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Whitham JC, Miller LJ. Corrigendum: Utilizing vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of non-human mammals. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1404906. [PMID: 38638646 PMCID: PMC11025084 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1404906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1366933.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Whitham
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL, United States
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Whitham JC, Miller LJ. Utilizing vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of non-human mammals. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1366933. [PMID: 38435367 PMCID: PMC10904518 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1366933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This review discusses how welfare scientists can examine vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of individual animals. In recent years, researchers working in professionally managed settings have recognized the value of monitoring the types, rates, and acoustic structures of calls, which may reflect various aspects of welfare. Fortunately, recent technological advances in the field of bioacoustics allow for vocal activity to be recorded with microphones, hydrophones, and animal-attached devices (e.g., collars), as well as automated call recognition. We consider how vocal behavior can be used as an indicator of affective state, with particular interest in the valence of emotions. While most studies have investigated vocal activity produced in negative contexts (e.g., experiencing pain, social isolation, environmental disturbances), we highlight vocalizations that express positive affective states. For instance, some species produce vocalizations while foraging, playing, engaging in grooming, or interacting affiliatively with conspecifics. This review provides an overview of the evidence that exists for the construct validity of vocal indicators of affective state in non-human mammals. Furthermore, we discuss non-invasive methods that can be utilized to investigate vocal behavior, as well as potential limitations to this line of research. In the future, welfare scientists should attempt to identify reliable, valid species-specific calls that reflect emotional valence, which may be possible by adopting a dimensional approach. The dimensional approach considers both arousal and valence by comparing vocalizations emitted in negative and positive contexts. Ultimately, acoustic activity can be tracked continuously to detect shifts in welfare status or to evaluate the impact of animal transfers, introductions, and changes to the husbandry routine or environment. We encourage welfare scientists to expand their welfare monitoring toolkits by combining vocal activity with other behavioral measures and physiological biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Whitham
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL, United States
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Konishi S, Kuwata M, Matsumoto Y, Yoshikawa Y, Takata K, Haraguchi H, Kudo A, Ishiguro H, Kumazaki H. Self-administered questionnaires enhance emotion estimation of individuals with autism spectrum disorders in a robotic interview setting. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1249000. [PMID: 38380121 PMCID: PMC10877007 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1249000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Robots offer many unique opportunities for helping individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Determining the optimal motion of robots when interacting with individuals with ASD is important for achieving more natural human-robot interactions and for exploiting the full potential of robotic interventions. Most prior studies have used supervised machine learning (ML) of user behavioral data to enable robot perception of affective states (i.e., arousal and valence) and engagement. It has previously been suggested that including personal demographic information in the identification of individuals with ASD is important for developing an automated system to perceive individual affective states and engagement. In this study, we hypothesized that assessing self-administered questionnaire data would contribute to the development of an automated estimation of the affective state and engagement when individuals with ASD are interviewed by an Android robot, which will be linked to implementing long-term interventions and maintaining the motivation of participants. Methods Participants sat across a table from an android robot that played the role of the interviewer. Each participant underwent a mock job interview. Twenty-five participants with ASD (males 22, females 3, average chronological age = 22.8, average IQ = 94.04) completed the experiment. We collected multimodal data (i.e., audio, motion, gaze, and self-administered questionnaire data) to train a model to correctly classify the state of individuals with ASD when interviewed by an android robot. We demonstrated the technical feasibility of using ML to enable robot perception of affect and engagement of individuals with ASD based on multimodal data. Results For arousal and engagement, the area under the curve (AUC) values of the model estimates and expert coding were relatively high. Overall, the AUC values of arousal, valence, and engagement were improved by including self-administered questionnaire data in the classification. Discussion These findings support the hypothesis that assessing self-administered questionnaire data contributes to the development of an automated estimation of an individual's affective state and engagement. Given the efficacy of including self-administered questionnaire data, future studies should confirm the effectiveness of such long-term intervention with a robot to maintain participants' motivation based on the proposed method of emotion estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunta Konishi
- Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masaki Kuwata
- Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshio Matsumoto
- Department of Medical and Robotic Engineering Design, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Yoshikawa
- Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiji Takata
- National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Haraguchi
- National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Azusa Kudo
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishiguro
- Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kumazaki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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Neave HW, Rault JL, Bateson M, Hvidtfeldt Jensen E, Bak Jensen M. Assessing the emotional states of dairy cows housed with or without their calves. J Dairy Sci 2024; 107:1085-1101. [PMID: 37709022 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The practice of keeping dairy cows with their calves continues to gain interest. Cow-calf contact, or lack thereof, is expected to affect emotional states, but this requires empirical testing. Different types of cow-calf contact may also affect the emotional states of cows. The primary objective of this study was to assess the emotional state of dairy cows with full-time (23 h/d), part-time (10 h/d), or no-contact with their calves (separated 48 h after birth), using a visual judgment bias test (JBT) about one month after calving; JBT is the current gold-standard method to assess emotional state in animals by evaluating optimism or pessimism (illustrated by the proverbial half-full or half-empty water glass). The secondary objective was to compare outcomes of color- versus shape-based visual JBT. Fifty dairy cows were trained to approach a positive image on a screen (rewarded with food) and to avoid a negative image (else punished with waving bag). Once learned (>80% correct over 2 consecutive days), cows were presented with 3 ambiguous images (each presented once per day among 4 positive and 3 negative images, repeated over 4 d), and their approach responses recorded. For the color method (10 full-time, 9 part-time and 11 no-contact cows), positive and negative images were a solid red or white background; ambiguous images were shades of pink. For the shape method (8 full-time, 6 part-time and 6 no-contact cows), positive and negative images were a white circle or cross on a black background; ambiguous images were overlaid circle and cross in varying shades of gray. Cows learned to discriminate colors quicker than shapes (7.3 d, confidence limits [CL]: 6.6-8.2 d; vs. 9.3 d, CL: 8.1-10.6 d). Approaches to ambiguous colors followed a generalization curve (81.0, 33.1, and 5.0 ± 3.7% for near-positive, middle, and near-negative images, respectively), but not approaches to ambiguous shapes (31.9%, 25.7%, and 21.9% ± 4.8%, respectively), indicating colors over shapes should be used in visual JBT for cattle. Part-time cows approached fewer ambiguous color images than full-time cows (23.5%, CL: 13.4%-34.4%; vs. 44.8%, CL; 32.8%-57.1%) whereas no-contact cows were intermediate, but not different from full-time or part-time cows (37.8%, CL; 26.8%-49.5%). The color JBT results show a pessimistic bias (indicating a negative emotional state) in cows with part-time calf contact, possibly due to repeated daily separation from her young calf, relative to cows with full-time calf contact. Thus, cow-calf contact systems appear to influence the emotional state of cows depending on the practice. Cows without calf contact showed no difference in judgment bias between cows with full- or part-time calf contact, suggesting these cows probably do not experience a pervasive negative emotional state (relative to those with calf contact) approximately 30 d after calf separation. However, individual variability in judgment bias was evident for all treatments. The visual judgment bias test is a useful methodology for assessing emotional states of dairy cows; future research should prioritize understanding the emotional states of dairy cows in alternative management systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather W Neave
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Aarhus University, Tjele 8830, Denmark.
| | - Jean-Loup Rault
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna 1210, Austria
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | | | - Margit Bak Jensen
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Aarhus University, Tjele 8830, Denmark
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León-Herrera S, Oliván-Blázquez B, Samper-Pardo M, Aguilar-Latorre A, Sánchez Arizcuren R. Motivational Interviewing as a Tool to Increase Motivation and Adherence to a Long COVID Telerehabilitation Intervention: Secondary Data Analysis from a Randomized Clinical Trial. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:157-169. [PMID: 38234406 PMCID: PMC10793119 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s433950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Although motivational interviewing was originally developed to address abuse disorders, scientific evidence confirms that it is an increasingly used and effective approach in a wide range of therapeutic interventions. To date, however, no studies have analyzed the use of this tool in patients with persistent symptoms following coronavirus disease 2019, a condition known as Long COVID. Purpose To analyze the effectiveness of motivational interviewing with regard to the adherence to telerehabilitation for Long COVID using a mobile application. As a secondary objective, factors related to greater motivation before and after the motivational interviewing techniques were analyzed. Patients and Methods This longitudinal design substudy used a sample of 52 adult patients with Long COVID participating in the intervention group of a randomized clinical trial. This trial examined the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation program for this population using a mobile application. This program included three motivational interviews to achieve maximum treatment adherence. In this study, the main variables were motivation and adherence to application use. Sociodemographic and clinical data, personal constructs, and affective state were also collected. Subsequently, a descriptive, correlational, and regression statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS Statistics program. Results The median motivation prior to the first motivational interview was 8 (IQR 2), the median at the end of the last motivational interview was 8.5 (IQR 2.75), and the change in motivation levels after the three motivational interviews was 0.5 (IQR 1). Affective state and final motivation scores were predictors of greater adherence to telerehabilitation treatment. Conclusion A high level of motivation after participating in motivational interviewing appears to be related to higher levels of adherence to telerehabilitation in patients with Long COVID. This suggests that motivational interviewing may be an effective tool in the treatment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra León-Herrera
- Institute for Health Research Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Bárbara Oliván-Blázquez
- Institute for Health Research Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Alejandra Aguilar-Latorre
- Institute for Health Research Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
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Wu M, Zhang X, Feng S, Freda SN, Kumari P, Dumrongprechachan V, Kozorovitskiy Y. Dopamine pathways mediating affective state transitions after sleep loss. Neuron 2024; 112:141-154.e8. [PMID: 37922904 PMCID: PMC10841919 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The pathophysiology of affective disorders-particularly circuit-level mechanisms underlying bidirectional, periodic affective state transitions-remains poorly understood. In patients, disruptions of sleep and circadian rhythm can trigger transitions to manic episodes, whereas depressive states are reversed. Here, we introduce a hybrid automated sleep deprivation platform to induce transitions of affective states in mice. Acute sleep loss causes mixed behavioral states, featuring hyperactivity, elevated social and sexual behaviors, and diminished depressive-like behaviors, where transitions depend on dopamine (DA). Using DA sensor photometry and projection-targeted chemogenetics, we reveal that elevated DA release in specific brain regions mediates distinct behavioral changes in affective state transitions. Acute sleep loss induces DA-dependent enhancement in dendritic spine density and uncaging-evoked dendritic spinogenesis in the medial prefrontal cortex, whereas optically mediated disassembly of enhanced plasticity reverses the antidepressant effects of sleep deprivation on learned helplessness. These findings demonstrate that brain-wide dopaminergic pathways control sleep-loss-induced polymodal affective state transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzheng Wu
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Sihan Feng
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Sara N Freda
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Pushpa Kumari
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Vasin Dumrongprechachan
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
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Hösl B, Niedermeier M, Kopp M. Examining acute environmental effects on affective state, expectancy, and intention in sport climbing. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1258121. [PMID: 38155691 PMCID: PMC10752944 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Psychological research has shown that, among other variables, affective state, expectancy, and behavioral intention influence whether or not a (physically active) behavior is performed. Environmental effects during physical activity on affective state have been well studied; however, research regarding environmental effects on expectancy or intention is limited. Sport climbing is a form of physical activity that is performed both indoors and outdoors and is therefore considered as suitable to study environmental effects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate environmental effects during sport climbing on affective state, expectancy, and intention. The nature of the relationship between some of these parameters should also be explored. Methods Using a within-subjects design, 48 participants were to climb both once indoors in a climbing gym and once outdoors at a crag. The design included questionnaire-based surveys at multiple time points. Affective state, expectancy, and behavioral intention were measured at different test time points. Results Two-factor repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant main effects of the factors environment (indoor - outdoor) and time (T1 - T2 - T3) for affective state, indicating more positive affective state during outdoor climbing. No environment*time interactions were found. Furthermore, significantly higher intention (d = 0.32; p = 0.032) was measured after the outdoor condition (M = 32.5, SD = 4.1) compared to the indoor condition (M = 31.2, SD = 4.7). Multiple linear regressions revealed that expectancies (measured before and after the session) significantly predicted post-climbing intention only indoors. Conclusion The results at least partly suggest environmental effects on behaviorally relevant variables during climbing. Outdoor climbing might provide more favorable characteristics for physically active behavior compared to indoor climbing. Health psychologists or public health professionals who focus on increasing physical activity for their clients could recommend outdoor climbing over indoor climbing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Hösl
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Ede T, Parsons TD. Cognitive tasks as measures of pig welfare: a systematic review. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1251070. [PMID: 38033647 PMCID: PMC10683646 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1251070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive approaches are increasingly used to assess animal welfare, but no systematic review has been conducted on pigs despite their cognitive capacities. Our aims were two-fold: first, to assess the popularity and heterogeneity of this approach by quantifying the different cognitive tasks used and welfare interventions studied. The second was to assess how often results from cognitive tasks supported treatment effects. The search yielded 36 studies that met our criteria. Eleven different cognitive tasks were applied (three most common: judgment bias, learned approach/aversion, and holeboard). Welfare interventions investigated were also diverse: the impact of 19 other different events/conditions/states were reported (most common: housing enrichment). We defined "supportive" as the observation of a significant difference between treatment groups consistent with an author's expectation or hypothesis. Supportive findings were reported in 44% of papers. Interventions yielded no significant difference in 33% of studies. In another 21% of reports, outcomes were mixed and a single study refuted the author's predictions. When considering specific cognitive tasks, authors' predictions of welfare differences were supported most often when using learned approach/aversion (55% of these studies). Similar supportive results were observed less commonly (40% each) when using judgment bias and holeboard tests. Analysis of additional concomitant measures of welfare (health, physiology or behavior) revealed that behavioral measures were most frequently supportive of author's expectations (41%) as well as often matching the actual outcomes of these cognitive tasks (47%). This systematic review highlights the growing popularity of cognitive tasks as measures of pig welfare. However, overall rates of supportive results, i.e., changes in performance on cognitive tasks due to welfare interventions, have been limited so far, even for the most employed task, judgment bias. The numerous different combinations of experimental paradigms and welfare interventions reported in the literature creates challenges for a critical meta-analysis of the field especially in evaluating the efficiency of specific cognitive tasks in assessing animal welfare. This work also highlights important knowledge gaps in the use of cognitive tasks that will require both further validation as well as novel innovation to ensure that their potential is fully realized in the measurement of pig welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ede
- Swine Teaching and Research Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA, United States
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Nelson XJ, Taylor AH, Cartmill EA, Lyn H, Robinson LM, Janik V, Allen C. Joyful by nature: approaches to investigate the evolution and function of joy in non-human animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1548-1563. [PMID: 37127535 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The nature and evolution of positive emotion is a major question remaining unanswered in science and philosophy. The study of feelings and emotions in humans and animals is dominated by discussion of affective states that have negative valence. Given the clinical and social significance of negative affect, such as depression, it is unsurprising that these emotions have received more attention from scientists. Compared to negative emotions, such as fear that leads to fleeing or avoidance, positive emotions are less likely to result in specific, identifiable, behaviours being expressed by an animal. This makes it particularly challenging to quantify and study positive affect. However, bursts of intense positive emotion (joy) are more likely to be accompanied by externally visible markers, like vocalisations or movement patterns, which make it more amenable to scientific study and more resilient to concerns about anthropomorphism. We define joy as intense, brief, and event-driven (i.e. a response to something), which permits investigation into how animals react to a variety of situations that would provoke joy in humans. This means that behavioural correlates of joy are measurable, either through newly discovered 'laughter' vocalisations, increases in play behaviour, or reactions to cognitive bias tests that can be used across species. There are a range of potential situations that cause joy in humans that have not been studied in other animals, such as whether animals feel joy on sunny days, when they accomplish a difficult feat, or when they are reunited with a familiar companion after a prolonged absence. Observations of species-specific calls and play behaviour can be combined with biometric markers and reactions to ambiguous stimuli in order to enable comparisons of affect between phylogenetically distant taxonomic groups. Identifying positive affect is also important for animal welfare because knowledge of positive emotional states would allow us to monitor animal well-being better. Additionally, measuring if phylogenetically and ecologically distant animals play more, laugh more, or act more optimistically after certain kinds of experiences will also provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the evolution of joy and other positive emotions, and potentially even into the evolution of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena J Nelson
- Private Bag 4800, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Alex H Taylor
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys, 23, Barcelona, Spain
- School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Erica A Cartmill
- Departments of Anthropology and Psychology, UCLA, 375 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Heidi Lyn
- Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, 75 S. University Blvd., Mobile, AL, 36688, USA
| | - Lauren M Robinson
- Domestication Lab, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, Vienna, A-1160, Austria
| | - Vincent Janik
- Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Colin Allen
- Department of History & Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, 1101 Cathedral of Learning, 4200 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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Neave HW, Rault JL, Bateson M, Jensen EH, Jensen MB. Do cows see the forest or the trees? A preliminary investigation of attentional scope as a potential indicator of emotional state in dairy cows housed with their calves. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1257055. [PMID: 37841478 PMCID: PMC10568025 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1257055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A positive mood in humans tends to broaden attentional scope while negative mood narrows it. A similar effect may be present in non-human animals; therefore, attentional scope may be a novel method to assess emotional states in livestock. In this proof-of-concept exploratory study, we examined the attentional scope of dairy cows housed with their calves either full-time, part-time (during daytime only), or with no calf contact (enrolled n = 10 each). Housing conditions were previously verified to induce differences in positive and negative emotional state, where part-time was considered more negative. Cows were trained to approach or avoid hierarchical images on a screen that were consistent in local and global elements (i.e., 13 small circles or crosses arranged in an overall circle or cross). After discrimination learning (>80% correct, over two consecutive days), 14 cows proceeded to test (n = 6 each full-and part-time; n = 2 no-contact, not analyzed). Test images showed inconsistent combinations of global and local elements (i.e., the overall global shape differs from the smaller local elements, such as a global circle composed of smaller local crosses and vice versa). Over two test days, approach responses to global and local images (each presented four times) were recorded. All cows were more likely to approach the local than the global image, especially part-time cows who never approached the global image; this may reflect a narrowed attentional scope in these cows. Full-time cows approached images more often than part-time cows, but overall response rates to global and local images were low, making specific conclusions regarding attentional scope difficult. Different housing conditions have potential to affect attentional scope, and possibly emotional state, of dairy cows, but statistical comparison to no-contact treatment was not possible. Cortisol concentration did not affect responses to images; thus arousal due to treatment or test conditions could not explain test performance. Further work with refined methodology and a larger sample size is required to validate the reliability of attentional scope as an assessment method of emotional state in cattle. Beyond this, the attentional scope test revealed how cattle may process, learn and respond to different visual hierarchical images, which further our understanding of cognitive and visual processes in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather W. Neave
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Jean-Loup Rault
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Margit Bak Jensen
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
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Florea R, Linnstaedt SD, Géranton SM. Editorial: Mechanisms underlying the interactions between stress and pain. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2023; 4:1285257. [PMID: 37766818 PMCID: PMC10520551 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1285257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Florea
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah D. Linnstaedt
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sandrine M. Géranton
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Joudeh IO, Cretu AM, Bouchard S, Guimond S. Prediction of Continuous Emotional Measures through Physiological and Visual Data. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:5613. [PMID: 37420778 DOI: 10.3390/s23125613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
The affective state of a person can be measured using arousal and valence values. In this article, we contribute to the prediction of arousal and valence values from various data sources. Our goal is to later use such predictive models to adaptively adjust virtual reality (VR) environments and help facilitate cognitive remediation exercises for users with mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia, while avoiding discouragement. Building on our previous work on physiological, electrodermal activity (EDA) and electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings, we propose improving preprocessing and adding novel feature selection and decision fusion processes. We use video recordings as an additional data source for predicting affective states. We implement an innovative solution based on a combination of machine learning models alongside a series of preprocessing steps. We test our approach on RECOLA, a publicly available dataset. The best results are obtained with a concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.996 for arousal and 0.998 for valence using physiological data. Related work in the literature reported lower CCCs on the same data modality; thus, our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches for RECOLA. Our study underscores the potential of using advanced machine learning techniques with diverse data sources to enhance the personalization of VR environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itaf Omar Joudeh
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC J8Y 3G5, Canada
| | - Ana-Maria Cretu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC J8Y 3G5, Canada
| | - Stéphane Bouchard
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada
| | - Synthia Guimond
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
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13
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Epping J, Kotrschal A, Kotrschal SD. Insights from the judgment bias paradigm: Social group and tank size does not affect mental state in female guppies. J Fish Biol 2023. [PMID: 37318868 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Optimal holding conditions are key to animal welfare. How stressful husbandry is perceived by the animal can be determined via assessment of an animal's mental state - where it is positioned on the continuum between optimistic and pessimistic state - and can be measured using the judgment bias paradigm. In this test, individuals are trained to distinguish a rewarded from an unrewarded cue before being presented an ambiguous, intermediate cue. The response time to the ambiguous cue is then indicative of mental state. A shorter latency suggests a more positive (optimistic) mental state, a longer latency a more negative (pessimistic) mental state. Here, we used the judgment bias paradigm to assess the impact of standard laboratory housing conditions on the mental states of female guppies (Poecilia reticulata). As it is debated which holding conditions confer optimal welfare, we tested the impact of husbandry on mental state by keeping animals for three weeks in small or large social groups in either small or large tanks. We found that the different standard housing conditions we used did not lead to differences in mental state. As an unexpected side result, we found that female guppies seem lateral. Our findings of comparable mental state across housing conditions suggest that guppies either perceive the tested conditions as equally stressful or alternatively, that guppies are relatively resilient to the combination of group and tank sizes tested in this study. We conclude that the judgment bias paradigm can be a useful tool to assess fish welfare. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Epping
- Department of Animal Sciences, Behavioural Biology, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Behavioural Biology, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Séverine D Kotrschal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Behavioural Biology, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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14
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Harvey AM, Beausoleil NJ, Ramp D, Mellor DJ. Mental Experiences in Wild Animals: Scientifically Validating Measurable Welfare Indicators in Free-Roaming Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091507. [PMID: 37174544 PMCID: PMC10177449 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The mental experiences of animals are what characterises their welfare status. The Five Domains Model for assessing welfare aligns with the understanding that physical and mental states are linked. Following measurement of indicators within each of the four physical/functional Domains (1. Nutrition; 2. Physical environment; 3. Health; and 4. Behavioural interactions), the anticipated negative or positive affective consequences (mental experiences) are cautiously inferred and assigned to Domain 5. Those inferences derive credibility from validated knowledge of the underlying systems of physiology, neurophysiology, neuroethology and affective neuroscience. Any indicators used for assessing welfare need to be scientifically validated. This requires, firstly, evidence of the links between a measurable/observable indicator and the physical/functional impact (in Domains 1 to 4), and secondly, a demonstrable relationship between the physical/functional impact and the mental experience it is inferred the indicators reflect (in Domain five). This review refers to indicators of physical/functional states in Domains 1 to 4, which have been shown to be measurable in free-roaming wild horses, and then evaluates the scientific evidence linking them to inferred mental experiences in Domain 5. This is the first time that the scientific evidence validating a comprehensive range of welfare indicators has been synthesised in this way. Inserting these indicators into the Five Domains Model enables transparently justifiable assessment and grading of welfare status in free-roaming horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Harvey
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Ngaio J Beausoleil
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - David J Mellor
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
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15
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Baumgartner M, Erhard MH, Zeitler-Feicht MH. Which animal-to-feeding-place ratio at time-controlled hay racks is animal appropriate? Preliminary analysis of stress responses of horses. Front Vet Sci 2023; 9:1005102. [PMID: 36699339 PMCID: PMC9868146 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1005102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Automated feeding systems offer numerous advantages for animals and humans, but the associated benefits and risks can often only be seen under practical conditions. The space allowance (~80 cm per horse) at time-controlled hay racks for horses in group housing, unlike at partitioned feeding stands or transponder-controlled feed stations, currently falls below the required individual distance between the horses, which can result in a high level of aggression between the horses due to the lack of partitions between them. Hence, a feed-through at a time-controlled hay rack cannot be equated with a feeding place. In this preliminary study, we therefore aimed to determine the minimum animal-to-feeding-place ratio (AFR) at time-controlled hay racks that would provide adequate individual distances between the horses. Methods To do so, we assessed behavioral and physiological parameters (via video behavioral observations and salivary cortisol measurements) of up to 28 horses in a loose housing system. Over 2 observation days per treatment, four AFRs were investigated in a balanced sequence: 1:1.2, 1:2, 1:3, and C (single feeding in familiar surroundings as a control). Results We found that the horses expressed less aggressive behavior, especially those behaviors with a high risk of injury such as biting and kicking, when there were three times as many openings as there were horses at time-controlled hay racks, as compared with only 20% more openings or twice as many openings as there were horses [lineal mixed model: F (3, 4) = 7.411; adjusted R 2 = 0.733; p (AFR_1:2) = 0.06, p (AFR_1:3) = 0.02, p (AFR_C) = 0.01]. The salivary cortisol levels during feeding decreased more strongly with more generous AFRs [p (AFR_metric) = 0.02]. The factors hierarchy and individual showed no influence. In contrast, the day of the experiment and the associated weather conditions, despite randomized selection, influenced both the behavioral and the physiological parameters. Discussion The results of this preliminary study indicate that the investigated time-controlled hay racks must provide at least three times as many feeding places as there are horses to ensure that neighboring horses can keep their individual distance and stress-free feeding is possible. Further studies on more farms and different types as well as arrangement of hay racks are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael H. Erhard
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Margit H. Zeitler-Feicht
- Ethology, Animal Husbandries and Animal Welfare Research Group, Chair of Organic Agriculture and Agronomy, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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16
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Wang S, Chu Y, Dai H. Role of emotion regulation capacities in affective state among Chinese high school students in the post-pandemic era of COVID-19. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1015433. [PMID: 36571006 PMCID: PMC9773563 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1015433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Psychological wellbeing and emotion regulation skills of vulnerable adolescents have been severely threatened by the long-term impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to seek out the potentially effective emotion regulation strategies to minimize the mental health risk of adolescents during the COVID-19 post-pandemic era. Methods A total of 436 high school students aged 16.07 ± 1.08 years were included in this cross-sectional study to complete questionnaires to self-report socio-demographic information, positive and negative affect state, and emotional regulation abilities. Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for intergroup comparisons among socio-demographic variables. Pearson's correlation analysis was used for evaluating the association between each emotion regulation strategy and positivity or negativity. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was used for the determination of the predictors for adolescents' positivity and negativity. Results Adolescents' affect was influenced by multiple emotion regulation strategies, including cognitive reappraisal, acceptance and engagement, difficulty in awareness, acceptance, and modification of emotions after adjusting for a range of socio-demographic variables. Conclusion Overall, our findings highlight the importance of emotional regulation strategies in the modulation of the mental health of the vulnerable youth population in China during the COVID-19 crisis. In view of the continuous, multifaceted influence on adolescents' mental health of the ongoing pandemic, more effort should be made to leverage emotion regulation strategies to benefit their coping abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyan Wang
- Centre for Mental Health Guidance, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Yuying Chu
- School of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongliang Dai
- School of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China,*Correspondence: Hongliang Dai
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17
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Dancer AMM, Díez-León M, Bizley JK, Burn CC. Pet Owner Perception of Ferret Boredom and Consequences for Housing, Husbandry, and Environmental Enrichment. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233262. [PMID: 36496783 PMCID: PMC9740969 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Boredom is a potential chronic but overlooked animal welfare problem. Caused by monotony, sub-optimal stimulation, and restrictive housing, boredom can therefore affect companion animals, particularly those traditionally caged, such as ferrets. We surveyed owners' (n = 621) perceptions of ferrets' capacity to experience boredom, behaviours they associate with it, and whether their perception of their ferrets' capacity for boredom influenced training techniques, housing, and environmental enrichment (EE). Most (93.0%) owners believed that ferrets could experience boredom, but owners who doubted that ferrets experience boredom (7.0%) provided slightly but significantly fewer EE types to their ferrets. Heat map and classification tree analysis showed that owners identified scratching at enclosure walls (n = 420) and excessive sleeping (n = 312) as distinctive behavioural indicators of ferret boredom. Repetitive pacing (n = 381), yawning (n = 191), and resting with eyes open (n = 171) were also suggested to indicate ferret boredom, but these overlapped with other states. Finally, ferret owners suggested social housing, tactile interaction with humans, and exploration as most important for preventing boredom. These results suggest that pet ferrets are at risk of reduced welfare from owners who doubt they can experience boredom, highlighting an opportunity to improve welfare through information dissemination. We recommend further investigation into ferret boredom capacity, behavioural indicators, and mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M. M. Dancer
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - María Díez-León
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Jennifer K. Bizley
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Charlotte C. Burn
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
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18
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Marliani G, Vannucchi I, Kiumurgis I, Accorsi PA. Limitations of Spatial Judgment Bias Test Application in Horses ( Equus ferus caballus). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:3014. [PMID: 36359138 PMCID: PMC9654000 DOI: 10.3390/ani12213014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Affective states are of increasing interest in the assessment of animal welfare. This research aimed to evaluate the possible limitations in the application of a spatial judgment bias test (JBT) in horses, considering the influence of stress level, personality traits, and the possible bias due to the test structure itself. The distinction between two positions, one rewarded (Positive) and the other not (Negative), was learned by 10 horses and 4 ponies,. Then, the latency to reach three unrewarded ambiguous positions (Near Positive, Middle, Near Negative) was measured. Furthermore, the validated Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) was employed to assess personality traits. Fecal and hair cortisol levels were measured through radioimmunoassay (RIA), and the frequency of behavioral stress indicators was recorded. Results showed that horses that had the rewarded position (Positive) on the right approached Near Negative and Middle faster than those that had Positive on the left. Certain personality traits influenced the latency to reach Middle and Near Positive, but chronic stress did not seem to affect horses' judgment bias. This preliminary study highlighted several limitations in the employment of spatial JBT for the assessment of affective state in horses and that personality traits can partially influence the cognitive process. Further research is needed to refine the use of this test in horses, considering the peculiarities both of species and of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Marliani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy
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Rodriguez J, Del-Valle-Soto C, Gonzalez-Sanchez J. Affective States and Virtual Reality to Improve Gait Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:9523. [PMID: 35954882 PMCID: PMC9368422 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Over seven million people suffer from an impairment in Mexico; 64.1% are gait-related, and 36.2% are children aged 0 to 14 years. Furthermore, many suffer from neurological disorders, which limits their verbal skills to provide accurate feedback. Robot-assisted gait therapy has shown significant benefits, but the users must make an active effort to accomplish muscular memory, which usually is only around 30% of the time. Moreover, during therapy, the patients' affective state is mostly unsatisfied, wide-awake, and powerless. This paper proposes a method for increasing the efficiency by combining affective data from an Emotiv Insight, an Oculus Go headset displaying an immersive interaction, and a feedback system. Our preliminary study had eight patients during therapy and eight students analyzing the footage using the self-assessment Manikin. It showed that it is possible to use an EEG headset and identify the affective state with a weighted average precision of 97.5%, recall of 87.9%, and F1-score of 92.3% in general. Furthermore, using a VR device could boost efficiency by 16% more. In conclusion, this method allows providing feedback to the therapist in real-time even if the patient is non-verbal and has a limited amount of facial and body expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jafet Rodriguez
- Universidad Panamericana, Facultad de Ingeniería, Álvaro del Portillo 49, Zapopan 45010, Jalisco, Mexico;
| | - Carolina Del-Valle-Soto
- Universidad Panamericana, Facultad de Ingeniería, Álvaro del Portillo 49, Zapopan 45010, Jalisco, Mexico;
| | - Javier Gonzalez-Sanchez
- School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, Arizona State University, 699 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
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20
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Basso JC, Oberlin DJ, Satyal MK, O’Brien CE, Crosta C, Psaras Z, Metpally A, Suzuki WA. Examining the Effect of Increased Aerobic Exercise in Moderately Fit Adults on Psychological State and Cognitive Function. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:833149. [PMID: 35903787 PMCID: PMC9317941 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.833149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regular physical exercise can decrease the risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, increase life expectancy, and promote psychological health and neurocognitive functioning. Cross-sectional studies show that cardiorespiratory fitness level (VO2 max) is associated with enhanced brain health, including improved mood state and heightened cognitive performance. Interventional studies are consistent with these cross-sectional studies, but most have focused on low-fit populations. Few such studies have asked if increasing levels of physical activity in moderately fit people can significantly enhance mood, motivation, and cognition. Therefore, the current study investigated the effects of increasing aerobic exercise in moderately fit individuals on psychological state and cognitive performance. We randomly assigned moderately fit healthy adults, 25-59 years of age, who were engaged in one or two aerobic exercise sessions per week to either maintain their exercise regimen (n = 41) or increase their exercise regimen (i.e., 4-7 aerobic workouts per week; n = 39) for a duration of 3 months. Both before and after the intervention, we assessed aerobic capacity using a modified cardiorespiratory fitness test, and hippocampal functioning via various neuropsychological assessments including a spatial navigation task and the Mnemonic Similarity Task as well as self-reported measures including the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Rumination Scale, Eating Disorders Examination, Eating Attitudes Test, Body Attitudes Test, and Behavioral Regulation of Exercise Questionnaire. Consistent with our initial working hypotheses, we found that increasing exercise significantly decreased measures of negative affect, including fear, sadness, guilt, and hostility, as well as improved body image. Further, we found that the total number of workouts was significantly associated with improved spatial navigation abilities and body image as well as reduced anxiety, general negative affect, fear, sadness, hostility, rumination, and disordered eating. In addition, increases in fitness levels were significantly associated with improved episodic memory and exercise motivation as well as decreased stress and disordered eating. Our findings are some of the first to indicate that in middle-aged moderately-fit adults, continuing to increase exercise levels in an already ongoing fitness regimen is associated with additional benefits for both psychological and cognitive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C. Basso
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, VA, United States
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, VA, United States
- Center for Health Behaviors Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Roanoke, VA, United States
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Douglas J. Oberlin
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Health Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Medha K. Satyal
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, VA, United States
| | | | - Christen Crosta
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zach Psaras
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Anvitha Metpally
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, VA, United States
| | - Wendy A. Suzuki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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Thaller L, Frühauf A, Heimbeck A, Voderholzer U, Kopp M. A Comparison of Acute Effects of Climbing Therapy with Nordic Walking for Inpatient Adults with Mental Health Disorder: A Clinical Pilot Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph19116767. [PMID: 35682348 PMCID: PMC9180369 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As climbing therapy is increasingly used for mental health disorders, the present study aimed to compare acute effects of a therapeutic climbing intervention (CT) on affective responses, anxiety, and self-efficacy with those of Nordic walking (NW) and a sedentary control condition (SC) in an inpatient setting with persons with depression, anxiety, or obsessive−compulsive disorders. A total of 21 inpatients (32 ± 12.2 years) participated in a clinical trial in all interventions using an experimental within-subject design. Anxiety and self-efficacy were assessed preintervention (t0) and postintervention (t2) using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and affective responses were additionally evaluated during (t1) and 180 min after the intervention (t3) using the Feeling Scale, Felt Arousal Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Statistical evaluation was performed with a 3 × 2 or 3 × 4 repeated measures ANOVA. Significant interaction effects were found for affective responses regarding positive affect, affective valence, and perceived activation (p < 0.015) favoring CT over NW and SC. For anxiety, a significant interaction effect was found (F(2.40) = 6.603; p = 0.003; η2 = 0.248), and also perceived self-efficacy increased significantly (F(2.40) = 6.046; p = 0.005; η2 = 0.232). Single CT sessions may enhance affective responses and self-efficacy and reduce anxiety in inpatients with mental health disorders to a higher extent than NW. CT as part of an inpatient therapy program may help to improve key affective mechanisms and should be further studied in comparison with other exercise interventions with comparable intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Thaller
- Department of Sports Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.F.); (M.K.)
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, 83209 Prien am Chiemsee, Germany; (A.H.); (U.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-151-20702742
| | - Anika Frühauf
- Department of Sports Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.F.); (M.K.)
| | - Alexander Heimbeck
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, 83209 Prien am Chiemsee, Germany; (A.H.); (U.V.)
| | - Ulrich Voderholzer
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, 83209 Prien am Chiemsee, Germany; (A.H.); (U.V.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Munich (LMU), 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Kopp
- Department of Sports Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (A.F.); (M.K.)
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22
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Zhang J, Yu L, Yin G. Evaluation of Behavior and Affective State of Different-Parity Sows with Strong/Weak Pupil Light Reflex. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12. [PMID: 35565610 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The stall-housing system is commonly used in the modern swine industry in many countries; however, long-term space restrictions can cause affective and physiological abnormalities in sows. The pupil light reflex (PLR) can reflect the psychological and neurological changes in animals, and confined sows show higher pupillary rigidity. However, the PLR differs between same-parity sows, suggesting differences in behaviors and affective states between parity groups. We subjected confined Yorkshire × Landrace sows of parity 0, 2, and 5 to a PLR test and accordingly assigned them to the weak PLR (WR) group (n = 20) or the strong PLR (SR) group (n = 22). We then observed the sows’ behaviors and performed a sucrose/quinine response test and novel object test (NOT) to assess the differences in their affective states. The standing and lateral lying behaviors of the sows were less frequent in WR than in SR (p < 0.05), whereas ventral lying and sitting behaviors was more frequent in WR than in SR (p < 0.05). No changes in chewing behaviors and sucrose/quinine responses were observed (p > 0.05); however, the numbers and duration of novel object contact were lower and the novel object response latency time was longer in WR than in SR (p < 0.05). Regarding parity, standing and lateral lying behaviors were less frequent and ventral lying and sitting behaviors were more frequent at parity 5 than at parity 0 (p < 0.05). Bar-biting, rooting, trough-biting, and sucrose response score were lower at parity 5 than at parity 0 (p < 0.05), and vacuum chewing behavior and quinine response score were higher in sows of parity 5 than in those of parity 0 (p < 0.05). NOT showed that the number of contacts and contact duration in sows decreased with increasing parity (p < 0.05), and the response latency time was longer in sows of parity 5 than in those of lower parity (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the behavioral expression and responses of confined sows to novel objects differed between PLRs. The evaluation of the affective state of sows also revealed marked differences with increasing parity. Thus, confined sows with WR and high parity apparently suffer from more severe psychological problems, and PLR may be a potent indicator for evaluating the affective state of confined sows.
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Rinella S, Massimino S, Sorbello A, Perciavalle V, Coco M. Cognitive Performances: The Role of Digit Ratio (D2:D4) With a Protective Factor for Anxiety. Front Neurogenom 2022; 3:870362. [PMID: 38235465 PMCID: PMC10790902 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2022.870362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify a possible correlation between the D2:D4 ratio and state and/or trait anxiety in adult healthy subjects and, if so, whether it exists any difference between men and women. In addition, we also wanted to observe whether there is a relationship between participants' age and state and/or trait anxiety. The research involved 125 subjects of both sexes, who were calculated the D2:D4 ratio and were administered the self-assessment questionnaire State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y). Results show that there are positive significant correlations between the D2:D4 ratio and score at state anxiety and trait anxiety, in the total sample. However, if men are examined separately from women, it can be observed that only men have a statistically significant relationship between D2:D4 ratios and state anxiety and trait anxiety. Moreover, about possible relations between the age of participants and state and trait anxiety, a significant negative relationship was observed, without differences between men and women. However, only subjects with a D2:D4 ratio ≥ 1, without differences between men and women, showed a statistically significant negative linear correlation between their age and their state and trait anxiety. The present data allow us to conclude that a low D2:D4 ratio (<1) represents a protective factor against anxiety in both men and women and that this protection seems likely to act throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Rinella
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Simona Massimino
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alessia Sorbello
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Marinella Coco
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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He Z, Li M. Executive Function and Social Media Addiction in Female College Students: The Mediating Role of Affective State and Stress. J Genet Psychol 2022; 183:279-293. [PMID: 35427211 DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2022.2025757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Social media addiction is the emerging occurrence in which individuals develop psychological dependencies on microblog, wechat, Tik Tok and so on. Existing research has demonstrated the possible relationship between mobile social media addiction and disordered eating attitudes/behavior. In this study, we investigated the relationship between executive function, especially food-inhibitory control, affective state/stress, and mobile social media addiction among female college students as all play predictive roles in food addiction. A structural equation model was used to examine the mediation model hypothesis, and the results confirmed the mediating role of affective state and stress between executive function, especially inhibitory control over high-calorie food, and mobile social media addiction among Chinese female college students. The results verify the correlation between social media addiction and disordered eating attitudes/behavior from the perspective of psychological mechanisms. These proposals emphasize the significance of improving inhibitory control over high-calorie food and the importance of providing psychological counseling to intervene in negative emotions and stress management in female college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonhua He
- School of Journalism and New Media, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Mingde Li
- School of Journalism and New Media, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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25
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Ipema AF, Gerrits WJJ, Bokkers EAM, van Marwijk MA, Laurenssen BFA, Kemp B, Bolhuis JE. Assessing the Effectiveness of Providing Live Black Soldier Fly Larvae ( Hermetia illucens) to Ease the Weaning Transition of Piglets. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:838018. [PMID: 35252425 PMCID: PMC8890697 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.838018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Weaning is a stressful event for piglets, involving substantial changes to their nutritional and social environment. Providing edible enrichment around weaning may ease the weaning transition by increasing pre-weaning feed intake and improving post-weaning performance, health, behavior, and affective state. In this study, we investigated the effects of providing live black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as edible enrichment pre- and/or post-weaning. Pre-weaning, piglets received either only creep feed (Pre-C, n = 14 litters) or creep feed and live BSFL (Pre-L, n = 15 litters) ad libitum, and post-weaning piglets either had no access to live BSFL (Post-C, n = 24 pens) or they could rotate tubes that released BSFL (Post-L, n = 24 pens) at levels up to 20% of their expected daily dry matter intake, resulting in treatments CC, CL, LC, and LL. No interaction between pre- and post-weaning treatment was found for any of the measured parameters. Before weaning, Pre-L piglets preferred to interact with larvae over creep feed, and Pre-C piglets interacted more with creep feed than Pre-L piglets. Total time spent on feed-directed behaviors did not differ. Continuous larvae provisioning increased caecum length and proximal stomach digesta pH, while it decreased the passage of glucose and fluorescein isothiocyanate through the colon wall on d3 post-weaning (CC vs. LL, n = 12 piglets/treatment). Post-weaning diarrhea and final body weight were not affected by treatment. After weaning, Pre-C piglets tended to eat more and grew marginally faster than Pre-L piglets. Post-C piglets spent more time eating and had a higher feed intake post-weaning than Post-L piglets. Based on home-pen behavioral observations, Post-L piglets actively explored and ate the larvae. Post-C piglets spent more time on exploring the environment and nosing pen mates, and they spent more time on manipulating pen mates on d8 and played more on d8 & 15 compared to Post-L piglets. Piglet responses to a novel environment and an attention bias test on d4 & 5 post-weaning were not influenced by larvae provisioning. In conclusion, pre-weaning larvae provisioning did not improve pre-weaning feed intake and post-weaning performance, however post-weaning larvae provisioning did benefit piglet behavior as less manipulation of pen mates was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson F. Ipema
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Walter J. J. Gerrits
- Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Eddie A. M. Bokkers
- Animal Production Systems Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Manon A. van Marwijk
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bjorge F. A. Laurenssen
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bas Kemp
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Ebinghaus A, Matull K, Knierim U, Ivemeyer S. Associations between Dairy Herds' Qualitative Behavior and Aspects of Herd Health, Stockperson and Farm Factors-A Cross-Sectional Exploration. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020182. [PMID: 35049804 PMCID: PMC8772853 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The affective state is an integrated aspect of farm animal welfare, which is understood as the animals' perception of their living environment and of their internal biological functioning. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore animal-internal and external factors potentially influencing dairy cows' affective state. For this purpose, qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) describing the animals' body language were applied at herd level on 25 dairy farms. By means of principal component analysis (PCA), scores of PC1 (QBAscores) were determined for further analyses. From monthly milk recordings (MR) one year retrospectively, prevalences of udder and metabolic health impairments were calculated. Factors of housing, management, and human-animal contact were recorded via interviews and observations. A multivariable regression was calculated following a univariable preselection of factors. No associations were found between MR indicators and QBAscores. However, more positive QBAscores were associated with bedded cubicles or straw yards compared to raised cubicles, increased voluntary stockperson contact with the cows, and fixation of cows during main feeding times, the latter contributing to the explanatory model, but not being significant. These results underline the importance of lying comfort, positive human-animal relationship and reduction of competition during feeding for the well-being of dairy cows.
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27
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Tenore K, Mancini A, Luppino OI, Mancini F. Group Imagery Rescripting on Childhood Memories Delivered via Telehealth: A Preliminary Study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:862289. [PMID: 35815039 PMCID: PMC9263974 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.862289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imagery Rescripting (ImR) has proved to be effective in the treatment of different mental disorders as an integral part of broader clinical protocols or as a standalone technique. ImR has also been successfully incorporated as part of group Schema Therapy treatment; however, to the best of our knowledge, it has never been assessed as a standalone technique in a group setting. AIM In this study, we focused on ImR delivered via telehealth in groups and we aimed to assess whether group ImR is effective in responding to basic emotional needs, in changing participants' affective state, and in reducing dysfunctional beliefs. We also wanted to assess whether memory realism is associated with a greater effectiveness of the technique. METHODS A total of 52 participants were presented with 3 ImR sessions on childhood memories related to the current dysfunctional belief that elicited more suffering. RESULTS The technique was effective in facilitating the retrieval of a memory in almost the entire sample (in the range of 92.3-100%). Overall, memory realism values (level of vividness, ability to immerse, and participants' distance from the images) were high in all three sessions. Almost all participants were reported having their needs met during ImR (89.7%). Importantly, need satisfaction was associated with the ability to immerse in the image. In addition, the intensity of the dysfunctional belief decreased significantly from pre-test to Session 3. The technique also changed the affective state, reducing arousal. Importantly, we also observed a general reduction in shame levels from the first to the third session. CONCLUSION A telehealth delivered ImR group intervention on childhood memories provides cognitive and emotional improvement. Along with the ability to satisfy the patient's basic emotional needs, the technique seems to be effective in modifying maladaptive beliefs encapsulated in memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Tenore
- Associazione Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva (APC-SPC), Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Sciences, Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Olga Ines Luppino
- Associazione Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva (APC-SPC), Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Sciences, Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Mancini
- Associazione Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva (APC-SPC), Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Sciences, Marconi University, Rome, Italy
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28
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Campbell DLM, Lee C. A Perspective on Strategic Enrichment for Brain Development: Is This the Key to Animal Happiness? Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:720422. [PMID: 34621808 PMCID: PMC8490717 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.720422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock animals are sentient beings with cognitive and emotional capacities and their brain development, similar to humans and other animal species, is affected by their surrounding environmental conditions. Current intensive production systems, through the restrictions of safely managing large numbers of animals, may not facilitate optimal neurological development which can contribute to negative affective states, abnormal behaviors, and reduce experiences of positive welfare states. Enrichment provision is likely necessary to enable animals to reach toward their neurological potential, optimizing their cognitive capacity and emotional intelligence, improving their ability to cope with stressors as well as experience positive affect. However, greater understanding of the neurological impacts of specific types of enrichment strategies is needed to ensure enrichment programs are effectively improving the individual's welfare. Enrichment programs during animal development that target key neurological pathways that may be most utilized by the individual within specific types of housing or management situations is proposed to result in the greatest positive impacts on animal welfare. Research within livestock animals is needed in this regard to ensure future deployment of enrichment for livestock animals is widespread and effective in enhancing their neurological capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana L. M. Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW, Australia
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Anderson MG, Campbell AM, Crump A, Arnott G, Newberry RC, Jacobs L. Effect of Environmental Complexity and Stocking Density on Fear and Anxiety in Broiler Chickens. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2383. [PMID: 34438839 PMCID: PMC8388751 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Barren housing and high stocking densities may contribute to negative affective states in broiler chickens, reducing their welfare. We investigated the effects of environmental complexity and stocking density on broilers' attention bias (measure of anxiety) and tonic immobility (measure of fear). In Experiment 1, individual birds were tested for attention bias (n = 60) and in Experiment 2, groups of three birds were tested (n = 144). Tonic immobility testing was performed on days 12 and 26 (n = 36) in Experiment 1, and on day 19 (n = 72) in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, no differences were observed in the attention bias test. In Experiment 2, birds from high-complexity pens began feeding faster and more birds resumed feeding than from low-complexity pens following playback of an alarm call, suggesting that birds housed in the complex environment were less anxious. Furthermore, birds housed in high-density or high-complexity pens had shorter tonic immobility durations on day 12 compared to day 26 in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, birds from high-density pens had shorter tonic immobility durations than birds housed in low-density pens, which is contrary to expectations. Our results suggest that birds at 3 weeks of age were less fearful under high stocking density conditions than low density conditions. In addition, results indicated that the complex environment improved welfare of broilers through reduced anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory G. Anderson
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (M.G.A.); (A.M.C.)
| | - Andrew M. Campbell
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (M.G.A.); (A.M.C.)
| | - Andrew Crump
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK;
| | - Gareth Arnott
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK;
| | - Ruth C. Newberry
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway;
| | - Leonie Jacobs
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (M.G.A.); (A.M.C.)
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Ozgunay S, Murray JK, Rowe E, Gee NR, Bartholomeus M, Casey R. Cognitive and Composite Behavioural Welfare Assessments of Pet Cats between the Ages of 9-22 Months, Living in Single and Multi-Cat Households. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11061793. [PMID: 34208456 PMCID: PMC8234069 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Although agonistic interactions between cats are often regarded clinically as a source of stress, there is currently limited research evidence regarding the welfare impact of keeping multiple cats as pets. The aim of this study was to compare welfare indicators between cats living in single and multi-cat households, as well as between cats living in multi-cat households where agonistic behaviour was/was not reported by owners. Indicators included a spatial judgment bias task (JBT) and the cat stress score (CSS). CSSs were higher in cats from single compared with multi-cat households. CSSs were lower for cats that showed a more ‘pessimistic’ response in the JBT, suggesting these cats appeared to be less stressed. JBT results did not vary depending on the presence of, or reports of agonistic behaviours between, cohabiting cats. These data suggest that mood states (as measured by the JBT) were not impacted by the social groupings investigated, and that cats from single-cat households showed more signs of stress (as measured by CSS) than those in multi-cat households. Alternative explanations cannot be discounted, particularly due to the narrow sample population and broad scope of husbandry conditions that were unaccounted for. Further research is warranted to explore the extent to which variables that could not be controlled may have confounded findings. Abstract Although agonistic interactions between cats are often regarded clinically as a source of stress, there is currently limited research evidence regarding the welfare impact of keeping multiple cats as pets. The aim of this study was to compare welfare indicators between cats living in domestic single and multi-cat households, as well as between multi-cat households where agonistic behaviour was/was not reported by owners. Indicators included a spatial judgment bias task (JBT), where longer latencies to ambiguous probes are interpreted as being related to a more ‘pessimistic’ mood state, and the cat stress score (CSS), where high scores are indicative of high stress levels. Of 128 focal cats between the ages of 9–22 months, 94 were from multi-cat households, 126 had useable CSS data and 42 had JBT results suitable for analysis. CSSs were significantly lower for cats showing a more ‘pessimistic’ response in the JBT. It is possible that the cats that appeared to be the most relaxed may have been showing inactivity relating to negative affective states and/or were the least active/food motivated, and therefore slower in the JBT. CSSs were significantly higher in cats from single compared with multi-cat households, and did not vary with reports of agonistic interactions in multi-cat households. JBT results did not vary depending on the presence of, or reports of agonistic behaviours between, cohabiting cats. These data suggest that cats from single-cat households may be more likely to show signs of acute stress than those in multi-cat households. Alternative explanations are possible. For example, lower CSSs in the multi-cat group may reflect ‘relief’ effects resulting from separating cats for the test period, or inactivity relating to negative affective states. Due to the narrow sample population and broad scope of husbandry conditions, the potential for confounding variables limits the degree by which results can be used to inform causation of the relationships identified. Further research is warranted to replicate this work and explore potential confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sezan Ozgunay
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK; (J.K.M.); (E.R.); (R.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jane K. Murray
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK; (J.K.M.); (E.R.); (R.C.)
| | - Elizabeth Rowe
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK; (J.K.M.); (E.R.); (R.C.)
| | - Nancy R. Gee
- Center for Human-Animal Interaction, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
| | | | - Rachel Casey
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK; (J.K.M.); (E.R.); (R.C.)
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Merkies K, Franzin O. Enhanced Understanding of Horse-Human Interactions to Optimize Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1347. [PMID: 34065156 PMCID: PMC8151687 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Horses (Equus caballus) have been domesticated for millennia and are regularly utilized for work, sport, and companionship. Enhanced understanding of human-horse interactions can create avenues to optimize their welfare. This review explores the current research surrounding many aspects of human-horse interactions by first highlighting the horse's sensory capabilities and how they pertain to human interactions. Evidence exists that suggests that horses can read humans in various ways through our body odours, posture, facial expressions, and attentiveness. The literature also suggests that horses are capable of remembering previous experiences when working with humans. The interrelatedness of equine cognition and affective states within the horse's umwelt is then explored. From there, equine personality and the current literature regarding emotional transfer between humans and horses is examined. Even though horses may be capable of recognizing emotional states in humans, there remains a gap in the literature of whether horses are capable of empathizing with human emotion. The objective of this literature review is to explore aspects of the relationship between humans and horses to better understand the horse's umwelt and thereby shed new light on potential positive approaches to enhance equine welfare with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina Merkies
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Olivia Franzin
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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Narayan E, McElligott A, Tilbrook A. Editorial: Animal Welfare Assessment: Edition 1. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:653422. [PMID: 33996981 PMCID: PMC8119772 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.653422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Edward Narayan
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Alan McElligott
- Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alan Tilbrook
- Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Askim K, Knardahl S. The Influence of Affective State on Subjective-Report Measurements: Evidence From Experimental Manipulations of Mood. Front Psychol 2021; 12:601083. [PMID: 33679520 PMCID: PMC7930079 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.601083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A substantial portion of the knowledge base of psychology is based on subjective reports with a risk of information bias. The objective of the present study was to elucidate one contextual source of variance and potential bias in subjective reports: the influence of affective state at the time of responding to questionnaires. Employees (N = 67, abstaining from stimulants and activities that may influence emotional and physiological state) were subjected to mood-induction procedures in the laboratory. Neutral, positive, and negative moods were induced by combinations of pictures from the international affective picture set (IAPS) and music. The subjects responded to questions on visual analog scales (VAS) in order to optimize sensitivity and attenuate short-term memory effects. Most subjects exhibited significant affective-state inductions with no change in arousal. The analyses took affective response to the manipulation into account. Only four of 20 questions were somewhat influenced by induced affective state: job overload, social support from co-workers, satisfaction with getting to develop personally, and an item measuring agreeableness. In general, responding to questions of work that were phrased for valence was little or insignificantly influenced by induced affective state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kine Askim
- National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
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Abstract
Abnormalities in bone development in humans and non-humans can lead to impaired physical and psychological health; however, evidence is lacking regarding the role of individual psychosocial factors in the development of poor bone conditions. Addressing this lack of knowledge, we used low-productive laying hens (n = 93) and assessed behavioral responses to an open-field test [at 17, 18, 29, 33 weeks of age (wa)], an aerial predator test (at 39 wa), and a social reinstatement test (at 42 wa). Bone condition was assessed using a palpation technique on five occasions (at 16, 29, 33, 45, 58 wa), with half of the hens experiencing damage (deviations, fractures, or both) at 29 wa and all hens by 58 wa. Corticosterone (CORT) concentration in feathers (at 16, 33, 58 wa) and body weight (at 23, 47, 58 wa) were also investigated. We hypothesized that lighter birds (at 23 wa) with higher CORT (at 16 wa) and open field-induced fear collected before the onset of lay (at 17 and 18 wa) are associated with a worse bone condition when in lay. We also hypothesized that those birds with more damage at the peak of laying (at 29 wa) would be lighter at 47 and 58 wa and more fearful by showing higher open field-induced (at 29 and 33 wa) and predator-induced fear responses, however, acting less socially toward conspecifics. These hens were also expected to have higher CORT (at 33 and 58 wa). Our results show no association between open-field fear level and fear behavior, CORT concentration, or body weight on the one hand (all measured before starting to lay) and bone damage at 29 wa on the other. When in lay, bone damage was associated with more pecking and less crossing zones when faced with an open-field situation at 29 wa and improved sociality at 42 wa. This study provides the first evidence of a relationship of bone health with fear, sociality, and stress response. When in poor bone condition, our hens had enhanced psychological stress measured by fear behavior reactivity but not physiological stress measured as feather CORT concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neža Rokavec
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Domžale, Slovenia
| | - Manja Zupan Šemrov
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Domžale, Slovenia
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Abstract
Emotions encompass cognitive and behavioural responses to reward and punishment. Using contests as a case-study, we propose that short-term emotions underpin animals' assessments, decision-making and behaviour. Equating contest assessments to emotional 'appraisals', we describe how contestants appraise more than resource value and outcome probability. These appraisals elicit the cognition, drive and neurophysiology that governs aggressive behaviour. We discuss how recent contest outcomes induce long-term moods, which impact subsequent contest behaviour. Finally, we distinguish between integral (objectively relevant) and incidental (objectively irrelevant) emotions and moods (affective states). Unlike existing ecological models, our approach predicts that incidental events influence contest dynamics, and that contests become incidental influences themselves, potentially causing maladaptive decision-making. As affective states cross contexts, a more holistic ethology (incorporating emotions and moods) would illuminate animal cognition and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Crump
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.,Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, UK
| | - Emily J Bethell
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
| | - Ryan Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, USA
| | - Victoria E Lee
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Scotland's Rural College, UK
| | - Michael Mendl
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Lucy Oldham
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Scotland's Rural College, UK
| | - Simon P Turner
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Scotland's Rural College, UK
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, UK
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Mellor DJ, Beausoleil NJ, Littlewood KE, McLean AN, McGreevy PD, Jones B, Wilkins C. The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human-Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10101870. [PMID: 33066335 PMCID: PMC7602120 DOI: 10.3390/ani10101870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout its 25-year history, the Five Domains Model for animal welfare assessment has been regularly updated to include at each stage the latest authenticated developments in animal welfare science thinking. The domains of the most up-to-date Model described here are: 1 Nutrition, 2 Physical Environment, 3 Health, 4 Behavioural Interactions and 5 Mental State. The first four domains focus attention on factors that give rise to specific negative or positive subjective experiences (affects), which contribute to the animal's mental state, as evaluated in Domain 5. More specifically, the first three domains focus mainly on factors that disturb or disrupt particular features of the body's internal stability. Each disturbed or disrupted feature generates sensory inputs which are processed by the brain to form specific negative affects, and these affects are associated with behaviours that act to restore the body's internal stability. As each such behaviour is essential for the survival of the animal, the affects associated with them are collectively referred to as "survival-critical affects". In contrast, Domain 4, now named Behavioural Interactions, focusses on evidence of animals consciously seeking specific goals when interacting behaviourally with (1) the environment, (2) other non-human animals and (3) as a new feature of the Model outlined here, humans. The associated affects, evaluated via Domain 5, are mainly generated by brain processing of sensory inputs elicited by external stimuli. The success of the animals' behavioural attempts to achieve their chosen goals is reflected in whether the associated affects are negative or positive. Collectively referred to as "situation-related affects", these outcomes are understood to contribute to animals' perceptions of their external circumstances. These observations reveal a key distinction between the way survival-critical and situation-related affects influence animals' aligned behaviours. The former mainly reflect compelling motivations to engage in genetically embedded behavioural responses, whereas the latter mainly involve conscious behavioural choices which are the hallmarks of agency. Finally, numerous examples of human-animal interactions and their attendant affects are described, and the qualitative grading of interactions that generate negative or positive affect is also illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Mellor
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, 4442 Palmerston North, New Zealand; (N.J.B.); (K.E.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ngaio J. Beausoleil
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, 4442 Palmerston North, New Zealand; (N.J.B.); (K.E.L.)
| | - Katherine E. Littlewood
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, 4442 Palmerston North, New Zealand; (N.J.B.); (K.E.L.)
| | - Andrew N. McLean
- Equitation Science International, 3 Wonderland Ave, Tuerong, VIC 3915, Australia;
| | - Paul D. McGreevy
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (P.D.M.); (B.J.)
| | - Bidda Jones
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (P.D.M.); (B.J.)
- RSPCA Australia, P.O. Box 265, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia
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Abstract
Whether and to what extent animals experience emotions is crucial for understanding their decisions and behaviour, and underpins a range of scientific fields, including animal behaviour, neuroscience, evolutionary biology and animal welfare science. However, research has predominantly focused on alleviating negative emotions in animals, with the expression of positive emotions left largely unexplored. Therefore, little is known about positive emotions in animals and how their expression is mediated. We used tail handling to induce a negative mood in laboratory mice and found that while being more anxious and depressed increased their expression of a discrete negative emotion (disappointment), meaning that they were less resilient to negative events, their capacity to express a discrete positive emotion (elation) was unaffected relative to control mice. Therefore, we show not only that mice have discrete positive emotions, but that they do so regardless of their current mood state. Our findings are the first to suggest that the expression of discrete positive and negative emotions in animals is not equally affected by long-term mood state. Our results also demonstrate that repeated negative events can have a cumulative effect to reduce resilience in laboratory animals, which has significant implications for animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine M Clarkson
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Matthew C Leach
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Paul A Flecknell
- Comparative Biology Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Candy Rowe
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
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Monk JE, Lee C, Dickson E, Campbell DLM. Attention Bias Test Measures Negative But Not Positive Affect in Sheep: A Replication Study. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081314. [PMID: 32751689 PMCID: PMC7460280 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Attention bias tests may provide a practical measure of emotional states in livestock. An attention bias test has been developed as a measure of negative emotional states in sheep. This study aimed to determine whether the test could also be used to assess positive emotional states. Our results indicated that the attention bias test was unable to differentiate control animals from those in drug-induced positive states (p > 0.05). However, our findings further supported the suggestion that the attention bias test may measure negative emotional states in sheep. With further refinement, the attention bias test may be a useful tool to assess and improve livestock welfare. Abstract An attention bias test has been developed as a measure of negative affective states in sheep. The test measures an individual’s allocation of attention between a threatening (previous location of a dog) and positive (conspecific photo) stimulus over a 3 min period. This study replicated a previously inconclusive study, to determine whether the test could assess positive affective states under more controlled conditions and with a younger population of animals. Pharmacological treatments were used to induce anxious, calm, happy, and control affective states prior to entering the attention bias test arena (n = 20/treatment). We hypothesized that sheep in positive and negative affective states could be differentiated using key measures of attention during testing, including vigilance (head at or above shoulder height) and duration looking towards the valenced stimuli. Anxious sheep were more vigilant than control animals during attention bias testing as predicted (linear mixed effects model, p = 0.002), but the positive groups did not differ from controls (p > 0.05). There was no effect of treatment on looking behaviors (p > 0.05). We suggest this attention bias test paradigm can assess negative but not positive affect in sheep and that modifications to the ethogram or stimuli are needed to more clearly characterize the direction of attention during testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E. Monk
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (E.D.); (D.L.M.C.)
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Caroline Lee
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (E.D.); (D.L.M.C.)
| | - Emily Dickson
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (E.D.); (D.L.M.C.)
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Dana L. M. Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (E.D.); (D.L.M.C.)
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Marsh LE, Terry R, Whittaker AL, Hiendleder S, Ralph CR. Pronounced Inter-Individual Variation in Plasma Cortisol Response to Fluoxetine Hydrochloride in the Pig. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E504. [PMID: 32197320 DOI: 10.3390/ani10030504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Holistic animal welfare assessment requires measures for emotional (affective) state, in particular positive states. Pharmacological agents such as antidepressants that create a predictable positive affective state can be valuable tools to assess novel welfare biomarkers. However, efficacy of pharmacological action in the brain needs to be demonstrated before such an approach is applicable. Counterintuitively, in humans and sheep, effective delivery of antidepressant agent, i.e., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, has been demonstrated by an increase in downstream cortisol levels. Here, we tested the efficacy of measuring circulating cortisol as an indicator for effective delivery of a single intravenous dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine hydrochloride to the pig brain. Antidepressant treatment resulted in increased plasma cortisol levels 15–165 min after treatment as compared with saline controls, suggesting that, similar to the other species, plasma cortisol is an indicator of fluoxetine hydrochloride efficacy. However, individual cortisol profiles of pigs treated with the antidepressant were highly variable with either the expected—an unorthodox, or no response. We conclude that significant inter-individual variation in cortisol response currently precludes the use of cortisol as a reporter for fluoxetine hydrochloride efficacy in the pig. These data need to be verified in a larger study. Abstract Animal welfare assessment requires measures for positive affective state. Pharmacological agents that manipulate affective state can be used to evaluate novel biomarkers for affective state assessment. However, to validate that an agent has modified brain function, a reliable indicator is required. Circulating cortisol has been used as a reporter for effective delivery of the antidepressant selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine hydrochloride to the brain in humans and sheep. Here, we tested cortisol as a reporter for effective delivery of fluoxetine hydrochloride to the pig brain. We hypothesized that following administration of SSRI, innervation of the serotonergic reward pathway would result in activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to increased circulating cortisol levels. Large White-Landrace gilts received either a single intravenous dose of 100 mg fluoxetine hydrochloride suspended in 10 mL saline (n = 4), or 10 mL saline alone (n = 4). Blood samples were collected every 15 min for one hour prior to, and six hours post-treatment. The interaction of treatment x time on mean plasma cortisol levels between 15–165 min post-treatment was significant (p = 0.048) with highest cortisol concentrations of SSRI treated pigs versus controls (+ 98%) at 135 min post-treatment. However, individual cortisol profiles after SSRI treatment revealed high inter-individual variation in response. We conclude that, while combined data imply that plasma cortisol may be a readout for SSRI efficacy, inter-individual variation in SSRI response may preclude application of this approach in the pig. Given the current limited sample size, further research to confirm these findings is needed.
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Wang YJ, Duan W, Lei X. Impaired Coupling of the Brain's Default Network During Sleep Deprivation: A Resting-State EEG Study. Nat Sci Sleep 2020; 12:937-947. [PMID: 33204197 PMCID: PMC7667510 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s277655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sleep deprivation (SD) has a negative influence on mood and emotion processing, and previous studies have elucidated the impaired coupling within the default network (DN) after SD. However, the dynamic characteristic with high temporal precision was rarely investigated in the DN after SD. METHODS Here, the resting-state EEG after nocturnal sleep (NS) and SD was collected from 31 participants. The cortical electrical activities of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC) were reconstructed applying the eLORETA, and the functional connectivity (FC) of PCC-aMPFC was calculated using the power envelope connectivity (PEC). RESULTS Compared with NS, the power spectrums of the PCC and the FC of PCC-aMPFC were significantly reduced in the α band after SD. Interestingly, the impaired PCC-aMPFC integration was positively correlated with the decreased positive affect, implying that the DN plays a critical role in the subjective mood state. Our moderation analysis further revealed that the intensity of the DN posterior-anterior interaction moderated sleep loss and positive affect. DISCUSSION Overall, the results reveal the strong relationship between the uncoupling of DN and the feeling down of mood. Our research may contribute towards a better understanding of the mood and cognition processing after sleep loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jie Wang
- Sleep and NeuroImaging Center, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Duan
- Sleep and NeuroImaging Center, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Lei
- Sleep and NeuroImaging Center, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
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Jirkof P, Rudeck J, Lewejohann L. Assessing Affective State in Laboratory Rodents to Promote Animal Welfare-What Is the Progress in Applied Refinement Research? Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E1026. [PMID: 31775293 PMCID: PMC6941082 DOI: 10.3390/ani9121026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An animal's capacity to suffer is a prerequisite for any animal welfare concern, and the minimization of suffering is a key aim of refinement research. In contrast to the traditional focus on avoiding or reducing negative welfare states, modern animal welfare concepts highlight the importance of promoting positive welfare states in laboratory animals. Reliable assessments of affective states, as well as the knowledge of how to elicit positive affective states, are central to this concept. Important achievements have been made to assess pain and other negative affective states in animals in the last decades, but it is only recently that the neurobiology of positive emotions in humans and animals has been gaining more interest. Thereby, the need for promotion of positive affective states for laboratory animals is gaining more acceptance, and methods allowing the assessment of affective states in animals have been increasingly introduced. In this overview article, we present common and emerging methods to assess affective states in laboratory rodents. We focus on the implementation of these methods into applied refinement research to identify achieved progress as well as the future potential of these tools to improve animal welfare in animal-based research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulin Jirkof
- Department Animal Welfare and 3R, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Rudeck
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), 12277 Berlin, Germany; (J.R.); (L.L.)
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), 12277 Berlin, Germany; (J.R.); (L.L.)
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie University Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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42
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Ede T, von Keyserlingk MAG, Weary DM. Assessing the affective component of pain, and the efficacy of pain control, using conditioned place aversion in calves. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190642. [PMID: 31662066 PMCID: PMC6832189 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain in animals is typically assessed using reflexive and physiological responses. These measures allow inferences regarding nociception but provide little basis for conclusions about the affective component of pain (i.e. how negatively the experience is perceived). Calves routinely undergo painful procedures on commercial farms, including hot-iron disbudding, providing a convenient model to study pain in animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the affective component of post-procedural pain due to hot-iron disbudding, using conditioned place aversion. Calves (n = 31) were subjected to two procedures (one bud at a time): one without post-procedural pain control and the other with the use of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (either meloxicam (n = 16) or ketoprofen (n = 15)). All procedures included the use of local anaesthesia (lidocaine). Place conditioning was tested 2 days after the last treatment by allowing calves to freely roam between the pens where they had previously been disbudded. Calves spent more time, and lay down more frequently, in the pen where they received meloxicam compared with the pen where they only received a local block. Surprisingly, calves avoided the pen where they received ketoprofen compared with the control treatment pen. We hypothesize that the shorter duration of action of ketoprofen resulted in increasing pain at the end of the conditioning period, explaining the increased aversion to this treatment. These results illustrate the value of place conditioning paradigms to assess the affective component of pain in animals, and suggest that the animal's evaluation of painful events depends upon the time course of when the pain is experienced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ede
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marina A G von Keyserlingk
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Watters JV, Krebs BL. Assessing and Enhancing the Welfare of Animals with Equivocal and Reliable Cues. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9090680. [PMID: 31540297 PMCID: PMC6770604 DOI: 10.3390/ani9090680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Actions of human caretakers influence the experience of animals under their care, in zoos and elsewhere. These animals often learn to associate stimuli—sights, smells, sounds—with desirable outcomes such as feedings, training sessions, or other positive experiences. Here, we propose that a conscientious approach to providing reliable cues about daily events and observing animal behavior in response to both reliable and uncertain cues can help caretakers support and assess animal welfare. Abstract The actions of human caretakers strongly influence animals living under human care. Here, we consider how intentional and unintentional signals provided by caretakers can inform our assessment of animals’ well-being as well as help to support it. Our aim is to assist in further developing techniques to learn animals’ affective state from their behavior and to provide simple suggestions for how animal caretakers’ behavior can support animal welfare. We suggest that anticipatory behavior towards expected rewards is related to decision-making behavior as viewed through the cognitive bias lens. By considering the predictions of the theories associated with anticipatory behavior and cognitive bias, we propose to use specific cues to probe the cumulative affective state of animals. Additionally, our commentary draws on the logic of reward sensitivity and judgement bias theories to develop a framework that suggests how reliable and equivocal signals may influence animals’ affective states. Application of this framework may be useful in supporting the welfare of animals in human care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason V Watters
- San Francisco Zoological Society, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
| | - Bethany L Krebs
- San Francisco Zoological Society, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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Bailon C, Damas M, Pomares H, Sanabria D, Perakakis P, Goicoechea C, Banos O. Smartphone-Based Platform for Affect Monitoring through Flexibly Managed Experience Sampling Methods. Sensors (Basel) 2019; 19:E3430. [PMID: 31387292 DOI: 10.3390/s19153430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The identification of daily life events that trigger significant changes on our affective state has become a fundamental task in emotional research. To achieve it, the affective states must be assessed in real-time, along with situational information that could contextualize the affective data acquired. However, the objective monitoring of the affective states and the context is still in an early stage. Mobile technologies can help to achieve this task providing immediate and objective data of the users’ context and facilitating the assessment of their affective states. Previous works have developed mobile apps for monitoring affective states and context, but they use a fixed methodology which does not allow for making changes based on the progress of the study. This work presents a multimodal platform which leverages the potential of the smartphone sensors and the Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) to provide a continuous monitoring of the affective states and the context in an ubiquitous way. The platform integrates several elements aimed to expedite the real-time management of the ESM questionnaires. In order to show the potential of the platform, and evaluate its usability and its suitability for real-time assessment of affective states, a pilot study has been conducted. The results demonstrate an excellent usability level and a good acceptance from the users and the specialists that conducted the study, and lead to some suggestions for improving the data quality of mobile context-aware ESM-based systems.
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Sorato E, Zidar J, Garnham L, Wilson A, Løvlie H. Heritabilities and co-variation among cognitive traits in red junglefowl. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0285. [PMID: 30104430 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural selection can act on between-individual variation in cognitive abilities, yet evolutionary responses depend on the presence of underlying genetic variation. It is, therefore, crucial to determine the relative extent of genetic versus environmental control of these among-individual differences in cognitive traits to understand their causes and evolutionary potential. We investigated heritability of associative learning performance and of a cognitive judgement bias (optimism), as well as their covariation, in a captive pedigree-bred population of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus, n > 300 chicks over 5 years). We analysed performance in discriminative and reversal learning (two facets of associative learning), and cognitive judgement bias, by conducting animal models to disentangle genetic from environmental contributions. We demonstrate moderate heritability for reversal learning, and weak to no heritability for optimism and discriminative learning, respectively. The two facets of associative learning were weakly negatively correlated, consistent with hypothesized trade-offs underpinning individual cognitive styles. Reversal, but not discriminative learning performance, was associated with judgement bias; less optimistic individuals reversed a previously learnt association faster. Together these results indicate that genetic and environmental contributions differ among traits. While modular models of cognitive abilities predict a lack of common genetic control for different cognitive traits, further investigation is required to fully ascertain the degree of covariation between a broader range of cognitive traits and the extent of any shared genetic control.This article is part of the theme issue 'Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Sorato
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
| | - Josefina Zidar
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
| | - Laura Garnham
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
| | - Alastair Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Hanne Løvlie
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
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Hedlund M, Lindelöf N, Johansson B, Boraxbekk CJ, Rosendahl E. Development and Feasibility of a Regulated, Supramaximal High-Intensity Training Program Adapted for Older Individuals. Front Physiol 2019; 10:590. [PMID: 31164835 PMCID: PMC6536694 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: High-intensity training (HIT) with extremely short intervals (designated here as supramaximal HIT) is a time-efficient training method for health and performance. However, a protocol for regulation and control of intensity is missing, impeding implementation in various groups, such as older individuals. Methods: This study presents the development and characteristics of a novel training protocol with regulated and controlled supramaximal intervals adapted for older people. Using both quantitative and qualitative analyses, we explored the feasibility of the program, performed in a group training setting, with physically active older individuals (aged 65–75, n = 7; five women). The developed supramaximal HIT program consisted of 10 × 6 s cycle sprint intervals with ∼1 min of active recovery with the following key characteristics: (1) an individual target power output was reached and maintained during all intervals and regulated and expressed as the percentage of the estimated maximum mean power output for the duration of the interval (i.e., 6 s); (2) pedaling cadence was standardized for all participants, while resistance was individualized; and (3) the protocol enabled controlled and systematic adjustments of training intensity following standardized escalation criteria. Aim: Our aim was to test the feasibility of a novel training regimen with regulated and controlled supramaximal HIT, adapted for older people. The feasibility criteria for the program were to support participants in reaching a supramaximal intensity (i.e., power output > 100% of estimated VO2 max), avoid inducing a negative affective response, and have participants perceive it as feasible and acceptable. Results: All feasibility criteria were met. The standardized escalation procedure provided safe escalation of training load up to a supramaximal intensity (around three times the power output at estimated VO2 max). The participants never reported negative affective responses, and they perceived the program as fun and feasible. Conclusion: This novel program offers a usable methodology for further studies on supramaximal HIT among older individuals with different levels of physical capacity. Future research should explore the effects of the program in various populations of older people and their experiences and long-term adherence compared with other forms of training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattias Hedlund
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nina Lindelöf
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bengt Johansson
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Carl-Johan Boraxbekk
- Centre for Demographic and Aging Research (CEDAR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Danish Research Center for Magnetic Resonance, Center for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Erik Rosendahl
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Toledano-González A, Labajos-Manzanares T, Romero-Ayuso D. Well-Being, Self-Efficacy and Independence in older adults: A Randomized Trial of Occupational Therapy. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2019; 83:277-284. [PMID: 31132547 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The main objective of the research was to analyze whether there were differences in the effects of individual and group occupational therapy (OT) treatment on psychological well-being, self-efficacy and personal independence. METHOD A randomized clinical trial (N = 70; age = 85 years, SD = 4) comparing individual versus group occupational therapy treatment for 6 months was conducted. The evaluation was performed with the Barthel Index (Personal Independence), the Ryff Wellness Index (Well-being), the Global Self-Efficacy Scale (Self-efficacy) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (Affective state Scale). RESULTS Results showed a decrease in individual treatment scores in the variables autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth and purpose in life, reflecting worse self-acceptance and negative well-being as well as a lower ability to maintain stable relationships. By contrast, group treatment users maintained more stable social relationships and exhibited a greater ability to resist social pressure, to develop their potential skills and to define their goals in life. There were statistically significant differences in overall self-efficacy (p < 0.001), emotional well-being (p < 0.001) and personal independence (p = 0.013), with better scores in group versus individual treatment. CONCLUSIONS Group occupational therapy interventions in older adults could be the treatment of choice in people with depressed state, improving their emotional well-being, sense of self-efficacy and level of personal independence in basic activities of daily living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Toledano-González
- University of Castilla-La Mancha, Psychology Department, Health Science Faculty, Avda. Real Fábrica de la Seda, s/n, 45600, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain.
| | - Teresa Labajos-Manzanares
- University of Málaga, Physical Therapy Department, Health Science Faculty, Avda. Arquitecto Francisco Peñalosa, 3, 29071, Málaga, Spain
| | - Dulce Romero-Ayuso
- University of Granada, Physical Therapy Department, Health Science Faculty, Avda. De la Ilustración, 60, 18016, Granada, Spain
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Abstract
UNLABELLED ABSTRACTBackground:The current research sought to characterize current mood state profiles in healthy young versus older adults using 100-point visual analogue mood scales (VAMS), provide within-sample and new sample replication of age-group differences, assess sex differences, and compare with commonly used standardized symptom measures. METHODS In two studies, six word-only VAMS (happy, sad, calm, tense, energetic, and sleepy) were administered in a laboratory setting. In Study 1, 22 young and 29 older males completed the VAMS six times (twice per day at weekly intervals). In Study 2, 60 young (30 males) and 60 older (30 males) adults completed on one occasion the VAMS, Beck Depression Inventory-II, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS VAMS scores showed that older adults had a tendency to indicate feeling happier, less sad, calmer, less tense, more energetic, and less sleepy than young adults. This pattern occurred across assessment points and irrespective of sex, except for the tense VAMS, which showed higher scores in females than males in young but not older adults. The standardized measures showed significant age-group differences for Trait Anxiety only (lower in older than young adults). CONCLUSIONS These findings establish current mood state differences in young versus older adults. The absence of age-group differences in past studies may relate to the limited precision of the scales (only 7 points, in contrast to the 100-point scales used here).
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Monk JE, Belson S, Colditz IG, Lee C. Attention Bias Test Differentiates Anxiety and Depression in Sheep. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:246. [PMID: 30405371 PMCID: PMC6205987 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Negative affective states such as anxiety and depression pose a risk to animal welfare, however, practical tests for assessing these states in animals are limited. In humans, anxious individuals are shown to pay more attention toward threatening information than non-anxious individuals, known as an attention bias. Previously, an attention bias test was developed and validated as a measure of anxious states in sheep, where more anxious sheep showed increased attention toward a threat (dog) and were more vigilant than Control animals. Studies in humans suggest that attention biases also occur in depressed individuals, with observations of attention biases toward threats, as well as biases away from positive stimuli. Given these findings, we hypothesized that an attention bias test for sheep could also be used to assess states of depression. We predicted that Merino ewes in pharmacologically induced Depressed (para-chlorophenylalanine) and Anxious (m-chlorophenylpiperazine) states would show greater attention toward a threat than Control animals (saline), but that the Depressed sheep would show relatively less interest in a positive stimulus (photograph of a conspecific). During testing, Depressed sheep paid more attention toward the threat and less toward the photograph than Control animals as predicted (Analyses of Variance, P < 0.05, n = 16 per treatment). Interestingly, Anxious sheep showed an attention bias in the opposite direction, paying more attention toward the photograph and less toward the threat than Control animals (P < 0.05). Both Anxious and Depressed sheep were more vigilant than Control animals (P = 0.002). These results suggest the attention bias test can be used to measure and differentiate states of depression and anxiety in livestock. The bidirectional nature of the attention bias identified between treatments highlights the importance of measuring multiple behaviors in the test and considering the context in which the test is applied. This will enable a clearer characterization of the affective state of an animal, as an aspect of its welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Monk
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, NSW, Australia.,School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.,Sheep CRC, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Sue Belson
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian G Colditz
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Caroline Lee
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, NSW, Australia
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Viskaitis P, Irvine EE, Smith MA, Choudhury AI, Alvarez-Curto E, Glegola JA, Hardy DG, Pedroni SMA, Paiva Pessoa MR, Fernando ABP, Katsouri L, Sardini A, Ungless MA, Milligan G, Withers DJ. Modulation of SF1 Neuron Activity Coordinately Regulates Both Feeding Behavior and Associated Emotional States. Cell Rep 2018; 21:3559-3572. [PMID: 29262334 PMCID: PMC5746599 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Feeding requires the integration of homeostatic drives with emotional states relevant to food procurement in potentially hostile environments. The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) regulates feeding and anxiety, but how these are controlled in a concerted manner remains unclear. Using pharmacogenetic, optogenetic, and calcium imaging approaches with a battery of behavioral assays, we demonstrate that VMH steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) neurons constitute a nutritionally sensitive switch, modulating the competing motivations of feeding and avoidance of potentially dangerous environments. Acute alteration of SF1 neuronal activity alters food intake via changes in appetite and feeding-related behaviors, including locomotion, exploration, anxiety, and valence. In turn, intrinsic SF1 neuron activity is low during feeding and increases with both feeding termination and stress. Our findings identify SF1 neurons as a key part of the neurocircuitry that controls both feeding and related affective states, giving potential insights into the relationship between disordered eating and stress-associated psychological disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulius Viskaitis
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Elaine E Irvine
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mark A Smith
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Agharul I Choudhury
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Elisa Alvarez-Curto
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Justyna A Glegola
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Darran G Hardy
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Silvia M A Pedroni
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Maria R Paiva Pessoa
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Anushka B P Fernando
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Loukia Katsouri
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alessandro Sardini
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mark A Ungless
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Graeme Milligan
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Dominic J Withers
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
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