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Ross TW, Poulter SL, Lever C, Easton A. Mice integrate conspecific and contextual information in forming social episodic-like memories under spontaneous recognition task conditions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16159. [PMID: 38997341 PMCID: PMC11245605 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66403-4] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to remember unique past events (episodic memory) may be an evolutionarily conserved function, with accumulating evidence of episodic-(like) memory processing in rodents. In humans, it likely contributes to successful complex social networking. Rodents, arguably the most used laboratory models, are also rather social animals. However, many behavioural paradigms are devoid of sociality, and commonly-used social spontaneous recognition tasks (SRTs) are open to non-episodic strategies based upon familiarity. We address this gap by developing new SRT variants. Here, in object-in-context SRTs, we asked if context could be specified by the presence/absence of either a conspecific (experiment 1) or an additional local object (experiment 2). We show that mice readily used the conspecific as contextual information to distinguish unique episodes in memory. In contrast, no coherent behavioural response emerged when an additional object was used as a potential context specifier. Further, in a new social conspecific-in-context SRT (experiment 3) where environment-based change was the context specifier, mice preferably explored a more recently-seen familiar conspecific associated with contextual mismatch, over a less recently-seen familiar conspecific presented in the same context. The results argue that, in incidental SRT conditions, mice readily incorporate conspecific cue information into episodic-like memory. Thus, the tasks offer different ways to assess and further understand the mechanisms at work in social episodic-like memory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W Ross
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
- Centre for Learning and Memory Processes, Durham University, Durham, UK.
| | - S L Poulter
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
- Centre for Learning and Memory Processes, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - C Lever
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
- Centre for Learning and Memory Processes, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - A Easton
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
- Centre for Learning and Memory Processes, Durham University, Durham, UK
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2
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Ike KGO, Lamers SJC, Kaim S, de Boer SF, Buwalda B, Billeter JC, Kas MJH. The human neuropsychiatric risk gene Drd2 is necessary for social functioning across evolutionary distant species. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:518-528. [PMID: 38114631 PMCID: PMC11116113 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02345-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The Drd2 gene, encoding the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R), was recently indicated as a potential target in the etiology of lowered sociability (i.e., social withdrawal), a symptom of several neuropsychiatric disorders such as Schizophrenia and Major Depression. Many animal species show social withdrawal in response to stimuli, including the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster and mice, which also share most human disease-related genes. Here we will test for causality between Drd2 and sociability and for its evolutionary conserved function in these two distant species, as well as assess its mechanism as a potential therapeutic target. During behavioral observations in groups of freely interacting D. melanogaster, Drd2 homologue mutant showed decreased social interactions and locomotor activity. After confirming Drd2's social effects in flies, conditional transgenic mice lacking Drd2 in dopaminergic cells (autoreceptor KO) or in serotonergic cells (heteroreceptor KO) were studied in semi-natural environments, where they could freely interact. Autoreceptor KOs showed increased sociability, but reduced activity, while no overall effect of Drd2 deletion was observed in heteroreceptor KOs. To determine acute effects of D2R signaling on sociability, we also showed that a direct intervention with the D2R agonist Sumanirole decreased sociability in wild type mice, while the antagonist showed no effects. Using a computational ethological approach, this study demonstrates that Drd2 regulates sociability across evolutionary distant species, and that activation of the mammalian D2R autoreceptor, in particular, is necessary for social functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin G O Ike
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sanne J C Lamers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Soumya Kaim
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sietse F de Boer
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bauke Buwalda
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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3
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Cum M, Santiago Pérez JA, Wangia E, Lopez N, Wright ES, Iwata RL, Li A, Chambers AR, Padilla-Coreano N. A systematic review and meta-analysis of how social memory is studied. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2221. [PMID: 38278973 PMCID: PMC10817899 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52277-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Social recognition is crucial for survival in social species, and necessary for group living, selective reproduction, pair bonding, and dominance hierarchies. Mice and rats are the most commonly used animal models in social memory research, however current paradigms do not account for the complex social dynamics they exhibit in the wild. To assess the range of social memories being studied, we conducted a systematic analysis of neuroscience articles testing the social memory of mice and rats published within the past two decades and analyzed their methods. Our results show that despite these rodent's rich social memory capabilities, the majority of social recognition papers explore short-term memories and short-term familiarity levels with minimal exposure between subject and familiar stimuli-a narrow type of social memory. We have identified several key areas currently understudied or underrepresented: kin relationships, mates, social ranks, sex variabilities, and the effects of aging. Additionally, reporting on social stimulus variables such as housing history, strain, and age, is limited, which may impede reproducibility. Overall, our data highlight large gaps in the diversity of social memories studied and the effects social variables have on social memory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Cum
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | | | - Erika Wangia
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Naeliz Lopez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Ryo L Iwata
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Albert Li
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Amelia R Chambers
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
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4
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Cum M, Pérez JS, Wangia E, Lopez N, Wright ES, Iwata RL, Li A, Chambers AR, Padilla-Coreano N. Mind the gap: A systematic review and meta-analysis of how social memory is studied. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.20.572606. [PMID: 38187659 PMCID: PMC10769336 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Social recognition is crucial for survival in social species, and necessary for group living, selective reproduction, pair bonding, and dominance hierarchies. Mice and rats are the most commonly used animal models in social memory research, however current paradigms do not account for the complex social dynamics they exhibit in the wild. To assess the range of social memories being studied, we conducted a systematic analysis of neuroscience articles testing the social memory of mice and rats published within the past two decades and analyzed their methods. Our results show that despite these rodent's rich social memory capabilities, the majority of social recognition papers explore short-term memories and short-term familiarity levels with minimal exposure between subject and familiar stimuli - a narrow type of social memory. We have identified several key areas currently understudied or underrepresented: kin relationships, mates, social ranks, sex variabilities, and the effects of aging. Additionally, reporting on social stimulus variables such as housing history, strain, and age, is limited, which may impede reproducibility. Overall, our data highlight large gaps in the diversity of social memories studied and the effects social variables have on social memory mechanisms.
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5
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Shemesh Y, Chen A. A paradigm shift in translational psychiatry through rodent neuroethology. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:993-1003. [PMID: 36635579 PMCID: PMC10005947 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01913-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Mental disorders are a significant cause of disability worldwide. They profoundly affect individuals' well-being and impose a substantial financial burden on societies and governments. However, despite decades of extensive research, the effectiveness of current therapeutics for mental disorders is often not satisfactory or well tolerated by the patient. Moreover, most novel therapeutic candidates fail in clinical testing during the most expensive phases (II and III), which results in the withdrawal of pharma companies from investing in the field. It also brings into question the effectiveness of using animal models in preclinical studies to discover new therapeutic agents and predict their potential for treating mental illnesses in humans. Here, we focus on rodents as animal models and propose that they are essential for preclinical investigations of candidate therapeutic agents' mechanisms of action and for testing their safety and efficiency. Nevertheless, we argue that there is a need for a paradigm shift in the methodologies used to measure animal behavior in laboratory settings. Specifically, behavioral readouts obtained from short, highly controlled tests in impoverished environments and social contexts as proxies for complex human behavioral disorders might be of limited face validity. Conversely, animal models that are monitored in more naturalistic environments over long periods display complex and ethologically relevant behaviors that reflect evolutionarily conserved endophenotypes of translational value. We present how semi-natural setups in which groups of mice are individually tagged, and video recorded continuously can be attainable and affordable. Moreover, novel open-source machine-learning techniques for pose estimation enable continuous and automatic tracking of individual body parts in groups of rodents over long periods. The trajectories of each individual animal can further be subjected to supervised machine learning algorithms for automatic detection of specific behaviors (e.g., chasing, biting, or fleeing) or unsupervised automatic detection of behavioral motifs (e.g., stereotypical movements that might be harder to name or label manually). Compared to studies of animals in the wild, semi-natural environments are more compatible with neural and genetic manipulation techniques. As such, they can be used to study the neurobiological mechanisms underlying naturalistic behavior. Hence, we suggest that such a paradigm possesses the best out of classical ethology and the reductive behaviorist approach and may provide a breakthrough in discovering new efficient therapies for mental illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yair Shemesh
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.
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6
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Lee W, Dwortz MF, Milewski TM, Champagne FA, Curley JP. Social status mediated variation in hypothalamic transcriptional profiles of male mice. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105176. [PMID: 35500322 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Animals of different social status exhibit variation in aggression, territorial and reproductive behavior as well as activity patterns, feeding, drinking and status signaling. This behavioral and physiological plasticity is coordinated by underlying changes in brain gene transcription. Using Tag-based RNA sequencing (Tag-seq), we explore RNA transcriptomes from the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventral hypothalamus (vHYP) of male mice of different social ranks in a dominance hierarchy and detect candidate genes and cellular pathways that underlie status-related plasticity. Within the mPOA, oxytocin (Oxt) and vasopressin (Avp) are more highly expressed in subdominant mice compared to other ranks, while nitric oxide synthase (Nos1) has lower expression in subdominant mice. Within the vHYP, we find that both orexigenic and anorexigenic genes involved in feeding behavior, including agouti-related peptide (Agrp), neuropeptide-Y (Npy), galanin (Gal), proopiomelanocortin (Pomc), and Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein prepropeptide (Cartpt), are less expressed in dominant animals compared to more subordinate ranks. We suggest that this may represent a reshaping of feeding circuits in dominant compared to subdominant and subordinate animals. Furthermore, we determine several genes that are positively and negatively associated with the level of despotism (aggression) in dominant males. Ultimately, we identify hypothalamic genes controlling feeding and social behaviors that are differentially transcribed across animals of varying social status. These changes in brain transcriptomics likely support phenotypic variation that enable animals to adapt to their current social status.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of In Vivo Pharmacology Services, The Jackson Laboratory, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - M F Dwortz
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - T M Milewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - F A Champagne
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - J P Curley
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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7
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Winiarski M, Kondrakiewicz L, Kondrakiewicz K, Jędrzejewska‐Szmek J, Turzyński K, Knapska E, Meyza K. Social deficits in BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mice vary with ecological validity of the test. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12814. [PMID: 35621219 PMCID: PMC9744492 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Translational value of mouse models of neuropsychiatric disorders depends heavily on the accuracy with which they replicate symptoms observed in the human population. In mouse models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) these include, among others, social affiliation, and communication deficits as well as impairments in understanding and perception of others. Most studies addressing these issues in the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mouse, an idiopathic model of ASD, were based on short dyadic interactions of often non-familiar partners placed in a novel environment. In such stressful and variable conditions, the reproducibility of the phenotype was low. Here, we compared physical conditions and the degree of habituation of mice at the time of testing in the three chambered social affiliation task, as well as parameters used to measure social deficits and found that both the level of stress and human bias profoundly affect the results of the test. To minimize these effects, we tested social preference and network dynamics in mice group-housed in the Eco-HAB system. This automated recording allowed for long-lasting monitoring of differences in social repertoire (including interest in social stimuli) in BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J and normosocial c57BL/6J mice. With these observations we further validate the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mouse as a model for ASD, but at the same time emphasize the need for more ecological testing of social behavior within all constructs of the Systems for Social Processes domain (as defined by the Research Domain Criteria framework).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Winiarski
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY – Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental BiologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Ludwika Kondrakiewicz
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY – Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental BiologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Kacper Kondrakiewicz
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY – Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental BiologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland,NeuroElectronics Research FlandersLeuvenBelgium
| | - Joanna Jędrzejewska‐Szmek
- Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Nencki Institute of Experimental BiologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | | | - Ewelina Knapska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY – Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental BiologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | - Ksenia Meyza
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY – Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental BiologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
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8
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Wang T, Xu J, Xu Y, Xiao J, Bi N, Gu X, Wang HL. Gut microbiota shapes social dominance through modulating HDAC2 in the medial prefrontal cortex. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110478. [PMID: 35263606 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Social dominance is a ubiquitous phenomenon among social animals, including humans. To date, individual attributes leading to dominance (after a contest) remain largely elusive. Here, we report that socially dominant rats can be distinguished from subordinates based on their intestinal microbiota. When dysbiosis is induced, rats are predisposed to a subordinate state, while dysbiotic rats reclaim social dominance following microbiota transplantation. Winning hosts are characterized by core microbes, a majority of which are associated with butyrate production, and the sole colonization of Clostridium butyricum is sufficient to restore dominance. Regarding molecular aspects, a histone deacetylase, HDAC2, is responsive to microbial status and mediates competition outcome; however, this occurs only in a restricted population of cells in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Furthermore, HDAC2 acts by modulating synaptic activity in mPFC. Together, these findings uncover a link between commensals and host dominance, providing insight into the gut-brain mechanisms underlying dominance determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Wang
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Jinchun Xu
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Yi Xu
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, 193 Tunxi Road, Hefei 230009, China.
| | - Jie Xiao
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Nanxi Bi
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Xiaozhen Gu
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Hui-Li Wang
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, 193 Tunxi Road, Hefei 230009, China.
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9
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Fulenwider HD, Caruso MA, Ryabinin AE. Manifestations of domination: Assessments of social dominance in rodents. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12731. [PMID: 33769667 PMCID: PMC8464621 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Social hierarchies are ubiquitous features of virtually all animal groups. The varying social ranks of members within these groups have profound effects on both physical and emotional health, with lower-ranked individuals typically being the most adversely affected by their respective ranks. Thus, reliable measures of social dominance in preclinical rodent models are necessary to better understand the effects of an individual's social rank on other behaviors and physiological processes. In this review, we outline the primary methodologies used to assess social dominance in various rodent species: those that are based on analyses of agonistic behaviors, and those that are based on resource competition. In synthesizing this review, we conclude that assays based on resource competition may be better suited to characterize social dominance in a wider variety of rodent species and strains, and in both males and females. Lastly, albeit expectedly, we demonstrate that similarly to many other areas of preclinical research, studies incorporating female subjects are lacking in comparison to those using males. These findings emphasize the need for an increased number of studies assessing social dominance in females to form a more comprehensive understanding of this behavioral phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah D. Fulenwider
- Department of Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandORUSA
| | - Maya A. Caruso
- Department of Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandORUSA
| | - Andrey E. Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandORUSA
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10
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Strauss ED, DeCasien AR, Galindo G, Hobson EA, Shizuka D, Curley JP. DomArchive: a century of published dominance data. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200436. [PMID: 35000444 PMCID: PMC8743893 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dominance behaviours have been collected for many groups of animals since 1922 and serve as a foundation for research on social behaviour and social structure. Despite a wealth of data from the last century of research on dominance hierarchies, these data are only rarely used for comparative insight. Here, we aim to facilitate comparative studies of the structure and function of dominance hierarchies by compiling published dominance interaction datasets from the last 100 years of work. This compiled archive includes 436 datasets from 190 studies of 367 unique groups (mean group size 13.8, s.d. = 13.4) of 135 different species, totalling over 243 000 interactions. These data are presented in an R package alongside relevant metadata and a tool for subsetting the archive based on biological or methodological criteria. In this paper, we explain how to use the archive, discuss potential limitations of the data, and reflect on best practices in publishing dominance data based on our experience in assembling this dataset. This archive will serve as an important resource for future comparative studies and will promote the development of general unifying theories of dominance in behavioural ecology that can be grounded in testing with empirical data. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli D. Strauss
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0118 USA
| | - Alex R. DeCasien
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MA, USA
| | - Gabriela Galindo
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Hobson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Daizaburo Shizuka
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0118 USA
| | - James P. Curley
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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11
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Spatial working memory is disparately interrelated with social status through different developmental stages in rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 416:113547. [PMID: 34437940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113547] [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: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Social life necessitates cognitive competence to meet the dynamic demands of social development. The formation of dominance hierarchy is a general phenomenon in social groups. As an essential element of executive and cognitive function, working memory could influence and be influenced by social status in a dominance hierarchy. However, the direction and degree of the association between them through different developmental stages remain unclear. To address this issue and clarify the "cause or consequence" problem, we investigated the spatial working memory performance in a Y-maze and Morris water maze in home-caged sibling Wistar rats (N = 26 cages, three rats/cage) through three stages of their life: before (week 7), during (week 10), and after (week 20) assumed timings of the social dominance hierarchy formation (SDHF). We used the social dominance tube test during the assumed time of hierarchy formation (weeks 9-11) to measure the relative dominance status in each cage. Here, we found that higher working memory index before SDHF could be predictive of later acquisition of higher social status. Working memory performance declined for all animals during SDHF, in which agonistic conflicts are increased. However, living within an established hierarchical social network for several weeks deteriorated the working memory performance of dominant and middle-ranked animals, while the performance of subordinates improved and got significantly better than higher-ranked animals. In conclusion, while working memory and social status were correlated positively before dominance hierarchy formation, there was a trade-off between them after the formation of it. In contrast to the common view, these results highlight the adverse effect of higher social status on cognitive behavior.
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12
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Funnell TR, Fialkowski RJ, Dijkstra PD. Social dominance does not increase oxidative stress in a female dominance hierarchy of an African cichlid fish. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R. Funnell
- Department of Biology Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant MI USA
- Quantitative Fisheries Center Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | | | - Peter D. Dijkstra
- Department of Biology Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant MI USA
- Neuroscience Program Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant MI USA
- Institute for Great Lakes Research Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant MI USA
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13
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Barabas AJ, Lucas JR, Erasmus MA, Cheng HW, Gaskill BN. Who's the Boss? Assessing Convergent Validity of Aggression Based Dominance Measures in Male Laboratory Mice, Mus Musculus. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:695948. [PMID: 34307534 PMCID: PMC8301077 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.695948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggression among group housed male mice continues to challenge laboratory animal researchers because mitigation strategies are generally applied at the cage level without a good understanding of how it affects the dominance hierarchy. Aggression within a group is typically displayed by the dominant mouse targeting lower ranking subordinates; thus, the strategies for preventing aggression may be more successful if applied specifically to the dominant mouse. Unfortunately, dominance rank is often not assessed because of time intensive observations or tests. Several correlates of dominance status have been identified, but none have been directly compared to home cage behavior in standard housing. This study assessed the convergent validity of three dominance correlates (urinary darcin, tube test score, preputial gland to body length ratio) with wound severity and rankings based on home cage behavior, using factor analysis. Discriminant validity with open field measures was assessed to determine if tube test scores are independent of anxiety. Cages were equally split between SJL and albino C57BL/6 strains and group sizes of 3 or 5 (N = 24). Home cage behavior was observed during the first week, and dominance measures were recorded over the second. After controlling for strain and group size, darcin and preputial ratio had strong loadings on the same factor, which was a significant predictor of home cage ranking showing strong convergent validity. Tube test scores were not significantly impacted by open field data, showing discriminant validity. Social network analysis revealed that despotic power structures were prevalent, aggressors were typically more active and rested away from cage mates, and the amount of social investigation and aggression performed by an individual were highly correlated. Data from this study show that darcin and preputial ratio are representative of home cage aggression and provide further insight into individual behavior patterns in group housed male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Barabas
- Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Marisa A Erasmus
- Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Heng-Wei Cheng
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Brianna N Gaskill
- Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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14
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Maguire SM, DeAngelis R, Dijkstra PD, Jordan A, Hofmann HA. Social network dynamics predict hormone levels and behavior in a highly social cichlid fish. Horm Behav 2021; 132:104994. [PMID: 33991797 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Group living confers many benefits while simultaneously exposing group members to intense competition. An individual's rise to prominence within a group may conflict with the overall functioning of the group. There is therefore a complex and dynamic relationship between the behavioral displays that directly benefit an individual, the consequences of these actions for the community, and how they feed back on individual-level fitness. We used a network analysis approach to study the link between behavior, social stability, and steroid hormone levels in replicate communities of the cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, which live in social groups with a dominance hierarchy. We demonstrate that individual behavior can have direct and indirect effects on the behavior of others while also affecting group characteristics. Our results show that A. burtoni males form stable social networks, where dominant individuals act as hubs for social interactions. However, there was variation in the temporal stability in these networks, and this variation in stability impacted hormone levels. Dominant males had higher testosterone levels, however, the differences in testosterone levels between dominant and subordinate males were greatest in stable communities. In sum, our analyses provide novel insights into the processes by which individual and community properties interact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Maguire
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ross DeAngelis
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Peter D Dijkstra
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Alex Jordan
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Institue for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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15
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Han M, Jiang G, Luo H, Shao Y. Neurobiological Bases of Social Networks. Front Psychol 2021; 12:626337. [PMID: 33995181 PMCID: PMC8119875 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.626337] [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] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A social network is a web that integrates multiple levels of interindividual social relationships and has direct associations with an individual’s health and well-being. Previous research has mainly focused on how brain and social network structures (structural properties) act on each other and on how the brain supports the spread of ideas and behaviors within social networks (functional properties). The structure of the social network is correlated with activity in the amygdala, which links decoding and interpreting social signals and social values. The structure also relies on the mentalizing network, which is central to an individual’s ability to infer the mental states of others. Network functional properties depend on multilayer brain-social networks, indicating that information transmission is supported by the default mode system, the valuation system, and the mentalizing system. From the perspective of neuroendocrinology, overwhelming evidence shows that variations in oxytocin, β-endorphin and dopamine receptor genes, including oxytocin receptor (OXTR), mu opioid receptor 1 (OPRM1) and dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2), predict an individual’s social network structure, whereas oxytocin also contributes to improved transmission of emotional and behavioral information from person to person. Overall, previous studies have comprehensively revealed the effects of the brain, endocrine system, and genes on social networks. Future studies are required to determine the effects of cognitive abilities, such as memory, on social networks, the characteristics and neural mechanism of social networks in mental illness and how social networks change over time through the use of longitudinal methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengfei Han
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Gaofang Jiang
- College of Education, Cangzhou Normal University, Cangzhou, China
| | - Haoshuang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongcong Shao
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
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16
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LeClair KB, Russo SJ. Using social rank as the lens to focus on the neural circuitry driving stress coping styles. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 68:167-180. [PMID: 33930622 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Social hierarchy position in humans is negatively correlated with stress-related psychiatric disease risk. Animal models have largely corroborated human studies, showing that social rank can impact stress susceptibility and is considered to be a major risk factor in the development of psychiatric illness. Differences in stress coping style is one of several factors that mediate this relationship between social rank and stress susceptibility. Coping styles encompass correlated groupings of behaviors associated with differential physiological stress responses. Here, we discuss recent insights from animal models that highlight several neural circuits that can contribute to social rank-associated differences in coping style.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine B LeClair
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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17
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Rathod YD, Di Fulvio M. The feeding microstructure of male and female mice. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246569. [PMID: 33539467 PMCID: PMC7861458 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The feeding pattern and control of energy intake in mice housed in groups are poorly understood. Here, we determined and quantified the normal feeding microstructure of social male and female mice of the C57BL/6J genetic background fed a chow diet. Mice at 10w, 20w and 30w of age showed the expected increase in lean and fat mass, being the latter more pronounced and variable in males than in females. Under ad libitum conditions, 20w and 30w old females housed in groups showed significantly increased daily energy intake when adjusted to body weight relative to age-matched males. This was the combined result of small increases in energy intake during the nocturnal and diurnal photoperiods of the day without major changes in the circadian pattern of energy intake or spontaneous ambulatory activity. The analysis of the feeding microstructure suggests sex- and age-related contributions of meal size, meal frequency and intermeal interval to the control of energy intake under stable energy balance, but not under negative energy balance imposed by prolonged fasting. During the night, 10-20w old females ate less frequently bigger meals and spent more time eating them resulting in reduced net energy intake relative to age-matched males. In addition, male and female mice at all ages tested significantly shortened the intermeal interval during the first hours of re-feeding in response to fasting without affecting meal size. Further, 20-30w old males lengthened their intermeal interval as re-feeding time increased to reach fed-levels faster than age-matched females. Collectively, our results suggest that the physiological mechanisms controlling meal size (satiation) and the non-eating time spent between meals (satiety) during stable or negative energy balance are regulated in a sex- and age-dependent manner in social mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakshkumar Dilipbhai Rathod
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States of America
| | - Mauricio Di Fulvio
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States of America
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18
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Lee W, Dowd HN, Nikain C, Dwortz MF, Yang ED, Curley JP. Effect of relative social rank within a social hierarchy on neural activation in response to familiar or unfamiliar social signals. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2864. [PMID: 33536481 PMCID: PMC7859216 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82255-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Competent social functioning of group-living species relies on the ability of individuals to detect and utilize conspecific social cues to guide behavior. Previous studies have identified numerous brain regions involved in processing these external cues, collectively referred to as the Social Decision-Making Network. However, how the brain encodes social information with respect to an individual's social status has not been thoroughly examined. In mice, cues about an individual's identity, including social status, are conveyed through urinary proteins. In this study, we assessed the neural cFos immunoreactivity in dominant and subordinate male mice exposed to familiar and unfamiliar dominant and subordinate male urine. The posteroventral medial amygdala was the only brain region that responded exclusively to dominant compared to subordinate male urine. In all other brain regions, including the VMH, PMv, and vlPAG, activity is modulated by a combination of odor familiarity and the social status of both the urine donor and the subject receiving the cue. We show that dominant subjects exhibit robust differential activity across different types of cues compared to subordinate subjects, suggesting that individuals perceive social cues differently depending on social experience. These data inform further investigation of neurobiological mechanisms underlying social-status related brain differences and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Lee
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hollie N Dowd
- School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cyrus Nikain
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Eilene D Yang
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - James P Curley
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA.
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19
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Varholick JA, Bailoo JD, Jenkins A, Voelkl B, Würbel H. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Social Dominance Status and Common Behavioral Phenotypes in Male Laboratory Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:624036. [PMID: 33551768 PMCID: PMC7855301 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.624036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Social dominance status (e.g., dominant or subordinate) is often associated with individual differences in behavior and physiology but is largely neglected in experimental designs and statistical analysis plans in biomedical animal research. In fact, the extent to which social dominance status affects common experimental outcomes is virtually unknown. Given the pervasive use of laboratory mice and culminating evidence of issues with reproducibility, understanding the role of social dominance status on common behavioral measures used in research may be of paramount importance. Methods: To determine whether social dominance status—one facet of the social environment—contributes in a systematic way to standard measures of behavior in biomedical science, we conducted a systematic review of the existing literature searching the databases of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Experiments were divided into several domains of behavior: exploration, anxiety, learned helplessness, cognition, social, and sensory behavior. Meta-analyses between experiments were conducted for the open field, elevated plus-maze, and Porsolt forced swim test. Results: Of the 696 publications identified, a total of 55 experiments from 20 published studies met our pre-specified criteria. Study characteristics and reported results were highly heterogeneous across studies. A systematic review and meta-analyses, where possible, with these studies revealed little evidence for systematic phenotypic differences between dominant and subordinate male mice. Conclusion: This finding contradicts the notion that social dominance status impacts behavior in significant ways, although the lack of an observed relationship may be attributable to study heterogeneity concerning strain, group-size, age, housing and husbandry conditions, and dominance assessment method. Therefore, further research considering these secondary sources of variation may be necessary to determine if social dominance generally impacts treatment effects in substantive ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin A Varholick
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jeremy D Bailoo
- Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States.,Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Ashley Jenkins
- Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Bernhard Voelkl
- Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hanno Würbel
- Division of Animal Welfare, Veterinary Public Health Institute, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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20
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Love J, Zelikowsky M. Stress Varies Along the Social Density Continuum. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:582985. [PMID: 33192349 PMCID: PMC7606998 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.582985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Social stress is ubiquitous in the lives of social animals. While significant research has aimed to understand the specific forms of stress imparted by particular social interactions, less attention has been paid to understanding the behavioral effects and neural underpinnings of stress produced by the presence and magnitude of social interactions. However, in humans and rodents alike, chronically low and chronically high rates of social interaction are associated with a suite of mental health issues, suggesting the need for further research. Here, we review literature examining the behavioral and neurobiological findings associated with changing social density, focusing on research on chronic social isolation and chronic social crowding in rodent models, and synthesize findings in the context of the continuum of social density that can be experienced by social animals. Through this synthesis, we aim to both summarize the state of the field and describe promising avenues for future research that would more clearly define the broad effects of social interaction on the brain and behavior in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Love
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Moriel Zelikowsky
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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21
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Ike KG, de Boer SF, Buwalda B, Kas MJ. Social withdrawal: An initially adaptive behavior that becomes maladaptive when expressed excessively. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:251-267. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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22
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Lopes PC, König B. Wild mice with different social network sizes vary in brain gene expression. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:506. [PMID: 32698762 PMCID: PMC7374831 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06911-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Appropriate social interactions influence animal fitness by impacting several processes, such as mating, territory defense, and offspring care. Many studies shedding light on the neurobiological underpinnings of social behavior have focused on nonapeptides (vasopressin, oxytocin, and homologues) and on sexual or parent-offspring interactions. Furthermore, animals have been studied under artificial laboratory conditions, where the consequences of behavioral responses may not be as critical as when expressed under natural environments, therefore obscuring certain physiological responses. We used automated recording of social interactions of wild house mice outside of the breeding season to detect individuals at both tails of a distribution of egocentric network sizes (characterized by number of different partners encountered per day). We then used RNA-seq to perform an unbiased assessment of neural differences in gene expression in the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus and the hypothalamus between these mice with naturally occurring extreme differences in social network size. Results We found that the neurogenomic pathways associated with having extreme social network sizes differed between the sexes. In females, hundreds of genes were differentially expressed between animals with small and large social network sizes, whereas in males very few were. In males, X-chromosome inactivation pathways in the prefrontal cortex were the ones that better differentiated animals with small from those with large social network sizes animals. In females, animals with small network size showed up-regulation of dopaminergic production and transport pathways in the hypothalamus. Additionally, in females, extracellular matrix deposition on hippocampal neurons was higher in individuals with small relative to large social network size. Conclusions Studying neural substrates of natural variation in social behavior in traditional model organisms in their habitat can open new targets of research for understanding variation in social behavior in other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia C Lopes
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA.
| | - Barbara König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
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23
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Han M, Luo H, Bai Y, Zheng S, Li F, Fu J, Jiang S, Liu Z, Zheng X. The effect of traumatic-like stress exposure on alterations in the temporal social behavior of a rodent population. Stress 2020; 23:393-404. [PMID: 31814486 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1702642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Though the relationship between traumatic stress and social behavior, which has been explored for years, is dynamic and largely estimated between dyads, little is known about the causal effects of traumatic stress exposure on the time-dependent dynamic alterations in the social behaviors on a large-group level. We thus investigated the effect of a single prolonged stress (SPS) exposure, a classical animal model that recapitulates posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms in rodents, on the spatiotemporal, social behavior changes within a large group of cohabiting rats. One-half of thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to the experimental group and subjected to SPS treatment administered two weeks after baseline social behavior recording; the other half served as the controls. Each group of rats (n = 16) was housed in one of two large custom-made cylinders. We used an automatic tracking system to record the behavioral indices of social behavior of the rats before SPS exposure, on the SPS exposure day, during a 7-day-long quiescent period after SPS treatment, as well as during subsequent behavioral test days. In addition to SPS-induced PTSD-like behaviors, SPS induced a time-dependent, oscillating change in active/passive social behaviors that lasted for 3 weeks. SPS treatment decreased active social behaviors (especially affiliative behaviors) but increased passive social behaviors (e.g. huddling) immediately following stress exposure. Increased active social interactions were observed during the early phase after SPS treatment; while increased passive social behaviors were observed during the late phase after SPS treatment. These dynamic changes were repeatedly observed when the rats underwent subsequent stressful behavioral tests and challenges. SPS induced a long-term, time-dependent oscillating change in indices of the social behavior. These changes may serve as an adaptive mechanism, and their manifestations critically depended on the time course following the traumatic stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengfei Han
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haoshuang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunjing Bai
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shichun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fenghua Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Fu
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Binzhou University, Shandong, China
| | - Shaofei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengkui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xigeng Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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24
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Stress in groups: Lessons from non-traditional rodent species and housing models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:354-372. [PMID: 32278793 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A major feature of life in groups is that individuals experience social stressors of varying intensity and type. Social stress can have profound effects on health, social behavior, and ongoing relationships. Relationships can also buffer the experience of exogenous stressors. Social stress has most commonly been investigated in dyadic contexts in mice and rats that produce intense stress. Here we review findings from studies of diverse rodents and non-traditional group housing paradigms, focusing on laboratory studies of mice and rats housed in visible burrow systems, prairie and meadow voles, and mole-rats. We argue that the use of methods informed by the natural ecology of rodent species provides novel insights into the relationship between social stress, behavior and physiology. In particular, we describe how this ethologically inspired approach reveals how individuals vary in their experience of and response to social stress, and how ecological and social contexts impact the effects of stress. Social stress induces adaptive changes, as well as long-term disruptive effects on behavior and physiology.
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25
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Sosa S, Sueur C, Puga‐Gonzalez I. Network measures in animal social network analysis: Their strengths, limits, interpretations and uses. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Sosa
- Université de StrasbourgCNRSIPHC UMR 7178 Strasbourg France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de StrasbourgCNRSIPHC UMR 7178 Strasbourg France
- Institut Universitaire de France Paris France
| | - Ivan Puga‐Gonzalez
- Institute for Global Development and Planning University of Agder Kristiansand Norway
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26
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Chen Y, Huang X, Wu M, Li K, Hu X, Jiang P, Chen L, He N, Dai J, Wang S, He M, Guo L, Sweeney JA, Gong Q. Disrupted brain functional networks in drug-naïve children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessed using graph theory analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:4877-4887. [PMID: 31361385 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have revealed functional brain network abnormalities in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the results have been inconsistent, potentially related to confounding medication effects. Furthermore, specific topological alterations in functional networks and their role in behavioral inhibition dysfunction remain to be established. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 51 drug-naïve children with ADHD and 55 age-matched healthy controls. Brain functional networks were constructed by thresholding the partial correlation matrices of 90 brain regions, and graph theory was used to analyze network topological properties. The Stroop test was used to assess cognitive inhibitory abilities. Nonparametric permutation tests were used to compare the topological architectures in the two groups. Compared with healthy subjects, brain networks in ADHD patients demonstrated altered topological characteristics, including lower global (FDR q = 0.01) and local efficiency (p = 0.032, uncorrected) and a longer path length (FDR q = 0.01). Lower nodal efficiencies were found in the left inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex in the ADHD group (FDR both q < 0.05). Altered global and nodal topological efficiencies were associated with the severity of inhibitory cognitive control deficits and hyperactivity symptoms in ADHD (p <0 .05). Alterations in network topologies in drug-naïve ADHD patients indicate weaker small-worldization with decreased segregation and integration of functional brain networks. Deficits in the cingulo-fronto-parietal attention network were associated with inhibitory control deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoqi Huang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Wu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kaiming Li
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ping Jiang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lizhou Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ning He
- Department of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Dai
- Department of Psychoradiology, Chengdu Mental Health Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Song Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Manxi He
- Department of Psychoradiology, Chengdu Mental Health Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Lanting Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - John A Sweeney
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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27
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Williamson CM, Lee W, DeCasien AR, Lanham A, Romeo RD, Curley JP. Social hierarchy position in female mice is associated with plasma corticosterone levels and hypothalamic gene expression. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7324. [PMID: 31086272 PMCID: PMC6513839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43747-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Social hierarchies emerge when animals compete for access to resources such as food, mates or physical space. Wild and laboratory male mice have been shown to develop linear hierarchies, however, less is known regarding whether female mice have sufficient intrasexual competition to establish significant social dominance relationships. In this study, we examined whether groups of outbred CD-1 virgin female mice housed in a large vivaria formed social hierarchies. We show that females use fighting, chasing and mounting behaviors to rapidly establish highly directionally consistent social relationships. Notably, these female hierarchies are less linear, steep and despotic compared to male hierarchies. Female estrus state was not found to have a significant effect on aggressive behavior, though dominant females had elongated estrus cycles (due to increased time in estrus) compared to subordinate females. Plasma estradiol levels were equivalent between dominant and subordinate females. Subordinate females had significantly higher levels of basal corticosterone compared to dominant females. Analyses of gene expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus indicated that subordinate females have elevated ERα, ERβ and OTR mRNA compared to dominant females. This study provides a methodological framework for the study of the neuroendocrine basis of female social aggression and dominance in laboratory mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cait M Williamson
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Won Lee
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Alexandra R DeCasien
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Alesi Lanham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Russell D Romeo
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - James P Curley
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA.
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28
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Makowska IJ, Franks B, El-Hinn C, Jorgensen T, Weary DM. Standard laboratory housing for mice restricts their ability to segregate space into clean and dirty areas. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6179. [PMID: 30992464 PMCID: PMC6467917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42512-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Laboratory mice (Mus musculus) are typically housed in simple cages consisting of one open space. These standard cages may thwart mouse ability to segregate resting areas from areas where they eliminate, a behaviour that is prevalent across the animal kingdom. No scientific work has directly tested whether mice engage in such segregation behaviour, or whether the ability to do so may have welfare consequences. Here we show that mice, whether housed in standard cages or a complex housing system consisting of three interconnected standard cages, kept nesting and elimination sites highly segregated, with nest and urine co-occurring in the same location only 2% of the time. However, mice in the complex system established these clean and dirty sites in separate cages instead of separate locations within one cage, and carried bedding materials (cellulose pellets) from their nesting cages to their latrine cage. Moreover, mice in the complex system displayed more behaviours associated with positive welfare and were less disturbed by weekly husbandry procedures. We conclude that mice find waste products aversive, and that housing mice in a way that facilitates spatial segregation provides a simple way of allowing the expression of natural behaviours and improving welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Joanna Makowska
- Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Becca Franks
- Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, 285 Mercer St, New York City, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Cathy El-Hinn
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Tina Jorgensen
- Centre for Comparative Medicine, University of British Columbia, 4145 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1W5, Canada
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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29
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Kondrakiewicz K, Kostecki M, Szadzińska W, Knapska E. Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12525. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kacper Kondrakiewicz
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - Mateusz Kostecki
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - Weronika Szadzińska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
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30
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Lee W, Yang E, Curley JP. Foraging dynamics are associated with social status and context in mouse social hierarchies. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5617. [PMID: 30258716 PMCID: PMC6151111 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Living in social hierarchies requires individuals to adapt their behavior and physiology. We have previously shown that male mice living in groups of 12 form linear and stable hierarchies with alpha males producing the highest daily level of major urinary proteins and urine. These findings suggest that maintaining alpha status in a social group requires higher food and water intake to generate energetic resources and produce more urine. To investigate whether social status affects eating and drinking behaviors, we measured the frequency of these behaviors in each individual mouse living in a social hierarchy with non-stop video recording for 24 h following the initiation of group housing and after social ranks were stabilized. We show alpha males eat and drink most frequently among all individuals in the hierarchy and had reduced quiescence of foraging both at the start of social housing and after hierarchies were established. Subdominants displayed a similar pattern of behavior following hierarchy formation relative to subordinates. The association strength of foraging behavior was negatively associated with that of agonistic behavior corrected for gregariousness (HWIG), suggesting animals modify foraging behavior to avoid others they engaged with aggressively. Overall, this study provides evidence that animals with different social status adapt their eating and drinking behaviors according to their physiological needs and current social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Lee
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Eilene Yang
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - James P. Curley
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
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31
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Williamson CM, Klein IS, Lee W, Curley JP. Immediate early gene activation throughout the brain is associated with dynamic changes in social context. Soc Neurosci 2018; 14:253-265. [PMID: 29781376 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2018.1479303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Social competence is dependent on successful processing of social context information. The social opportunity paradigm is a methodology in which dynamic shifts in social context are induced through removal of the alpha male in a dominance hierarchy, leading to rapid ascent in the hierarchy of the beta male and of other subordinate males in the social group. In the current study, we use the social opportunity paradigm to determine what brain regions respond to this dynamic change in social context, allowing an individual to recognize the absence of the alpha male and subsequently perform status-appropriate social behaviors. Replicating our previous work, we show that following removal of the alpha male, beta males rapidly ascend the social hierarchy and attain dominant status by increasing aggression towards more subordinate individuals. Analysis of patterns of Fos immunoreactivity throughout the brain indicates that in individuals undergoing social ascent, there is increased activity in regions of the social behavior network, as well as the infralimbic and prelimbic regions of the prefrontal cortex and areas of the hippocampus. Our findings demonstrate that male mice are able to respond to changes in social context and provide insight into the how the brain processes these complex behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cait M Williamson
- a Department of Psychology , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - Inbal S Klein
- a Department of Psychology , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - Won Lee
- a Department of Psychology , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - James P Curley
- a Department of Psychology , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA.,b Department of Psychology , UT Austin , Austin , TX , USA
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32
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McNamara GI, John RM, Isles AR. Territorial Behavior and Social Stability in the Mouse Require Correct Expression of Imprinted Cdkn1c. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:28. [PMID: 29535616 PMCID: PMC5834910 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic imprinting, the epigenetic process by which transcription occurs from a single parental allele, is believed to influence social behaviors in mammals. An important social behavior is group living, which is enriched in Eutherian mammals relative to monotremes and marsupials. Group living facilitates resource acquisition, defense of territory and co-care of young, but requires a stable social group with complex inter-individual relationships. Co-occurring with increased group living in Eutherians is an increase in the number of imprinted loci, including that spanning the maternally expressed Cdkn1c. Using a 'loss-of-imprinting' model of Cdkn1c (Cdkn1cBACx1), we demonstrated that twofold over expression of Cdkn1c results in abnormal social behaviors. Although, our previous work indicated that male Cdkn1cBACx1 mice were more dominant as measured by tube test encounters with unfamiliar wild-type (WT) males. Building upon this work, using more ecologically relevant assessments of social dominance, indicated that within their normal social group, Cdkn1cBACx1 mice did not occupy higher ranking positions. Nevertheless, we find that presence of Cdkn1cBACx1 animals within a group leads to instability of the normal social hierarchy, as indicated by greater variability in social rank within the group over time and an increase in territorial behavior in WT cage-mates. Consequently, these abnormal behaviors led to an increased incidence of fighting and wounding within the group. Taken together these data indicate that normal expression of Cdkn1c is required for maintaining stability of the social group and suggests that the acquisition of monoallelic expression of Cdkn1c may have enhanced social behavior in Eutherian mammals to facilitate group living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gráinne I. McNamara
- Behavioural Genetics Group, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalind M. John
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony R. Isles
- Behavioural Genetics Group, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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33
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Zhou T, Sandi C, Hu H. Advances in understanding neural mechanisms of social dominance. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 49:99-107. [PMID: 29428628 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchy profoundly impacts social animals' survival, physical and mental health and reproductive success. As the measurements of dominance hierarchy in rodents become established, it is now possible to understand the neural mechanism mediating the intrinsic and extrinsic factors determining social hierarchy. This review summarizes the latest advances in assay development for measuring dominance hierarchy in laboratory mice. It also reviews our current understandings on how activity and plasticity of specific neural circuits shape the dominance trait and mediate the 'winner effect'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhou
- Center for Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310013, PR China; Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, PR China
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hailan Hu
- Center for Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310013, PR China.
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34
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Lee W, Khan A, Curley JP. Major urinary protein levels are associated with social status and context in mouse social hierarchies. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1570. [PMID: 28931741 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that male mice living in groups of 12 males establish and maintain stable linear social hierarchies with each individual having a defined social rank. However, it is not clear which social cues mice use to signal and recognize their relative social status within their hierarchy. In this study, we investigate how individual social status both in pairs and in groups affects the levels of major urinary proteins (MUPs) and specifically MUP20 in urine. We housed groups of adult outbred CD1 male mice in a complex social environment for three weeks and collected urine samples from all individuals repeatedly. We found that dominant males produce more MUPs than subordinates when housed in pairs and that the production of MUPs and MUP20 is significantly higher in alpha males compared with all other individuals in a social hierarchy. Furthermore, we found that hepatic mRNA expression of Mup3 and Mup20 is significantly higher in alpha males than in subordinate males. We also show that alpha males have lower urinary creatinine levels consistent with these males urinating more than others living in hierarchies. These differences emerged within one week of animals being housed together in social hierarchies. This study demonstrates that as males transition to become alpha males, they undergo physiological changes that contribute to communication of their social status that may have implications for the energetic demands of maintaining dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Lee
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amber Khan
- The Sophie Davis School of Medicine, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - James P Curley
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA .,Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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35
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Turetsky KM, Riddle TA. Porous Chambers, Echoes of Valence and Stereotypes. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/1948550617733519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Selective exposure to one-sided news coverage, especially of controversial geopolitical events, may contribute to growing social polarization. Existing research on “echo chambers”—fragmented information environments that amplify homogeneous perspectives—focuses on the degree to which individuals and social media platforms shape informational segregation. Here, we explore whether news organizations directly contribute to echo chambers through the hyperlinks they embed in online articles. Using network and text analysis, we examined coverage of the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, and found that online news media exhibited weak community structure and high connectivity across news outlets. However, analyses also indicated that media sources were more likely to link to coverage that was similar to their own in terms of emotional valence and stereotype-relevant aspects of the events. While hyperlinking to diverse news sources may ameliorate fragmented information environments, selectively linking to similar coverage may contribute to growing polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M. Turetsky
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Travis A. Riddle
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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36
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Lamblin M, Murawski C, Whittle S, Fornito A. Social connectedness, mental health and the adolescent brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:57-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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