1
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García-Saucedo B, Romero-Morales L, Álvarez-Rodríguez C, Cárdenas-Vázquez R, Ávila-Costa MR, Luis J. Father's Absence in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is associated with alterations in paternal behavior, T, cort, presence of ERα, and AR in mPOA/ BNST. Behav Brain Res 2024; 465:114928. [PMID: 38432301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone (T), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and androgen receptor (AR) play a significant role in the regulation of paternal behavior. We determined the effects of deprivation of paternal care on alterations in paternal behavior, T concentrations in plasma, and the presence of ERα and AR in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), medial amygdala (MeA), and olfactory bulb (OB), as well as the corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in plasma caused by deprivation of paternal care in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Twenty pairs of gerbils were formed; the pups were deprived of paternal care (DPC) in 10 pairs. In another 10 pairs, the pups received paternal care (PC). Ten males raised in DPC condition and 10 males raised in PC conditions were mated with virgin females. When they became fathers, each DPC male and PC male was subjected to tests of paternal behavior on day three postpartum. Blood samples were obtained to quantify T and CORT concentrations, and the brains were removed for ERα and AR immunohistochemistry analyses. DPC males gave less care to their pups than PC males, and they had significantly lower T concentrations and levels of ERα and AR in the mPOA and BNST than PC males. DPC males also had higher CORT concentrations than PC males. These results suggest that in the Mongolian gerbil father's absence causes a decrease in paternal care in the offspring, which is associated with alterations in the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda García-Saucedo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1° Piso, 7 Circuitos de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de 8 México, México
| | - Luis Romero-Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Carmen Álvarez-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - René Cárdenas-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Biología Animal Experimental, Depto. de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - María Rosa Ávila-Costa
- Laboratorio de Neuromorfología, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, Edo. Mex, Mexico
| | - Juana Luis
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
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2
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Booth AM, Viernes R, Farrar VS, Flores L, Austin SH, Calisi RM. Sex-specific behavioral and physiological changes during single parenting in a biparental species, Columba livia. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105428. [PMID: 37748275 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Many species exhibit biparental care to maximize fitness. When a partner is lost, the surviving partner may alter their behavior to compensate offspring. Whether both sexes use the same physiological mechanisms to manifest their change in behavior remains elusive. We investigated behaviors and mechanisms associated with the alteration of parental care post-partner removal in a biparental avian species, the rock dove (Columba livia). We hypothesized that rock dove single parents experience sex-biased changes in neural genomic transcription and reproductive behaviors, and these changes are related to chick development. We manipulated parental partner presence and measured parental attendance, offspring growth, gene expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in the pituitary, and GR, MR, and estrogen receptor beta (ER-β) in the hypothalamus. We also measured circulating plasma concentrations of the stress-associated hormone corticosterone and the parental care-associated hormone prolactin. We also quantified prolactin gene (PRL) expression changes in the pituitary, as well as prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression in the hypothalamus and pituitary. We found that single mothers and fathers maintained similar provisioning levels as paired parents, but spent less cumulative time brooding chicks. Chicks of single parents were smaller than paired-parented chicks after three days post-hatch. Mothers in both treatment groups experienced higher expression of hypothalamic GR as compared to fathers. Single parents experienced lower PRL gene expression in the pituitary as compared to paired parents. No significant differences were found for the circulating hormones or other genes listed.
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Affiliation(s)
- April M Booth
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
| | - Rechelle Viernes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Victoria S Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Laura Flores
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Suzanne H Austin
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
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3
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Becker EA, Leithead AB, Libo N, Kumerow MT, Goetsch L, Marler CA. Transmission of paternal retrieval behavior from fathers to sons in a biparental rodent. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22164. [PMID: 34333766 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Transmission of maternal behavior across generations occurs, but less is known about paternal behavior. In biparental species like the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), paternal care contributes to the well-being of offspring with lasting consequences on the brain and behavior. Paternal huddling/grooming behavior can be passed on to future generations, but whether paternal retrieval, which removes young from potential harm, is transmitted independently is unclear. We manipulated paternal retrieval experience through pup displacement manipulations, then examined whether males exposed to higher levels of paternal retrieval in development altered their adult retrieval behavior with their offspring. Males exposed to heightened paternal retrievals, as compared to reduced retrievals, retrieved their offspring more often but huddled/groomed offspring less during undisturbed natural observations. No differences were observed following a pup displacement challenge. The high paternal retrieval group also exhibited more physical activity and stereotypy. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that paternal retrieval levels are transmitted across generations and may function via mechanisms separate from huddling/grooming. One modifying factor may be anxiety because increased activity and stereotypy occurred in the high retrieval group. We speculate how the transmission of paternal retrievals may inform a protective parenting style.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Becker
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Psychology, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Amanda B Leithead
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Natalya Libo
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Marie T Kumerow
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lauren Goetsch
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Catherine A Marler
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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4
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An acute dose of intranasal oxytocin rapidly increases maternal communication and maintains maternal care in primiparous postpartum California mice. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244033. [PMID: 33886559 PMCID: PMC8061985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal-offspring communication and care are essential for offspring survival. Oxytocin (OXT) is known for its role in initiation of maternal care, but whether OXT can rapidly influence maternal behavior or ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs; above 50 kHz) has not been examined. To test for rapid effects of OXT, California mouse mothers were administered an acute intranasal (IN) dose of OXT (0.8 IU/kg) or saline followed by a separation test with three phases: habituation with pups in a new testing chamber, separation via a wire mesh, and finally reunion with pups. We measured maternal care, maternal USVs, and pup USVs. In mothers, we primarily observed simple sweep USVs, a short downward sweeping call around 50 kHz, and in pups we only observed pup whines, a long call with multiple harmonics ranging from 20 kHz to 50 kHz. We found that IN OXT rapidly and selectively enhanced the normal increase in maternal simple sweep USVs when mothers had physical access to pups (habituation and reunion), but not when mothers were physically separated from pups. Frequency of mothers’ and pups’ USVs were correlated upon reunion, but IN OXT did not influence this correlation. Finally, mothers given IN OXT showed more efficient pup retrieval/carrying and greater total maternal care upon reunion. Behavioral changes were specific to maternal behaviors (e.g. retrievals) as mothers given IN OXT did not differ from controls in stress-related behaviors (e.g. freezing). Overall, these findings highlight the rapid effects and context-dependent effect a single treatment with IN OXT has on both maternal USV production and offspring care.
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5
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Rogers FD, Bales KL. Revisiting paternal absence: Female alloparental replacement of fathers recovers partner preference formation in female, but not male
prairie voles
(
Microtus ochrogaster
). Dev Psychobiol 2019; 62:573-590. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Forrest Dylan Rogers
- Psychology Graduate Program University of California Davis CA USA
- Department of Psychology University of California Davis CA USA
| | - Karen Lisa Bales
- Department of Psychology University of California Davis CA USA
- California National Primate Research Center Davis CA USA
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6
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WANG B, LI L, HE Z, WANG L, ZHANG S, QIAO H, JIA R, TAI F. Effects of reproductive experience on paternal behavior, levels of testosterone, prolactin in serum and dendritic spines in medial prefrontal cortex of mandarin voles. Integr Zool 2018; 13:711-722. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bo WANG
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
- Genetic Engineering Laboratory, College of Biological and Environmental engineering; Xi'an University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Laifu LI
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Zhixiong HE
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Limin WANG
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Siyi ZHANG
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Hui QIAO
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Rui JIA
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Fadao TAI
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an Shaanxi China
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7
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Yohn CN, Leithead AB, Ford J, Gill A, Becker EA. Paternal Care Impacts Oxytocin Expression in California Mouse Offspring and Basal Testosterone in Female, but Not Male Pups. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:181. [PMID: 30210315 PMCID: PMC6123359 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural variations in parenting are associated with differences in expression of several hormones and neuropeptides which may mediate lasting effects on offspring development, like regulation of stress reactivity and social behavior. Using the bi-parental California mouse, we have demonstrated that parenting and aggression are programmed, at least in part, by paternal behavior as adult offspring model the degree of parental behavior received in development and are more territorial following high as compared to low levels of care. Development of these behaviors may be driven by transient increases in testosterone following paternal retrievals and increased adult arginine vasopressin (AVP) immunoreactivity within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) among high-care (HC) offspring. It remains unclear, however, whether other neuropeptides, such as oxytocin (OT), which is sensitive to gonadal steroids, are similarly impacted by father-offspring interactions. To test this question, we manipulated paternal care (high and low care) and examined differences in adult offspring OT-immunoreactive (OT-ir) within social brain areas as well as basal T and corticosterone (Cort) levels. HC offspring had more OT-ir within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) than low-care (LC) offspring. Additionally, T levels were higher among HC than LC females, but no differences were found in males. There were no differences in Cort indicating that our brief father-pup separations likely had no consequences on stress reactivity. Together with our previous work, our data suggest that social behavior may be programmed by paternal care through lasting influences on the neuroendocrine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Yohn
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Amanda B Leithead
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Julian Ford
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Alexander Gill
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Becker
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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8
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Yohn CN, Leithead AB, Ford J, Gill A, Becker EA. Paternal Care Impacts Oxytocin Expression in California Mouse Offspring and Basal Testosterone in Female, but Not Male Pups. Front Behav Neurosci 2018. [PMID: 30210315 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00181/bibtex] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural variations in parenting are associated with differences in expression of several hormones and neuropeptides which may mediate lasting effects on offspring development, like regulation of stress reactivity and social behavior. Using the bi-parental California mouse, we have demonstrated that parenting and aggression are programmed, at least in part, by paternal behavior as adult offspring model the degree of parental behavior received in development and are more territorial following high as compared to low levels of care. Development of these behaviors may be driven by transient increases in testosterone following paternal retrievals and increased adult arginine vasopressin (AVP) immunoreactivity within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) among high-care (HC) offspring. It remains unclear, however, whether other neuropeptides, such as oxytocin (OT), which is sensitive to gonadal steroids, are similarly impacted by father-offspring interactions. To test this question, we manipulated paternal care (high and low care) and examined differences in adult offspring OT-immunoreactive (OT-ir) within social brain areas as well as basal T and corticosterone (Cort) levels. HC offspring had more OT-ir within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) than low-care (LC) offspring. Additionally, T levels were higher among HC than LC females, but no differences were found in males. There were no differences in Cort indicating that our brief father-pup separations likely had no consequences on stress reactivity. Together with our previous work, our data suggest that social behavior may be programmed by paternal care through lasting influences on the neuroendocrine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Yohn
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Amanda B Leithead
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Julian Ford
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Alexander Gill
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Becker
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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9
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Mitre M, Kranz TM, Marlin BJ, Schiavo JK, Erdjument-Bromage H, Zhang X, Minder J, Neubert TA, Hackett TA, Chao MV, Froemke RC. Sex-Specific Differences in Oxytocin Receptor Expression and Function for Parental Behavior. GENDER AND THE GENOME 2017; 1:142-166. [PMID: 32959027 PMCID: PMC7500123 DOI: 10.1089/gg.2017.0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Parental care is among the most profound behavior expressed by humans and other animals. Despite intense interest in understanding the biological basis of parental behaviors, it remains unknown how much of parenting is encoded by the genome and which abilities instead are learned or can be refined by experience. One critical factor at the intersection between innate behaviors and experience-dependent learning is oxytocin, a neurohormone important for maternal physiology and neuroplasticity. Oxytocin acts throughout the body and brain to promote prosocial and maternal behaviors and modulates synaptic transmission to affect neural circuit dynamics. Recently we developed specific antibodies to mouse oxytocin receptors, found that oxytocin receptors are left lateralized in female auditory cortex, and examined how oxytocin enables maternal behavior by sensitizing the cortex to infant distress sounds. In this study we compare oxytocin receptor expression and function in male and female mice. Receptor expression is higher in adult female left auditory cortex than in right auditory cortex or males. Developmental profiles and mRNA expression were comparable between males and females. Behaviorally, male and female mice began expressing parental behavior similarly after cohousing with experienced females; however, oxytocin enhanced parental behavior onset in females but not males. This suggests that left lateralization of oxytocin receptor expression in females provides a mechanism for accelerating maternal behavior onset, although male mice can also effectively co-parent after experience with infants. The sex-specific pattern of oxytocin receptor expression might genetically predispose female cortex to respond to infant cues, which both males and females can also rapidly learn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Mitre
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Cell Biology, Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Thorsten M. Kranz
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Cell Biology, Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Bianca J. Marlin
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jennifer K. Schiavo
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Hediye Erdjument-Bromage
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Jess Minder
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Thomas A. Neubert
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Troy A. Hackett
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Moses V. Chao
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Cell Biology, Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Robert C. Froemke
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
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10
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Yohn CN, Leithead AB, Becker EA. Increased vasopressin expression in the BNST accompanies paternally induced territoriality in male and female California mouse offspring. Horm Behav 2017; 93:9-17. [PMID: 28359742 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
While developmental consequences of parental investment on species-typical social behaviors has been extensively characterized in same-sex parent-offspring interactions, the impact of opposite-sex relationships is less clear. In the bi-parental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), paternal retrieval behavior induces territorial aggression and the expression of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in adult male offspring. Although similar patterns of territorially emerge among females, the sexually dimorphic AVP system has not been considered since it is generally thought to regulate male-typical behavior. However, we recently demonstrated that male and female P. californicus offspring experience increases in plasma testosterone following paternal retrieval. Since AVP expression is androgen-dependent during development, we postulate that increases in AVP expression may accompany territoriality in female, as well as male offspring. To explore this aim, adult P. californicus offspring that received either high or low levels of paternal care (retrievals) during early development were tested for territoriality and immunohistochemical analysis of AVP within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and supraoptic nucleus (SON). Consistent with previous studies, high care offspring were more aggressive than low care offspring. Moreover, high care offspring had significantly more AVP immunoreactive (AVP-ir) cells within the BNST than low care offspring. This pattern was observed within female as well as male offspring, suggesting an equally salient role for paternal care on female offspring physiology. Regardless of early social experience, sex differences in AVP persisted in the BNST, with males having greater expression than females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Yohn
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA; Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Amanda B Leithead
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Becker
- Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
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11
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Bester-Meredith JK, Burns JN, Conley MF, Mammarella GE, Ng ND. Peromyscus as a model system for understanding the regulation of maternal behavior. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 61:99-106. [PMID: 27381343 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The genus Peromyscus has been used as a model system for understanding maternal behavior because of the diversity of reproductive strategies within this genus. This review will describe the ecological factors that determine litter size and litter quality in polygynous species such as Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus. We will also outline the physiological and social factors regulating maternal care in Peromyscus californicus, a monogamous and biparental species. Because biparental care is relatively rare in mammals, most research in P. californicus has focused on understanding the biology of paternal care while less research has focused on understanding maternal care. As a result, the social, sensory, and hormonal cues used to coordinate parental care between male and female P. californicus have been relatively well-studied. However, less is known about the physiology of maternal care in P. californicus and in other Peromyscus species. The diversity of the genus Peromyscus provides the potential for future research to continue to examine how variation in social systems has shaped the mechanisms that underlie maternal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet K Bester-Meredith
- Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA.
| | - Jennifer N Burns
- Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA
| | - Mariah F Conley
- Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA
| | - Grace E Mammarella
- Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA
| | - Nathaniel D Ng
- Seattle Pacific University, Department of Biology, 3307 3rd Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA
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