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Vallortigara G, Vitiello G. Brain asymmetry as minimization of free energy: a theoretical model. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240465. [PMID: 39086831 PMCID: PMC11289647 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
The asymmetry between the left and right sides seems to be a general principle of organization of the nervous systems in Bilateria, providing the foundations for a plethora of leftward and rightward biases in behaviour as documented in species ranging from Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes to humans. Several theories have been put forward to account for the existence and maintenance in the evolution of the asymmetric organization of the brain at both individual and population levels. However, what is missing in theorizing about the evolution of brain asymmetry is an overarching general hypothesis that may subsume all different aspects of current models. Here, we tried to provide an overarching general framework based on the energy and free-energy minimization principle, which proved so valuable in other areas of neuroscience. We found that at the individual level the antisymmetric singlet configuration realizes the lowest energy state of the system, whereas at the group level, the spontaneous emergence of directional asymmetry arises as a consequence of the minimization of the free energy of the system, which guarantees its stability and equilibrium. We thus argue that the various phenomenological aspects of brain asymmetry that have been captured in biology-e.g. sparing of neural tissue, control of unitary motor responses and, at the population level, evolutionarily stable strategies described by mathematical games theory-may be thought of as the manifestation of a more general principle of energy minimization generating, among others, asymmetry of the brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Vallortigara
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, Rovereto, TrentoI-38068, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vitiello
- Department of Physics 'E.R. Caianiello', University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano (Salerno)I-84084, Italy
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2
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Powell GT, Faro A, Zhao Y, Stickney H, Novellasdemunt L, Henriques P, Gestri G, White ER, Ren J, Lu W, Young RM, Hawkins TA, Cavodeassi F, Schwarz Q, Dreosti E, Raible DW, Li VSW, Wright GJ, Jones EY, Wilson SW. Cachd1 interacts with Wnt receptors and regulates neuronal asymmetry in the zebrafish brain. Science 2024; 384:573-579. [PMID: 38696577 PMCID: PMC7615972 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade6970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Neurons on the left and right sides of the nervous system often show asymmetric properties, but how such differences arise is poorly understood. Genetic screening in zebrafish revealed that loss of function of the transmembrane protein Cachd1 resulted in right-sided habenula neurons adopting left-sided identity. Cachd1 is expressed in neuronal progenitors, functions downstream of asymmetric environmental signals, and influences timing of the normally asymmetric patterns of neurogenesis. Biochemical and structural analyses demonstrated that Cachd1 can bind simultaneously to Lrp6 and Frizzled family Wnt co-receptors. Consistent with this, lrp6 mutant zebrafish lose asymmetry in the habenulae, and epistasis experiments support a role for Cachd1 in modulating Wnt pathway activity in the brain. These studies identify Cachd1 as a conserved Wnt receptor-interacting protein that regulates lateralized neuronal identity in the zebrafish brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth T. Powell
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Ana Faro
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yuguang Zhao
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Heather Stickney
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Departments of Otolaryngology-HNS and Biological Structure, University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195-7420, USA
- Ambry Genetics; Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, USA
| | - Laura Novellasdemunt
- The Francis Crick Institute; London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology; 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Henriques
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gaia Gestri
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Jingshan Ren
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Weixian Lu
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Rodrigo M. Young
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London; London, EC1V 9EL, UK
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor; Camino La Piramide 5750, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Thomas A. Hawkins
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Florencia Cavodeassi
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- St. George’s, University of London; London, SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London; London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Elena Dreosti
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David W. Raible
- Departments of Otolaryngology-HNS and Biological Structure, University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195-7420, USA
| | | | - Gavin J. Wright
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York; York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Stephen W. Wilson
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London; London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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Ocklenburg S, Guo ZV. Cross-hemispheric communication: Insights on lateralized brain functions. Neuron 2024; 112:1222-1234. [PMID: 38458199 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.010] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
On the surface, the two hemispheres of vertebrate brains look almost perfectly symmetrical, but several motor, sensory, and cognitive systems show a deeply lateralized organization. Importantly, the two hemispheres are connected by various commissures, white matter tracts that cross the brain's midline and enable cross-hemispheric communication. Cross-hemispheric communication has been suggested to play an important role in the emergence of lateralized brain functions. Here, we review current advances in understanding cross-hemispheric communication that have been made using modern neuroscientific tools in rodents and other model species, such as genetic labeling, large-scale recordings of neuronal activity, spatiotemporally precise perturbation, and quantitative behavior analyses. These findings suggest that the emergence of lateralized brain functions cannot be fully explained by largely static factors such as genetic variation and differences in structural brain asymmetries. In addition, learning-dependent asymmetric interactions between the left and right hemispheres shape lateralized brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Zengcai V Guo
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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4
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Visibelli E, Vigna G, Nascimben C, Benavides-Varela S. Neurobiology of numerical learning. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105545. [PMID: 38220032 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105545] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Numerical abilities are complex cognitive skills essential for dealing with requirements of the modern world. Although the brain structures and functions underlying numerical cognition in different species have long been appreciated, genetic and molecular techniques have more recently expanded the knowledge about the mechanisms underlying numerical learning. In this review, we discuss the status of the research related to the neurobiological bases of numerical abilities. We consider how genetic factors have been associated with mathematical capacities and how these link to the current knowledge of brain regions underlying these capacities in human and non-human animals. We further discuss the extent to which significant variations in the levels of specific neurotransmitters may be used as potential markers of individual performance and learning difficulties and take into consideration the therapeutic potential of brain stimulation methods to modulate learning and improve interventional outcomes. The implications of this research for formulating a more comprehensive view of the neural basis of mathematical learning are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Visibelli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Vigna
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Nascimben
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Benavides-Varela
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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5
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Messina A, Sovrano VA, Baratti G, Musa A, Gobbo A, Adiletta A, Sgadò P. Valproic acid exposure affects social visual lateralization and asymmetric gene expression in zebrafish larvae. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4474. [PMID: 38395997 PMCID: PMC10891151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54356-7] [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: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cerebral asymmetry is critical for typical brain function and development; at the same time, altered brain lateralization seems to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Zebrafish are increasingly emerging as model species to study brain lateralization, using asymmetric development of the habenula, a phylogenetically old brain structure associated with social and emotional processing, to investigate the relationship between brain asymmetry and social behavior. We exposed 5-h post-fertilization zebrafish embryos to valproic acid (VPA), a compound used to model the core signs of ASD in many vertebrate species, and assessed social interaction, visual lateralization and gene expression in the thalamus and the telencephalon. VPA-exposed zebrafish exhibit social deficits and a deconstruction of social visual laterality to the mirror. We also observe changes in the asymmetric expression of the epithalamic marker leftover and in the size of the dorsolateral part of the habenula in adult zebrafish. Our data indicate that VPA exposure neutralizes the animals' visual field bias, with a complete loss of the left-eye use bias in front of their own mirror image, and alters brain asymmetric gene expression and morphology, opening new perspectives to investigate brain lateralization and its link to atypical social cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
| | - Greta Baratti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alessia Musa
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gobbo
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alice Adiletta
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Paola Sgadò
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
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6
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Berlinghieri F, Jansen N, Riedstra B, Brown C, Groothuis TGG. The effect of light during embryonic development on laterality and exploration in Western Rainbowfish. Laterality 2024; 29:1-18. [PMID: 37658580 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2023.2252567] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Several factors affect the development of lateralization such as hormones and light exposure during early development. Laterality also often correlates with other behavioral traits. To examine whether there is a common mechanism underlying the development of laterality and other behaviors, we manipulated laterality by exposing embryos of the Western rainbowfish (Melatotaenia australis) to light or continuous darkness during early development and determined whether a shift in laterality was associated with a change in behavior in a novel environment test at two different ages. We found that exposing eggs to darkness led to offspring that displayed significantly less lateralized behavior in the mirror test two weeks after hatching than offspring from eggs exposed to light. Interestingly, the effects of rearing condition were lost by 3 months of age. These data suggest that exposure to light can influence laterality very early in development, but such bias can be overwritten by developmental processes post-hatch. Moreover, our manipulation of laterality apparently had no influence on exploration suggesting independent causal mechanisms. The experimental manipulation of light exposure during development could be a useful tool for enhancing individuals with a specific laterality and behavioral traits to aid future research into the causes and consequences of laterality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Berlinghieri
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nils Jansen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bernd Riedstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Culum Brown
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Beltrán-Solís K, García-Mendoza E, Sánchez-Serrano S, López LM. Domoic acid affects brain morphology and causes behavioral alterations in two fish species. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21729. [PMID: 38066055 PMCID: PMC10709449 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49041-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Domoic acid (DA) produces neurotoxic damage in seabirds and marine mammals when they are exposed to this potent neurotoxin. Other vertebrates are also susceptible to DA intoxication including humans. However, neurobehavioral affectations have not been detected in fish when naturally exposed to DA but only when it is administered intraperitoneally. Therefore, the current idea is that fish are less sensitive to DA acquired under ecologically relevant routes of exposure. Here, we show that oral consumption of DA induces neurobehavioral and histopathological alterations in the brain and heart of totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Lesions were found in both species in the optic tectum and cerebellum after exposure for 7 days to a diet containing 0.776 µgDA g-1. The affectations prevailed chronically. Also, we found that cardiac tissue exhibits lesions and focal atrium melanism. Although affectations of the brain and heart tissue were evident, excitotoxic signs like those described for other vertebrates were not observed. However, the use of standardized behavioral tests (dark/light and antipredator avoidance tests) permitted the detection of behavioral impairment of fish after DA exposure. Pathological and associated behavioral alterations produced by DA can have relevant physiological consequences but also important ecological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra Beltrán-Solís
- Posgrado en Ecología Marina, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Ernesto García-Mendoza
- Departamento de Oceanografía Biológica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico.
| | - Samuel Sánchez-Serrano
- Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Baja California, Mexico
| | - Lus M López
- Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Baja California, Mexico
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8
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Vasconcelos A, Soares MC, Barata M, Couto A, Teixeira B, Ribeiro L, Pousão-Ferreira P, Mendes R, Saavedra M. Effect of Tryptophan Dietary Content on Meagre, Argyrosomus regius, Juveniles Stress and Behavioral Response. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3762. [PMID: 38136799 PMCID: PMC10740813 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243762] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
There are a high number of stressors present in aquaculture that can affect fish welfare and quality. One way of mitigating stress response is by increasing dietary tryptophan. In this study, three diets containing 0.5% (Tript1), 0.6% (Tript2), and 0.8% (Tript3) of tryptophan were tested in 32 g juvenile meagre for 56 days. At the end of the trial, survival, growth, and proximate composition were similar between treatments. Significant differences were found in the plasma parameters before and after a stress test consisting of 30 s of air exposure. Blood glucose levels were higher in the post-stress for all treatments (e.g., 63.9 and 76.7 mg/dL for Tript1 before and after the stress test), and the hemoglobin values were lower in the post-stress of Tript1 (1.9 g/dL compared to 3.0 and 2.4 g/dL for Tript2 and Tript3, respectively). In terms of behavior, three tests were carried out (novel tank diving and shoaling assays, and lateralization test), but no significant differences were found, except for the number of freezing episodes during the anxiety test (1.4 for Tript3 compared to 3.5 and 4.2 for the other treatments). This study suggests that supplementation with dietary tryptophan, particularly in higher dosage (0.8%), can reduce anxiety-like behavior in meagre exposure to acute stress (novel tank). Although the remaining results showed mild effects, they provide some clues as to the potential of this amino acid as a stress mitigator in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Vasconcelos
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Marta C. Soares
- CIBIO—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal;
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- MARE—Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, ARNET—Rede de Investigação Aquática, Departamento de Paisagem, Universidade de Évora, Ambiente e Ordenamento, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
| | - Marisa Barata
- Aquaculture Research Station of IPMA, Av. Do Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, 8700-194 Olhão, Portugal (L.R.); (P.P.-F.)
| | - Ana Couto
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.C.); (B.T.); (R.M.)
| | - Bárbara Teixeira
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.C.); (B.T.); (R.M.)
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, I.P. (IPMA), Division of Aquaculture, Upgrading and Bioprospection, 1495-165 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Laura Ribeiro
- Aquaculture Research Station of IPMA, Av. Do Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, 8700-194 Olhão, Portugal (L.R.); (P.P.-F.)
| | - Pedro Pousão-Ferreira
- Aquaculture Research Station of IPMA, Av. Do Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, 8700-194 Olhão, Portugal (L.R.); (P.P.-F.)
| | - Rogério Mendes
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.C.); (B.T.); (R.M.)
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, I.P. (IPMA), Division of Aquaculture, Upgrading and Bioprospection, 1495-165 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida Saavedra
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.C.); (B.T.); (R.M.)
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, I.P. (IPMA), Division of Aquaculture, Upgrading and Bioprospection, 1495-165 Lisbon, Portugal
- MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre & ARNET—Aquatic Research Network Associated Laboratory, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
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9
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van der Westhuizen C, Botha TL, Finger-Baier K, Brouwer GD, Wolmarans DW. Contingency learning in zebrafish exposed to apomorphine- and levetiracetam. Behav Pharmacol 2023; 34:424-436. [PMID: 37578419 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive rigidity (CR) refers to inadequate executive adaptation in the face of changing circumstances. Increased CR is associated with a number of psychiatric disorders, for example, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and improving cognitive functioning by targeting CR in these conditions, may be fruitful. Levetiracetam (LEV), clinically used to treat epilepsy, may have pro-cognitive effects by restoring balance to neuronal signalling. To explore this possibility, we applied apomorphine (APO) exposure in an attempt to induce rigid cue-directed responses following a cue (visual pattern)-reward (social conspecifics) contingency learning phase and to assess the effects of LEV on such behaviours. Briefly, zebrafish were divided into four different 39-day-long exposure groups ( n = 9-10) as follows: control (CTRL), APO (100 µg/L), LEV (750 µg/L) and APO + LEV (100 µg/L + 750 µg/L). The main findings of this experiment were that 1) all four exposure groups performed similarly with respect to reward- and cue-directed learning over the first two study phases, 2) compared to the CTRL group, all drug interventions, but notably the APO + LEV combination, lowered the degree of reward-directed behaviour during a dissociated presentation of the cue and reward, and 3) temporal and spatial factors influenced the manner in which zebrafish responded to the presentation of the reward. Future studies are needed to explore the relevance of these findings for our understanding of the potential cognitive effects of LEV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tarryn L Botha
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Karin Finger-Baier
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, now: Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Geoffrey de Brouwer
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health, North-West University
| | - De Wet Wolmarans
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health, North-West University
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10
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Pinho JS, Cunliffe V, Kareklas K, Petri G, Oliveira RF. Social and asocial learning in zebrafish are encoded by a shared brain network that is differentially modulated by local activation. Commun Biol 2023; 6:633. [PMID: 37308619 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04999-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Group living animals use social and asocial cues to predict the presence of reward or punishment in the environment through associative learning. The degree to which social and asocial learning share the same mechanisms is still a matter of debate. We have used a classical conditioning paradigm in zebrafish, in which a social (fish image) or an asocial (circle image) conditioned stimulus (CS) have been paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US=food), and we have used the expression of the immediate early gene c-fos to map the neural circuits associated with each learning type. Our results show that the learning performance is similar to social and asocial CSs. However, the brain regions activated in each learning type are distinct and a community analysis of brain network data reveals segregated functional submodules, which seem to be associated with different cognitive functions involved in the learning tasks. These results suggest that, despite localized differences in brain activity between social and asocial learning, they share a common learning module and social learning also recruits a specific social stimulus integration module. Therefore, our results support the occurrence of a common general-purpose learning module, that is differentially modulated by localized activation in social and asocial learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia S Pinho
- Integrative Behavioural Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- IMIM - Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Kyriacos Kareklas
- Integrative Behavioural Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Giovanni Petri
- ISI Foundation and ISI Global Science Foundation, Torino, Italy
| | - Rui F Oliveira
- Integrative Behavioural Biology Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
- ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal.
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
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11
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Ocklenburg S, El Basbasse Y, Ströckens F, Müller-Alcazar A. Hemispheric asymmetries and brain size in mammals. Commun Biol 2023; 6:521. [PMID: 37188844 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04894-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemispheric asymmetries differ considerably across species, but the neurophysiological base of this variation is unclear. It has been suggested that hemispheric asymmetries evolved to bypass interhemispheric conduction delay when performing time-critical tasks. This implies that large brains should be more asymmetric. We performed preregistered cross-species meta-regressions with brain mass and neuron number as predictors for limb preferences, a behavioral marker of hemispheric asymmetries, in mammals. Brain mass and neuron number showed positive associations with rightward limb preferences but negative associations with leftward limb preferences. No significant associations were found for ambilaterality. These results are only partly in line with the idea that conduction delay is the critical factor that drives the evolution of hemispheric asymmetries. They suggest that larger-brained species tend to shift towards more right-lateralized individuals. Therefore, the need for coordination of lateralized responses in social species needs to be considered in the context of the evolution of hemispheric asymmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
- Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
- Biopsychology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Yasmin El Basbasse
- Biopsychology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Felix Ströckens
- C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anett Müller-Alcazar
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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12
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Sakamura S, Hsu FY, Tsujita A, Abubaker MB, Chiang AS, Matsuno K. Ecdysone signaling determines lateral polarity and remodels neurites to form Drosophila's left-right brain asymmetry. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112337. [PMID: 37044096 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Left-right (LR) asymmetry of the brain is fundamental to its higher-order functions. The Drosophila brain's asymmetrical body (AB) consists of a structural pair arborized from AB neurons and is larger on the right side than the left. We find that the AB initially forms LR symmetrically and then develops LR asymmetrically by neurite remodeling that is specific to the left AB and is dynamin dependent. Additionally, neuronal ecdysone signaling inhibition randomizes AB laterality, suggesting that ecdysone signaling determines AB's LR polarity. Given that AB's LR asymmetry relates to memory formation, our research establishes AB as a valuable model for studying LR asymmetry and higher-order brain function relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Sakamura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Fu-Yu Hsu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Akari Tsujita
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | | | - Ann-Shyn Chiang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80780, Taiwan; Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0526, USA
| | - Kenji Matsuno
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.
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13
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Takeuchi Y. Developmental Process of a Pronounced Laterality in the Scale-eating Cichlid Fish Perissodus microlepis in Lake Tanganyika. Zoolog Sci 2023; 40:160-167. [PMID: 37042695 DOI: 10.2108/zs220078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Lateral preference in behaviors has been widely documented in many vertebrates and invertebrates. Such preferences are strange, puzzling, and on the surface, not adaptive. However, behavioral laterality may increase an individual's fitness as well as foraging accuracy and speed. There is little experimental evidence regarding the developmental process of laterality, and unsolved questions have perplexed researchers for several decades. Related to these issues, here, I review that the scale-eating cichlid Perissodus microlepis found in Lake Tanganyika is a valuable model to address the developmental mechanism of animal laterality. The scale-eating cichlid has pronounced behavioral laterality and uses its asymmetric mouth during feeding events. Recent studies have shown that behavioral laterality in this fish depends on both genetic factors and past experience. The attack-side preference of scale eaters is an acquired trait in an early developmental stage. Juvenile fish empirically learn which side of the prey is more effective for tearing scales and gradually select the dominant side for attacking. However, the superior kinetics of body flexion during the dominant side attack has innate characteristics. Additionally, left-right differences in scale-eater mandibles also develop during ontogeny. Further progress toward understanding the comprehensive mechanisms of laterality should address the following persistent barriers: (1) the effects of phylogenetic constraints and ecological factors on the level of laterality; and (2) the neuronal and molecular mechanisms that produce left-right behavioral differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Takeuchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama 434-7207, Japan
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14
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Jacobs PJ, Oosthuizen MK. Laterality in the Damaraland Mole-Rat: Insights from a Eusocial Mammal. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040627. [PMID: 36830415 PMCID: PMC9951763 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lateralization is the functional control of certain behaviors in the brain being processed by either the left or right hemisphere. Behavioral asymmetries can occur at an individual and population level, although population-level lateralization is less common amongst solitary species, whereas social species can benefit more from aligning and coordinating their activities. We assessed laterality (individual and population) through turning biases in the eusocial Damaraland mole rat, Fukomys damarensis. We considered factors such as breeding status (queen or subordinate), environment (wild-caught or captive), sex (male or female), colony and body mass. All individuals together demonstrated significant left-turning biases, which was also significant at the population level. Wild-caught animals were more strongly lateralized, had a wider spread over a laterality index and lacked the population-level left-turning bias as compared to captive mole rats. Subordinate animals were more lateralized than queens, demonstrating social status differences in turning biases for social mole rats. This emphasizes the importance of animal handling and context when measuring and interpreting behavioral asymmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J. Jacobs
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- Correspondence:
| | - Maria K. Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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15
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Fu W, Xu J, Wang X, Li Y, He S, Wang C, Ren Y, Yang B, Wu T, Wang Y, Li B. Consistency of limb preference across unimanual feeding, bipedal locomotion, and social grooming in golden snub-nosed monkeys ( Rhinopithecus roxellana). Laterality 2023; 28:32-47. [PMID: 36859828 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2022.2141251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is a typical arboreal group-living Old World primate. While limb preference has been extensively studied in this species, limb preference consistency has not yet been explored. Here, based on 26 R. roxellana adults, we investigated whether individuals exhibit consistent motor biases in manual- (e.g., unimanual feeding and social grooming) and foot-related (e.g., bipedal locomotion) tasks and whether limb preference consistency is influenced by increased social interactions during social grooming. Results showed no consistency in the direction or strength of limb preference among tasks, except for lateral strength in handedness for unimanual feeding and footedness in the initiation of locomotion. Population-level foot preference was only found among right-handers. Marked lateral bias was found in unimanual feeding, indicating that it may be a sensitive behavioural measure for assessing manual preference, especially for provisioned populations. This study not only improves our understanding of the relationship between hand and foot preference in R. roxellana but also reveals potential differential hemispheric regulation of limb preference and the influence of increased social interaction on handedness consistency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Fu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianghui Xu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongbo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujun He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengliang Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Ren
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Wu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Baoguo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
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16
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Taking Sides: Asymmetries in the Evolution of Human Brain Development in Better Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14122689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Confirmation from structural, functional, and behavioral studies agree and suggest a configuration of atypical lateralization in individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). It is suggested that patterns of cortical and behavioral atypicality are evident in individuals with ASDs with atypical lateralization being common in individuals with ASDs. The paper endeavors to better understand the relationship between alterations in typical cortical asymmetries and functional lateralization in ASD in evolutionary terms. We have proposed that both early genetic and/or environmental influences can alter the developmental process of cortical lateralization. There invariably is a “chicken or egg” issue that arises whether atypical cortical anatomy associated with abnormal function, or alternatively whether functional atypicality generates abnormal structure.
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17
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Yin J, Yu G, Zhang J, Li J. Behavioral laterality is correlated with problem-solving performance in a songbird. Anim Cogn 2022; 26:837-848. [PMID: 36449141 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01724-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Cerebral lateralization, which is often reflected in an individual's behavioral laterality (e.g., handedness and footedness), may bring animals certain benefits such as enhanced cognitive performance. Although the lateralization-cognition relationship has been widely studied in humans and other animals, current evidence supporting their relationship is ambiguous and warrants additional insights from more studies. Moreover, the lateralization-cognition relationship in non-human animals has been mostly studied in human-reared populations, and investigations of wild populations are particularly scarce. Here, we test the footedness of wild-caught male yellow-bellied tits (Pardaliparus venustulus) and investigate its association with their performance in learning to solve a toothpick-pulling problem and a drawer-opening problem. The tested birds showed an overall trend to gradually spent less time solving the problems, implying that they learned to solve the problems. Left- and right-footed individuals showed no significant differences in the latency to explore the experimental apparatuses and in the proportions that completed and did not complete the tasks. However, the left-footed individuals learned faster than the right-footed individuals in the drawer-opening experiment, indicating a potential cognitive advantage associated with left-footedness. These results contribute to the understanding of the behavioral differences between differently footed individuals and, in particular, the relationship between lateralization and cognitive ability in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangnan Yin
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Gaoyang Yu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jinggang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianqiang Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
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18
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Agostini C, Bühler A, Antico Calderone A, Aadepu N, Herder C, Loosli F, Carl M. Conserved and diverged asymmetric gene expression in the brain of teleosts. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1005776. [PMID: 36211473 PMCID: PMC9532764 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1005776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological left-right brain asymmetries are universal phenomena in animals. These features have been studied for decades, but the functional relevance is often unclear. Studies from the zebrafish dorsal diencephalon on the genetics underlying the establishment and function of brain asymmetries have uncovered genes associated with the development of functional brain asymmetries. To gain further insights, comparative studies help to investigate the emergence of asymmetries and underlying genetics in connection to functional adaptation. Evolutionarily distant isogenic medaka inbred lines, that show divergence of complex traits such as morphology, physiology and behavior, are a valuable resource to investigate intra-species variations in a given trait of interest. For a detailed study of asymmetry in the medaka diencephalon we generated molecular probes of ten medaka genes that are expressed asymmetrically in the zebrafish habenulae and pineal complex. We find expression of eight genes in the corresponding brain areas of medaka with differences in the extent of left-right asymmetry compared to zebrafish. Our marker gene analysis of the diverged medaka inbred strains revealed marked inter-strain size differences of the respective expression domains in the parapineal and the habenulae, which we hypothesize may result from strain-specific gene loss. Thus, our analysis reveals both inter-species differences but also intra-species plasticity of gene expression in the teleost dorsal diencephalon. These findings are a starting point showing the potential to identify the genetics underlying the emergence and modulations of asymmetries. They are also the prerequisite to examine whether variance in habenular gene expression may cause variation of behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Agostini
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Anja Bühler
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Narendar Aadepu
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cathrin Herder
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Felix Loosli
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- *Correspondence: Felix Loosli, ; Matthias Carl,
| | - Matthias Carl
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- *Correspondence: Felix Loosli, ; Matthias Carl,
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19
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Abu Bakar N, Wan Ibrahim WN, Che Abdullah CA, Ramlan NF, Shaari K, Shohaimi S, Mediani A, Nasruddin NS, Kim CH, Mohd Faudzi SM. Embryonic Arsenic Exposure Triggers Long-Term Behavioral Impairment with Metabolite Alterations in Zebrafish. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10090493. [PMID: 36136458 PMCID: PMC9502072 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10090493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is a ubiquitous heavy metal in the environment. Exposure to this toxin at low concentrations is unremarkable in developing organisms. Nevertheless, understanding the underlying mechanism of its long-term adverse effects remains a challenge. In this study, embryos were initially exposed to As2O3 from gastrulation to hatching under semi-static conditions. Results showed dose-dependent increased mortality, with exposure to 30-40 µM As2O3 significantly reducing tail-coiling and heart rate at early larval stages. Surviving larvae after 30 µM As2O3 exposure showed deficits in motor behavior without impairment of anxiety-like responses at 6 dpf and a slight impairment in color preference behavior at 11 dpf, which was later evident in adulthood. As2O3 also altered locomotor function, with a loss of directional and color preference in adult zebrafish, which correlated with changes in transcriptional regulation of adsl, shank3a, and tsc1b genes. During these processes, As2O3 mainly induced metabolic changes in lipids, particularly arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, prostaglandin, and sphinganine-1-phosphate in the post-hatching period of zebrafish. Overall, this study provides new insight into the potential mechanism of arsenic toxicity leading to long-term learning impairment in zebrafish and may benefit future risk assessments of other environmental toxins of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noraini Abu Bakar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Wan Norhamidah Wan Ibrahim
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- The Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Farhana Ramlan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Khozirah Shaari
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Shamarina Shohaimi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Ahmed Mediani
- Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Malaysia
| | - Nurrul Shaqinah Nasruddin
- Centre for Craniofacial Diagnostics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.-H.K.); (S.M.M.F.)
| | - Siti Munirah Mohd Faudzi
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (C.-H.K.); (S.M.M.F.)
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20
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Mack C, Uomini N. Modulation of behavioural laterality in wild New Caledonian crows ( Corvus moneduloides): Vocalization, age and function. Laterality 2022; 27:379-405. [PMID: 35833319 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2022.2098969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides) is known for displaying a unique set of tool-related behaviours, with the bird's bill acting as an individually consistently lateralized effector. However, we still fail to understand how such laterality develops, is modulated or even if its expression is consistent across other behavioural categories. Creating the first ethogram for this species allowed us to examine laterality and vocalisations in a population of wild, free-flying New Caledonian crows using detailed analyses of close-up video footage. We revealed the existence of an overall strong left-sided bias during object manipulation only and which was driven by the adult crows of our focal population, the stabilization of individual preferences occurring during the birds' juvenile years. Individually, at least one crow showed consistent side biases to the right and left within different behavioural categories. Our findings highlight previously unknown variability in behavioural laterality in this species, thus advocating for further investigation. Specifically, we argue that a better understanding of the New Caledonian crow's biology and ecology is required if one wishes to pursue the promising comparative road that laterality could be connected to the evolution of tool-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrielle Mack
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Natalie Uomini
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Mitchell A, Booth DJ, Nagelkerken I. Ocean warming and acidification degrade shoaling performance and lateralization of novel tropical-temperate fish shoals. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1388-1401. [PMID: 34918444 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Gregarious behaviours are common in animals and provide various benefits such as food acquisition and protection against predators. Many gregarious tropical species are shifting poleward under current ocean warming, creating novel species and social interactions with local temperate taxa. However, how the dynamics of these novel shoals might be altered by future ocean warming and acidification remains untested. Here we evaluate how novel species interactions, ocean acidification and warming affect shoaling dynamics, motor lateralization and boldness of range-extending tropical and co-shoaling temperate fishes under controlled laboratory conditions. Fishes were exposed to 1 of 12 treatments (combinations of three temperature levels, two pCO2 levels and two shoal type levels: mixed species or temperate only) for 38 days. Lateralization (a measure of asymmetric expression of cognitive function in group coordination and predator escape) of tropical and temperate species was right-side biased under present-day conditions, but side bias significantly diminished in tropical and temperate fishes under ocean acidification. Ocean acidification also decreased shoal cohesion irrespective of shoaling type, with mixed-species shoals showing significantly lower cohesion than temperate-only shoals irrespective of climate stressors. Tropical fish became bolder under ocean acidification (after 4 weeks), and temperate fish became bolder with increasing temperature, while ocean acidification dampened temperate fish boldness. Our findings highlight the direct effect of climate stressors on fish behaviour and the interplay with the indirect effects of novel species interactions. Because strong shoal cohesion and lateralization are key determinants of species fitness, their degradation under ocean warming and acidification could adversely affect species performance in novel assemblages in a future ocean, and might slow down tropical species range extensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus Mitchell
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences and The Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David J Booth
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ivan Nagelkerken
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences and The Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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22
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Nastou E, Ocklenburg S, Hoogman M, Papadatou-Pastou M. Handedness in ADHD: Meta-Analyses. Neuropsychol Rev 2022; 32:877-892. [PMID: 35064524 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-021-09530-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Meta-analyses have shown that several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, are associated with a higher prevalence of atypical (left-, non-right-, or mixed-) handedness. One neurodevelopmental disorder for which this association is unclear is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here, some empirical studies have found evidence for a higher prevalence of atypical handedness in individuals with ADHD compared to neurotypical individuals. However, other studies failed to establish such an association. Therefore, meta-analytic integration is critical to estimate whether or not there is an association between handedness and ADHD. We report the results of three meta-analyses (left-, mixed-, and non-right-handedness) comparing handedness in individuals with ADHD to controls (typically developing individuals). The results show evidence of a trend towards elevated levels of atypical handedness when it comes to differences in left- and mixed-handedness (p = 0.09 and p = 0.07, respectively), but do show clear evidence of elevated levels of non-right-handedness between individuals with ADHD and controls (p = 0.02). These findings are discussed in the context of the hypothesis that ADHD is a disorder in which mostly right-hemispheric brain networks are affected. Since right-handedness represents a dominance of the left motor cortex for fine motor behavior, such as writing, as well as a left-hemispheric dominance for language functions, and about 90% of individuals are right-handers, this hypothesis might explain why there is not stronger evidence for an association of left-handedness with ADHD. We suggest that the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of ADHD might show an overlap with the mechanisms involved in handedness strength, but not handedness direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Nastou
- Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 13A Navarinou Street, 10680, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Marietta Papadatou-Pastou
- Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 13A Navarinou Street, 10680, Athens, Greece. .,Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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23
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Takeuchi Y, Higuchi Y, Ikeya K, Tagami M, Oda Y. Experience-dependent learning of behavioral laterality in the scale-eating cichlid Perissodus microlepis occurs during the early developmental stage. Sci Rep 2022; 12:723. [PMID: 35031653 PMCID: PMC8760303 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04588-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral laterality-typically represented by human handedness-is widely observed among animals. However, how laterality is acquired during development remains largely unknown. Here, we examined the effect of behavioral experience on the acquisition of lateralized predation at different developmental stages of the scale-eating cichlid fish Perissodus microlepis. Naïve juvenile fish without previous scale-eating experience showed motivated attacks on prey goldfish and an innate attack side preference. Following short-term predation experience, naïve juveniles learned a pronounced lateralized attack using their slightly skewed mouth morphology, and improved the velocity and amplitude of body flexion to succeed in foraging scales during dominant-side attack. Naïve young fish, however, did not improve the dynamics of flexion movement, but progressively developed attack side preference and speed to approach the prey through predation experience. Thus, the cichlid learns different aspects of predation behavior at different developmental stages. In contrast, naïve adults lost the inherent laterality, and they neither developed the lateralized motions nor increased their success rate of predation, indicating that they missed appropriate learning opportunities for scale-eating skills. Therefore, we conclude that behavioral laterality of the cichlid fish requires the integration of genetic basis and behavioral experiences during early developmental stages, immediately after they start scale-eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Takeuchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
| | - Yuna Higuchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Koki Ikeya
- World Freshwater Aquarium Aquatotto Gifu, Kakamigahara, Japan
| | - Masataka Tagami
- World Freshwater Aquarium Aquatotto Gifu, Kakamigahara, Japan
| | - Yoichi Oda
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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24
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Vieira AB, Fonseca AC, Ferro J, Oliveira AL. Using a Siamese Network to Accurately Detect Ischemic Stroke in Computed Tomography Scans. PROGRESS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-16474-3_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Ogawa S, Parhar IS. Functions of habenula in reproduction and socio-reproductive behaviours. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 64:100964. [PMID: 34793817 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Habenula is an evolutionarily conserved structure in the brain of vertebrates. Recent reports have drawn attention to the habenula as a processing centre for emotional decision-making and its role in psychiatric disorders. Emotional decision-making process is also known to be closely associated with reproductive conditions. The habenula receives innervations from reproductive centres within the brain and signals from key reproductive neuroendocrine regulators such as gonadal sex steroids, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and kisspeptin. In this review, based on morphological, biochemical, physiological, and pharmacological evidence we discuss an emerging role of the habenula in reproduction. Further, we discuss the modulatory role of reproductive endocrine factors in the habenula and their association with socio-reproductive behaviours such as mating, anxiety and aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ogawa
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ishwar S Parhar
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Adewoyin M, Teoh SL, Azmai MNA, Nasruddin NS. Exploiting the Differences Between Zebrafish and Medaka in Biological Research: A Complementary Approach. PHARMACOPHORE 2022. [DOI: 10.51847/a5qhctavdz] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Planidin NP, Reimchen TE. Behavioural responses of threespine stickleback with lateral line asymmetries to experimental mechanosensory stimuli. J Exp Biol 2021; 225:273859. [PMID: 34939652 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Behavioural asymmetry, typically referred to as laterality, is widespread among bilaterians and is often associated with asymmetry in brain structure. However, the influence of sensory receptor asymmetry on laterality has undergone limited investigation. Here we use threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to investigate the influence of lateral line asymmetry on laterality during lab simulations of three mechanosensation-dependent behaviours: predator evasion, prey localization and rheotaxis. We recorded the response of stickleback to impacts at the water surface and water flow in photic conditions and low-frequency oscillations in the dark, across four repeat trials. We then compared individuals' laterality to asymmetry in the number of neuromasts on either side of their body. Stickleback hovered with their right side against the arena wall 57% of the time (P<0.001) in illuminated surface impact trials and 56% of the time in (P=0.085) dark low-frequency stimulation trials. Light regime modulated the effect of neuromast count on laterality, as fish with more neuromasts were more likely to hover with the wall on their right during illumination (P=0.007) but were less likely to do so in darkness (P=0.025). Population level laterality diminished in later trials across multiple behaviours and individuals did not show a consistent side bias in any behaviours. Our results demonstrate a complex relationship between sensory structure asymmetry and laterality, suggesting that laterality is modulated multiple sensory modalities and temporally dynamic.
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Slavík O, Horký P, Valchářová T, Pfauserová N, Velíšek J. Comparative study of stress responses, laterality and familiarity recognition between albino and pigmented fish. ZOOLOGY 2021; 150:125982. [PMID: 34896758 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2021.125982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Oculocutaneous albinism is the result of a combination of homozygous recessive mutations that block the synthesis of the tyrosine and melatonin hormones. This disability is associated with physiological limitations, e.g., visual impairment expressed by lower visual acuity and movement perception, and eventually leads to acrophobia and/or photophobia, suggesting a potentially higher stress level associated with the behavioral responses of individuals with albinism to external stimuli compared to their pigmented conspecifics. However, in fish, differences in behavioral and/or physiological responses and stress levels between these phenotypes have been poorly documented. While acoustic perception of albino individuals is well known, the use of olfactory sensors for social communication, e.g., for the preference for familiar conspecifics, remains poorly understood. We performed two laboratory experiments with albino and pigmented European catfish Silurus glanis to observe: i) their behavioral and physiological responses to short-term stress induced by a combination of air exposure and novel environmental stressors and ii) their ability to use odor keys to recognize of familiar conspecifics and the influence of lateralization on this preference. In response to stress stimuli, albino fish showed higher movement activities and ventilatory frequencies and more often changed their swimming directions compared to their pigmented conspecifics. Blood plasma analysis showed significantly higher values of stress-, deprivation-, and emotional arousal-associated substances, e.g., glucose and lactate, as well as of substances released during intensive muscle activity of hyperventilation and tissue hypoxia, e.g., hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, erythrocytes, and neutrophil granulocytes. A preference test between environments with and without scented water showed the preference by both albino and pigmented catfish for environments with scent of familiar conspecifics, and both groups of fish displayed left-side lateralization associated with the observation of conspecifics and group coordination. The results tended to show higher physiological and behavioral responses of albinos to stress stimuli compared to the responses of their pigmented conspecifics, but the uses of olfactory sensors and lateralization were not differentiated between the two groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Slavík
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavel Horký
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Valchářová
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic
| | - Nikola Pfauserová
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Velíšek
- Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
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Messina A, Potrich D, Schiona I, Sovrano VA, Vallortigara G. The Sense of Number in Fish, with Particular Reference to Its Neurobiological Bases. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113072. [PMID: 34827804 PMCID: PMC8614421 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The ability to deal with quantity, both discrete (numerosities) and continuous (spatial or temporal extent) developed from an evolutionarily conserved system for approximating numerical magnitude. Non-symbolic number cognition based on an approximate sense of magnitude has been documented in a variety of vertebrate species, including fish. Fish, in particular zebrafish, are widely used as models for the investigation of the genetics and molecular mechanisms of behavior, and thus may be instrumental to development of a neurobiology of number cognition. We review here the behavioural studies that have permitted to identify numerical abilities in fish, and the current status of the research related to the neurobiological bases of these abilities with special reference to zebrafish. Combining behavioural tasks with molecular genetics, molecular biology and confocal microscopy, a role of the retina and optic tectum in the encoding of continuous magnitude in larval zebrafish has been reported, while the thalamus and the dorso-central subdivision of pallium in the encoding of discrete magnitude (number) has been documented in adult zebrafish. Research in fish, in particular zebrafish, may reveal instrumental for identifying and characterizing the molecular signature of neurons involved in quantity discrimination processes of all vertebrates, including humans. Abstract It is widely acknowledged that vertebrates can discriminate non-symbolic numerosity using an evolutionarily conserved system dubbed Approximate Number System (ANS). Two main approaches have been used to assess behaviourally numerosity in fish: spontaneous choice tests and operant training procedures. In the first, animals spontaneously choose between sets of biologically-relevant stimuli (e.g., conspecifics, food) differing in quantities (smaller or larger). In the second, animals are trained to associate a numerosity with a reward. Although the ability of fish to discriminate numerosity has been widely documented with these methods, the molecular bases of quantities estimation and ANS are largely unknown. Recently, we combined behavioral tasks with molecular biology assays (e.g c-fos and egr1 and other early genes expression) showing that the thalamus and the caudal region of dorso-central part of the telencephalon seem to be activated upon change in numerousness in visual stimuli. In contrast, the retina and the optic tectum mainly responded to changes in continuous magnitude such as stimulus size. We here provide a review and synthesis of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (G.V.)
| | - Davide Potrich
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
| | - Ilaria Schiona
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (D.P.); (I.S.); (V.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (G.V.)
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Kourakis MJ, Bostwick M, Zabriskie A, Smith WC. Disruption of left-right axis specification in Ciona induces molecular, cellular, and functional defects in asymmetric brain structures. BMC Biol 2021; 19:141. [PMID: 34256748 PMCID: PMC8276506 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01075-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Left-right asymmetries are a common feature of metazoans and can be found in a number of organs including the nervous system. These asymmetries are particularly pronounced in the simple central nervous system (CNS) of the swimming tadpole larva of the tunicate Ciona, which displays a chordate ground plan. While common pathway elements for specifying the left/right axis are found among chordates, particularly a requirement for Nodal signaling, Ciona differs temporally from its vertebrate cousins by specifying its axis at the neurula stage, rather than at gastrula. Additionally, Ciona and other ascidians require an intact chorionic membrane for proper left-right specification. Whether such differences underlie distinct specification mechanisms between tunicates and vertebrates will require broad understanding of their influence on CNS formation. Here, we explore the consequences of disrupting left-right axis specification on Ciona larval CNS cellular anatomy, gene expression, synaptic connectivity, and behavior. Results We show that left-right asymmetry disruptions caused by removal of the chorion (dechorionation) are highly variable and present throughout the Ciona larval nervous system. While previous studies have documented disruptions to the conspicuously asymmetric sensory systems in the anterior brain vesicle, we document asymmetries in seemingly symmetric structures such as the posterior brain vesicle and motor ganglion. Moreover, defects caused by dechorionation include misplaced or absent neuron classes, loss of asymmetric gene expression, aberrant synaptic projections, and abnormal behaviors. In the motor ganglion, a brain structure that has been equated with the vertebrate hindbrain, we find that despite the apparent left-right symmetric distribution of interneurons and motor neurons, AMPA receptors are expressed exclusively on the left side, which equates with asymmetric swimming behaviors. We also find that within a population of dechorionated larvae, there is a small percentage with apparently normal left-right specification and approximately equal population with inverted (mirror-image) asymmetry. We present a method based on a behavioral assay for isolating these larvae. When these two classes of larvae (normal and inverted) are assessed in a light dimming assay, they display mirror-image behaviors, with normal larvae responding with counterclockwise swims, while inverted larvae respond with clockwise swims. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of left-right specification pathways not only for proper CNS anatomy, but also for correct synaptic connectivity and behavior. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01075-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Kourakis
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Michaela Bostwick
- College of Creative Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Amanda Zabriskie
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - William C Smith
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA. .,Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
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Shoulder ranges of motion and humeral torsions of injured baseball players have different characteristics depending on their pitching sides. JSES Int 2021; 5:769-775. [PMID: 34223428 PMCID: PMC8245996 DOI: 10.1016/j.jseint.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Right- and left-side throwers in baseball may have different shoulder conditions and throwing biomechanics. This study aimed to compare the passive range of motion, humeral torsion, and clinical findings between right- and left-handed throwers who sustained throwing shoulder injuries and confirm the differences in the characteristics between throwing sides. Methods A total of 52 pitchers diagnosed with throwing shoulder injuries were included in this study: 27 patients were right-side throwers (R group), and 25 were left-side throwers (L group). We measured the bilateral passive external and internal rotation angles in abduction position (ABIR) and total arc at their first visit. To assess posterior shoulder tightness, the internal rotation angles in forward flexion (FIR), and the abduction angle (AA) and horizontal flexion angle (HFA) without scapula motion were measured. The bilateral humeral torsion angles were also measured using ultrasonography. These values were compared between the participants' throwing and non-throwing sides and between the R and L groups' throwing sides. Furthermore, several physical findings in the shoulders were assessed, and the positive ratio was compared between the R and L groups. Results On comparing the throwing and non-throwing sides, the R group had significantly greater external rotation angles in the abduction position and humeral torsion angle, and smaller ABIR, total arc, FIR, AA, and HFA in the throwing side, while the L group showed no significant differences, except for a smaller ABIR and larger HFA in the throwing side. On comparing the throwing side between the R and L groups, the R group had a smaller FIR, AA, and FHA than the L group. Regarding the physical findings, the posterior jerk test, Kim test, anterior and posterior drawer sign, sulcus sign, and scapular winging in the L group were significantly more positive than in the R group. Conclusion The range of motion and humeral torsions differed between the left- and right-side throwers, as did the pathology between their throwing sides. Clinicians should consider the possibility that the pathological condition differs between left- and right-side throwers.
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Cubí M, Llorente M. Hand preference for a bimanual coordinated task in captive hatinh langurs (Trachypithecus hatinhensis) and grey-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix cinerea). Behav Processes 2021; 187:104393. [PMID: 33839239 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Right-handedness in humans reflects the functional brain specialisation of the left hemisphere. To better understand the origins of this population-level tendency, it is crucial to understand manual lateralisation in other non-human primate species. The aim of this article is to present a first approach to the hand preference of two primates from Vietnam, the endangered hatinh langur (Trachypithecus hatinhensis) and the critically endangered grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea). Eighteen individuals from each species (N = 36) were evaluated by means of the bimanual coordinated tube task and their responses were recorded in terms of manual events and bouts. Our results showed that subjects presented strong individual-level preferences but not lateralisation at the group-level. No sex differences were detected within species. The index finger was used in all of the extractions during this bimanual task, alone (86 %) or in combination with other fingers (14 %). In addition, hatinh langurs exhibited a greater strength of hand preferences than grey-shanked douc langurs, pointing to a possible higher manual specialisation during the leaf-eating process. These findings help to broaden our scarce knowledge of manual laterality in Asian colobine monkeys and confirm the bimanual tube task as a sensitive measure for assessing manual laterality in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Cubí
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, Girona, 17003, Spain.
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, Girona, 17003, Spain; Serra Húnter Fellow, Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 9, Girona, 17004, Spain; Institut de Recerca i Estudis en Primatologia - IPRIM, 17246 Santa Cristina d'Aro, Girona, Spain.
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Miletto Petrazzini ME, Gambaretto L, Dadda M, Brennan C, Agrillo C. Are cerebral and behavioural lateralization related to anxiety-like traits in the animal model zebrafish ( Danio rerio)? Laterality 2020; 26:144-162. [PMID: 33334244 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2020.1854280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Brain lateralization refers to hemispheric asymmetries in functions and/or neuroanatomical structures. Functional specialization in non-human animals has been mainly inferred through observation of lateralized motor responses and sensory perception. Only in a few cases has the influence of brain asymmetries on behaviour been described. Zebrafish has rapidly become a valuable model to investigate this issue as it displays epithalamic asymmetries that have been correlated to some lateralized behaviours. Here we investigated the relation between neuroanatomical or behavioural lateralization and anxiety using a light-dark preference test in adult zebrafish. In Experiment 1, we observed how scototaxis response varied as a function of behavioural lateralization measured in the detour task as turning preference in front of a dummy predator. In Experiment 2, foxD3:GFP transgenic adult zebrafish with left or right parapineal position, were tested in the same light-dark test as fish in Experiment 1. No correlation was found between the behaviour observed in the detour test and in the scototaxis test nor between the left- and right-parapineal fish and the scototaxis response. The consistency of results obtained in both experiments indicates that neither behavioural nor neuroanatomical asymmetries are related to anxiety-related behaviours measured in the light-dark test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena Miletto Petrazzini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Linda Gambaretto
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Dadda
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Caroline Brennan
- Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Christian Agrillo
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Messina A, Boiti A, Vallortigara G. Asymmetric distribution of pallial‐expressed genes in zebrafish (
Danio rerio
). Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:362-375. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences University of Trento Rovereto Italy
| | - Alessandra Boiti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences University of Trento Rovereto Italy
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Does Brain Lateralization Affect the Performance in Binary Choice Tasks? A Study in the Animal Model Danio rerio. Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12081294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers in behavioral neuroscience commonly observe the behavior of animal subjects in the presence of two alternative stimuli. However, this type of binary choice introduces a potential confound related to side biases. Understanding whether subjects exhibit this bias, and the origin of it (pre-existent or acquired throughout the experimental sessions), is particularly important to interpreting the results. Here, we tested the hypothesis according to which brain lateralization may influence the emergence of side biases in a well-known model of neuroscience, the zebrafish. As a measure of lateralization, individuals were observed in their spontaneous tendencies to monitor a potential predator with either the left or the right eye. Subjects also underwent an operant conditioning task requiring discrimination between two colors placed on the left–right axis. Although the low performance exhibited in the operant conditioning task prevents firm conclusions from being drawn, a positive correlation was found between the direction of lateralization and the tendency to select the stimulus presented on one specific side (e.g., right). The choice for this preferred side did not change throughout the experimental sessions, meaning that this side bias was not the result of the prolonged training. Overall, our study calls for a wider investigation of pre-existing lateralization biases in animal models to set up methodological counterstrategies to test individuals that do not properly work in a binary choice task with stimuli arranged on the left–right axis.
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Pellitteri-Rosa D, Lazić M, Gazzola A, Vallortigara G. Righting behaviour in the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis): relations between behavioural and morphological lateralization. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:989-998. [PMID: 32617750 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01406-y] [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: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Lateralization represents a key property of many behavioural traits, with the right and left sides of the brain providing different and integrative functions. Common ecological contexts where lateralization can be observed are foraging and predatory ones, where both visual and auditory lateralization may provide advantages such as faster response and increasing neural processing capacity. This is crucial in selecting a safe refuge during a predatory attack and may strongly affect the outcome of predator-prey interactions. For animals like turtles, a critical condition may occur when they are overturned on their own shell, which causes difficulties in breathing and thermoregulation, making them more vulnerable to predators. Therefore, the ability to right is a critical adaptive component related to survival in aquatic turtles, which has been observed to be lateralized. However, an overlooked feature of behavioural lateralization is its possible relationship with asymmetry in external morphology. Here we investigated this topic in freshwater European pond turtles Emys orbicularis, looking at a possible relation between lateralization in righting behaviour response and asymmetry in the shape of turtles' plastron and carapace. Righting performance (total time needed to completely turn) appeared to depend on shell shape. We found that none of the morphometric variables was related to a lateralization index calculated as the first side from which turtles tried to right. However, a strong negative correlation between the asymmetry index of plastron and the turning direction emerged, with more symmetric animals tending to turn to the right side.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Pellitteri-Rosa
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Marko Lazić
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrea Gazzola
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, P.zza Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
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Abstract
By examining the development of lateralization in the sensory and motor systems of the human fetus and chick embryo, this paper debates which lateralized functions develop first and what interactions may occur between the different sensory and motor systems during development. It also discusses some known influences of inputs from the environment on the development of lateralization, particularly the effects of light exposure on the development of visual and motor lateralization in chicks. The effects of light on the human fetus are related in this context. Using the chick embryo as a model to elucidate the genetic and environmental factors involved in development of lateralization, some understanding has been gained about how these lateralized functions emerge. At the same time, the value of carrying out much more research on the development of the various types of lateralization has become apparent.
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