Article
Biology
Lindsay L. Sailer, Ashley H. Park, Abigail Galvez, Alexander G. Ophir
Summary: Despite the confusion in terminology and unclear mechanisms governing social behavior, this study highlights the importance of disentangling the prosocial and antisocial elements associated with different forms of social behavior. The activation of the lateral septum (LS) alters social responses in male prairie voles, increasing affiliative behaviors and reducing selective aggression with same-sex conspecifics, but maintaining bonding with opposite-sex individuals. This reveals the significance of the LS in adjusting selective and nonselective social behavior related to reproductive success.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brandon A. Fricker, Venezia C. Roshko, Jinrun Jiang, Aubrey M. Kelly
Summary: Studies on prairie voles have shown that their pair bond can be dissolved, allowing them to form new bonds with other individuals. The neural mechanisms underlying this behavioral flexibility have not been well-studied. In this study, the plasticity of vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) neuronal populations in relation to bonding and bond dissolution was examined. The findings suggest that the nonapeptide cell groups in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) are particularly plastic, enabling voles to exhibit context-appropriate behavior related to bond status.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Richard Ortiz, Jason R. Yee, Praveen P. Kulkarni, Nancy G. Solomon, Brian Keane, Xuezhu Cai, Craig F. Ferris, Bruce S. Cushing
Summary: This study examines the differences in higher-order brain structure, microarchitecture, and functional connectivity between male prairie voles with different levels of prosocial behavior. The results suggest that gray matter microarchitecture and FC may play a role in the expression of prosocial behavior, with potential involvement of other brain regions, especially the brainstem.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY-COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Wenjuan Hou, Huan Ma, Yufeng Xun, Xin Zhang, Wenqi Cai, Shuying Huang, Zhixiong He, Fadao Tai, Rui Jia
Summary: The study found that CSDS affects behavioral performance and levels of social withdrawal in monogamous mandarin voles, with the OT and AVP systems potentially playing important regulatory roles in sex differences of behavioral performances.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olga Wronikowska-Denysiuk, Weronika Mrozek, Barbara Budzynska
Summary: Drug abuse is a global problem that has negative consequences on physical, mental, and economic aspects. The oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) systems have shown potential as therapeutic targets for drug abuse treatment. Both OT and AVP can reduce drug consumption and ameliorate their rewarding effects. Additionally, these neuropeptides are involved in social and reward behaviors. Therefore, understanding the relationship between OT and AVP and the behavioral effects of drugs of abuse may contribute to more successful drug development.
Article
Neurosciences
Aubrey M. Kelly, Ashley W. Seifert
Summary: VP and OT, two nonapeptides, play critical roles in modulating physiology and social behaviors across vertebrates, showing relatively strong evolutionary conservation in distributions. The distribution of VP and OT neurons in Acomys cahirinus, a gregarious rodent species, was examined, revealing both similarities and sex differences in neuronal populations compared to other rodents. These findings provide foundational knowledge for studying nonapeptide-mediated behavior in social rodents.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Nicole Rigney, Geert J. de Vries, Aras Petrulis, Larry J. Young
Summary: This article reviews the regulatory effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on social behavior and summarizes the circuit-based mechanisms related to social behaviors. It discusses the use of modern molecular genetic technologies to study neuropeptide circuits and explores the species diversity in the effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on social behaviors. Additionally, it discusses the translational implications of oxytocin and vasopressin for improving social functioning in disorders such as autism spectrum disorder.
Article
Neurosciences
Kristen M. Berendzen, Ruchira Sharma, Maricruz Alvarado Mandujano, Yichao Wei, Forrest D. Rogers, Trenton C. Simmons, Adele M. H. Seelke, Jessica M. Bond, Rose Larios, Nastacia L. Goodwin, Michael Sherman, Srinivas Parthasarthy, Isidero Espineda, Joseph R. Knoedler, Annaliese Berry, Karen L. Bales, Nirao M. Shah, Devanand S. Manoli
Summary: Prairie voles, a species known for long-term social attachment between mating partners, were studied using CRISPR mutagenesis. Three different Oxtr-null mutant prairie vole lines were generated, and surprisingly, these mutants still displayed social attachment towards their mating partners compared to strangers of the opposite sex. Additionally, even without Oxtr signaling, Oxtr mutant mothers delivered viable pups and parents displayed parental care. This suggests that social attachment, parturition, and parental behavior can occur in prairie voles in the absence of Oxtr signaling.
Article
Neurosciences
Kyle R. Gossman, Benjamin Dykstra, Byron H. Garcia, Arielle P. Swopes, Adam Kimbrough, Adam S. Smith
Summary: This study assessed the organization and functional connectivity models of the social decision-making network (SDMN) using c-Fos in prairie voles during specific social interactions. The results showed distinct patterns of c-Fos activity in different brain regions during social encounters, leading to the formation of discrete network modules. The partner functional connectivity network resembled the theoretical SDMN model, while stranger networks demonstrated different architecture with connections associated with threat and aggressive behaviors.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Jack H. Taylor, Noah S. Campbell, Jeanne M. Powell, H. Elliott Albers, Aubrey M. Kelly
Summary: The nonapeptide system plays a crucial role in regulating various social behaviors in different species. This study maps the distribution of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in the brain of male and female Mongolian gerbils and explores the influence of gonadal sex on these receptors. The findings provide a foundation for future research on manipulating the nonapeptide system to study social behavior.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
G. Wirobski, F. S. Schaebs, F. Range, S. Marshall-Pescini, T. Deschner
Summary: The study validated a commercial Enzyme Immunoassay for measuring oxytocin metabolite concentrations in dog, wolf, and human urine samples, with improved performance compared to a previously validated assay.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lydia Smith Osborne, Anh Duorg, Alexis Resendez, Rupert Palme, Jonathan P. Fadok
Summary: Social species form dominance hierarchies to ensure survival and promote reproductive success. Female hierarchies are thought to be less despotic and rank is conferred by intrinsic traits. Both social buffering and elevated social status confer resilience to chronic stress. In this study, we investigate how female social hierarchies and individual traits influence stress resilience. The results show that stable female hierarchies emerge rapidly and individual traits are characteristic of rank. Female rank is associated with behavior, stress status, and neurobiology. Hierarchies exert context-specific influence upon stress outcomes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marissa A. Rice, Sydney M. Galindez, Joshua T. Garner, Alexander G. Ophir
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between female mating tactics and different sex ratios in prairie voles. The results show that social context does not directly influence female mating decisions, but multi-male mating in females may lead to increased fertilization success under semi-natural conditions.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marissa A. Rice, Sydney M. Galindez, Joshua T. Garner, Alexander G. Ophir
Summary: In socially monogamous female prairie voles, the unequal gender ratio influences mixed paternity and overall reproductive success, with female fecundity correlated with the number of male partners. The study found that when males outnumbered females, females had more offspring from multiple fathers; similarly, when females outnumbered males, females still had more offspring from multiple fathers, but the total number of embryos did not differ significantly.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Vinicius Elias de Moura Oliveira, Julie Bakker
Summary: Traditionally, the neurobiology of aggression has mainly focused on studying males, considering females to be less aggressive except during lactation. However, recent studies have shown that non-lactating females can exhibit exaggerated and pathological aggression similar to males. This review provides an overview of recent findings on the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating female aggression, with special attention given to novel rodent models that display heightened aggression in non-lactating females. Among the neuromodulatory systems influencing female aggression, the role of sex steroids, sex-steroid-sensitive neuronal populations, oxytocin, and vasopressin is highlighted.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
M. Okhovat, I. C. Chen, Z. Dehghani, D. J. Zheng, J. E. Ikpatt, H. Momoh, S. M. Phelps
GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2018)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Da-Jiang Zheng, Lauren Foley, Asad Rehman, Alexander G. Ophir
Article
Neurosciences
Da-Jiang Zheng, Aditi Singh, Steven M. Phelps
Summary: Sexual dimorphism in vocalization of Alston's singing mouse is linked to androgen responsiveness. The study identified brain regions with AR-ir involved in vocalization, suggesting evolutionary conservation of androgen modulation in rodent vocalization.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Da-Jiang Zheng, Daniel E. Okobi, Ryan Shu, Rania Agrawal, Samantha K. Smith, Michael A. Long, Steven M. Phelps
Summary: This study reveals the role of anatomical structures in the vocalization behavior of Alston's singing mouse by injecting tracers into different muscles. The results show that these neural circuits are consistent with the general patterns of vocal circuitry in vertebrates and with the findings derived from primate literature.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Radwa H. Lutfy, Sherine Abdel Salam, Haitham S. Mohammed, Marwa M. Shakweer, Amina E. Essawy
Summary: Insufficient sleep is associated with impaired hypothalamic activity and declined attentional performance. This study found that near-infrared (NIR) laser therapy can alleviate the effects of sleep deprivation on the hypothalamus, enhance antioxidant status, suppress neuroinflammation, and regulate cellular activity.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Durmus Ali Aslanlar, Emin Fatih Visneci, Mehmet Oz, K. Esra Nurullahoglu Atalik
Summary: Mood disorders caused by chemotherapy have become more important as cancer patients' survival increases. This study used methotrexate to induce mood disorders in rats and found that treatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can alleviate anxiety and depression-like behaviors, increase antioxidant capacity, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response, and regulate brain chemistry. The findings suggest that NAC treatment could be an effective strategy in revising the treatment for individuals suffering from chemotherapy-induced mood disorders.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Yunfan Zhang, Yunbin Zhang, Zhuangfei Chen, Ping Ren, Yu Fu
Summary: This study systematically investigated the effects of extremely low intensity HF-rTMS on cognition in mice and found that 40 Hz rTMS significantly impaired exploratory behavior and spatial memory at both 10 mT and 1 mT conditions. Additionally, 40 Hz stimulation had remarkably different effects on exploratory behavior depending on intensity, compared to 10 Hz stimulation.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Xuan Xuan, Guangling Zheng, Wenjia Zhu, Qionghua Sun, Yawei Zeng, Juan Du, Xusheng Huang
Summary: This study examines the functional characteristics of the cerebellum in individuals with sALS and their correlation with clinical data. The results show changes in both local and global functional connectivity in the cerebellum of sALS patients, suggesting a pathophysiological role of the cerebellum in sALS.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Mehdi Rezaei, Mohammad Mahdi Shariat Bagheri
Summary: This study examined the efficacy of tDCS for PTSD and related symptoms, as well as the factors that may predict response to tDCS. The results showed that tDCS had a positive effect in reducing symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and anhedonia. The severity of symptoms at baseline may also predict the response to tDCS.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Huimin Wu, Yiqun Guo, Yaoyao Zhang, Le Zhao, Cheng Guo
Summary: Aggression can have serious consequences, but little is known about its personality and neurological origins in children. This study investigated the relationship between self-esteem, aggression, and brain structure in healthy children, and found that self-esteem was negatively associated with aggression. The study also revealed that increased cortical thickness in certain brain areas may be a potential mechanism linking low self-esteem to aggression in children.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Xinmei Deng, Kexin Chen, Xiaoming Chen, Lin Zhang, Mingping Lin, Xiaoqing Li, Qiufeng Gao
Summary: Parental involvement affects the relationship and communication between parents and adolescents. This study found that high parental involvement is associated with stronger brain-to-brain synchrony during shared positive emotional experiences, while low parental involvement is associated with stronger synchrony during shared negative emotional experiences.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Xin Deng, I. -Shuo Huang, Kourtlin Williams, Marcy L. Wainwright, Paul Zimba, Riccardo Mozzachiodi
Summary: Food deprivation can lead to neurological dysfunctions, including memory impairment. This study used Aplysia as an animal model to investigate the memory deficits caused by prolonged food deprivation. The results showed that 14 days of food deprivation decreased the level of 5-HT in the hemolymph, which contributed to the lack of sensitization and its cellular correlates. However, exogenous application of 5-HT partially induced sensitization in the food deprived animals.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ihori Kobayashi, Patrick A. Forcelli
Summary: The study found that intervention with the dual orexin receptor antagonist suvorexant did not have the expected effects on extinction memory and sleep. Higher percentages of REM sleep were associated with poorer extinction memory recall and stronger fear responses. Additionally, the fear extinction training protocol used in this study did not lead to complete fear extinction.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jiyan Xu, Xinlu Chen, Shuai Liu, Ziqi Wei, Minhui Xu, Linhao Jiang, Xue Han, Liangyu Peng, Xiaoping Gu, Tianjiao Xia
Summary: This study investigated the effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on oxidative stress and cognitive function in postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) mice. The results showed that NMN pretreatment reduced oxidative stress damage and alleviated cognitive impairment in POCD mice.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Song Liu, Qiang Wu, Liyue Wang, Cong Xing, Junrui Guo, Baicao Li, Hongpeng Ma, Hao Zhong, Mi Zhou, Shibo Zhu, Rusen Zhu, Guangzhi Ning
Summary: In this study, a systematic assessment indicator was developed to objectively evaluate hindlimb motor function recovery in rats after thoracic contusion SCI. By screening CatWalk XT gait parameters and using exploratory factor analysis, 38 suitable parameters for assessing motor function were identified. A reliable Coordinated Function Index (CFI) was proposed based on these parameters and simplified for improved assessment efficacy.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Kyosuke Shiga, Shota Miyaguchi, Yasuto Inukai, Naofumi Otsuru, Hideaki Onishi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on microscale learning in implicit motor tasks. Contrary to expectations, the results showed that the stimulation protocol had no significant effects on microscale learning, revealing a novel aspect of microscale learning in implicit motor tasks.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Cahide Aslan, Rahime Aslankoc, Ozlem Ozmen, Buse Nur Suluk, Oguzhan Kavrik, Nurhan Gumral
Summary: This study examined the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup on prefrontal cortex damage in adolescent rats, as well as the protective role of vitamin D.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Matin Baghani, Arad Bolouri-Roudsari, Reyhaneh Askari, Abbas Haghparast
Summary: The study suggests that the orexinergic system in the dentate gyrus region of the brain may act as an endogenous pain control system and a potential target for treating stress-related disorders.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sen Zhou, Yang Liu, Binbin Xue, Peigen Yuan
Summary: This study confirmed that low-dose Esketamine alleviates LPS-induced depressive symptoms by regulating the GSK-3 beta/NLRP3 pathway. Appropriate doses of Esketamine are essential for the treatment of depression in the clinical setting.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)