents, or social context. By contrast, these neurons cannot elicit aggression in socially housed males that intrude in another male's territory unless their pheromone-sensing is disabled. This modulation of aggression cannot be accounted for by linear integration of environmental and physiological signals. Together, our studies suggest that fundamentally non-linear computations enable social context to exert a dominant influence on developmentally hard-wired hypothalamus-mediated male territorial aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cindy F Yang
- Program in Neuroscience, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - M Delara Chizari
- Department of Anatomy, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Kenneth J Burke
- Program in Neuroscience, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Maxim Borius
- Department of Anatomy, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sayaka Inoue
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael C Chiang
- Department of Anatomy, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Surya Ganguli
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nirao M Shah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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7
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Socially induced plasticity in sensorimotor gating in the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Behav Brain Res 2017; 332:32-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.05.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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8
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Silva de Souza Matos L, Palme R, Silva Vasconcellos A. Behavioural and hormonal effects of member replacement in captive groups of blue-fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva). Behav Processes 2017; 138:160-169. [PMID: 28286082 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.03.006] [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: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Social species in captivity may face allostatic overload due to artificial grouping and other social constraints. In rescue centres, groups of psittacines are constantly mixed due to the arrival and/or release of individuals; this procedure is potentially harmful to animal welfare. This study aimed at evaluating the possible impacts of mate replacement on the stress levels of captive blue-fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva). During five weeks, we recorded agonistic interactions and dropping-glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) concentrations of individuals allocated in a group whose members were kept constant and in a group subjected to frequent member replacement. In both groups, non-linear hierarchies developed, without sex differences regarding aggression or hierarchical positions. The replacement of individuals had no effect on the number of agonistic interactions or on the animals' stress levels. In both groups, higher-ranking individuals had higher stress loads than subordinates. Our study, the first to investigate the social dynamics of A. aestiva, indicated that introducing or removing individuals in captive groups does not seem to affect the welfare of the birds in the short term. This information favours release and reintroduction programs and is relevant for conservation management of this, and possibly other parrot species with similar environmental requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laerciana Silva de Souza Matos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500, Prédio 41, Coração Eucarístico, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais CEP 30535-901, Brazil; Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis - IBAMA, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30110-051, Brazil
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Angélica Silva Vasconcellos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500, Prédio 41, Coração Eucarístico, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais CEP 30535-901, Brazil.
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Nugent BM, Stiver KA, Alonzo SH, Hofmann HA. Neuroendocrine profiles associated with discrete behavioural variation in
Symphodus ocellatus
, a species with male alternative reproductive tactics. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:5212-5227. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. M. Nugent
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University 165 Prospect St. New Haven CT 06520 USA
- Department of Integrative Biology Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics The University of Texas at Austin 2415 Speedway Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - K. A. Stiver
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University 165 Prospect St. New Haven CT 06520 USA
- Department of Psychology Southern Connecticut State University 501 Crescent St. New Haven CT 06515 USA
| | - S. H. Alonzo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University 165 Prospect St. New Haven CT 06520 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz 1156 High St. Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | - H. A. Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics The University of Texas at Austin 2415 Speedway Austin TX 78712 USA
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Cavigelli SA, Caruso MJ. Sex, social status and physiological stress in primates: the importance of social and glucocorticoid dynamics. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 370:20140103. [PMID: 25870390 PMCID: PMC4410370 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Social status has been associated with health consequences, although the mechanisms by which status affects health are relatively unknown. At the physiological level, many studies have investigated the potential relationship between social behaviour/rank and physiological stress, with a particular focus on glucocorticoid (GC) production. GCs are of interest because of their experimentally established influence on health-related processes such as metabolism and immune function. Studies in a variety of species, in both naturalistic and laboratory settings, have led to complex outcomes. This paper reviews findings from primates and rodents and proposes a psychologically and physiologically relevant framework in which to study the relationship between social status and GC function. We (i) compare status-specific GC production between male and female primates, (ii) review the functional significance of different temporal patterns of GC production, (iii) propose ways to assess these temporal dynamics, and (iv) present novel hypotheses about the relationship between social status and GC temporal dynamics, and potential fitness and health implications. To understand whether GC production mediates social status-related fitness disparities, we must consider social contest conditions and the temporal dynamics of GC production. This framework will provide greater insights into the relationship between social status, physiological stress and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia A Cavigelli
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA Huck Institute of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 101 Huck Life Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Michael J Caruso
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Cavigelli SA, Caruso MJ. Sex, social status and physiological stress in primates: the importance of social and glucocorticoid dynamics. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015. [PMID: 25870390 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0103(1669)] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Social status has been associated with health consequences, although the mechanisms by which status affects health are relatively unknown. At the physiological level, many studies have investigated the potential relationship between social behaviour/rank and physiological stress, with a particular focus on glucocorticoid (GC) production. GCs are of interest because of their experimentally established influence on health-related processes such as metabolism and immune function. Studies in a variety of species, in both naturalistic and laboratory settings, have led to complex outcomes. This paper reviews findings from primates and rodents and proposes a psychologically and physiologically relevant framework in which to study the relationship between social status and GC function. We (i) compare status-specific GC production between male and female primates, (ii) review the functional significance of different temporal patterns of GC production, (iii) propose ways to assess these temporal dynamics, and (iv) present novel hypotheses about the relationship between social status and GC temporal dynamics, and potential fitness and health implications. To understand whether GC production mediates social status-related fitness disparities, we must consider social contest conditions and the temporal dynamics of GC production. This framework will provide greater insights into the relationship between social status, physiological stress and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia A Cavigelli
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA Huck Institute of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 101 Huck Life Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Michael J Caruso
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Abstract
Dominance hierarchies are ubiquitous in social species. Social status is established initially through physical conflict between individuals and then communicated directly by a variety of signals. Social interactions depend critically on the relative social status of those interacting. But how do individuals acquire the information they need to modulate their behaviour and how do they use that information to decide what to do? What brain mechanisms might underlie such animal cognition? Using a particularly suitable fish model system that depends on complex social interactions, we report how the social context of behaviour shapes the brain and, in turn, alters the behaviour of animals as they interact. Animals observe social interactions carefully to gather information vicariously that then guides their future behaviour. Social opportunities produce rapid changes in gene expression in key nuclei in the brain and these genomic responses may prepare the individual to modify its behaviour to move into a different social niche. Both social success and failure produce changes in neuronal cell size and connectivity in key nuclei. Understanding mechanisms through which social information is transduced into cellular and molecular changes will provide a deeper understanding of the brain systems responsible for animal cognition.
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