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Kaplan G. The evolution of social play in songbirds, parrots and cockatoos - emotional or highly complex cognitive behaviour or both? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105621. [PMID: 38479604 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Social play has been described in many animals. However, much of this social behaviour among birds, particularly in adults, is still relatively unexplored in terms of the environmental, psychological, and social dynamics of play. This paper provides an overview of what we know about adult social play in birds and addresses areas in which subtleties and distinctions, such as in play initiation and social organisation and its relationship to expressions of play, are considered in detail. The paper considers emotional, social, innovative, and cognitive aspects of play, then the environmental conditions and affiliative bonds, suggesting a surprisingly complex framework of criteria awaiting further research. Adult social play has so far been studied in only a small number of avian species, exclusively in those with a particularly large brain relative to body size without necessarily addressing brain functions and lateralization. When lateralization of brain function is considered, it can further illuminate a possibly significant relevance of play behaviour to the evolution of cognition, to management of emotions, and the development of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Kaplan
- University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
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Conklin QA, Zanesco AP, King BG, Epel ES, Saron CD. Changes in peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin during a silent month-long Insight meditation retreat. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1345527. [PMID: 38863930 PMCID: PMC11165068 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1345527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Given its putative roles in mediating prosocial behavior, attachment bonds, and stress physiology, oxytocin modulation has been hypothesized to be a biological correlate of the salubrious effects of meditation practice. Here we investigated the effects of a month-long silent meditation retreat on changes in oxytocin, and the related hormone and vasopressin, in relation to psychosocial changes in attachment style, anxiety, personality measures, and feelings of social connectedness with fellow meditators. Methods Plasma oxytocin and vasopressin and self-report questionnaires were measured in retreat participants (n = 28) at the beginning of, and 3 weeks into, a residential meditation retreat. Control participants (n = 34), who were similar in age, gender, and meditation experience, were also assessed across a 3-week interval. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess outcomes. Results The retreat group showed a small but significant decrease in oxytocin compared to controls who showed no change. In the retreat group, higher openness to experience at Time 1 predicted greater reductions in oxytocin during the retreat, and lower oxytocin at Time 2 was related to stronger feelings of personal connection with fellow meditators. The changes in oxytocin were not related to attachment style or anxiety. Vasopressin decreased over time across both groups, suggesting no specific effect of retreat. Conclusion These preliminary findings suggest that meditation training in the context of a silent residential retreat may reduce circulating levels of oxytocin. We interpret this finding from multiple theoretical perspectives, discussing key measurement limitations and proposing future study designs that may help to differentiate the effects of different meditation practices and contexts on oxytocin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn A. Conklin
- Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Anthony P. Zanesco
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Brandon G. King
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Clifford D. Saron
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- The MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Theofanopoulou C. A journey from speech to dance through the field of oxytocin. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 16:100193. [PMID: 38108035 PMCID: PMC10724736 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, I am going through my scientific and personal journey using my work on oxytocin as a compass. I recount how my scientific questions were shaped over the years, and how I studied them through the lens of different fields ranging from linguistics and neuroscience to comparative and population genomics in a wide range of vertebrate species. I explain how my evolutionary findings and proposal for a universal gene nomenclature in the oxytocin-vasotocin ligand and receptor families have impacted relevant fields, and how my studies in the oxytocin and vasotocin system in songbirds, humans and non-human primates have led me to now be testing intranasal oxytocin as a candidate treatment for speech deficits. I also discuss my projects on the neurobiology of dance and where oxytocin fits in the picture of studying speech and dance in parallel. Lastly, I briefly communicate the challenges I have been facing as a woman and an international scholar in science and academia, and my personal ways to overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantina Theofanopoulou
- The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
- Center for the Ballet and the Arts, New York University, New York, USA
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Boender AJ, Boon M, Albers HE, Eck SR, Fricker BA, Kelly AM, LeDoux JE, Motta SC, Shrestha P, Taylor JH, Trainor BC, Triana-Del Rio R, Young LJ. An AAV-CRISPR/Cas9 strategy for gene editing across divergent rodent species: Targeting neural oxytocin receptors as a proof of concept. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf4950. [PMID: 37256960 PMCID: PMC10413677 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf4950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A major issue in neuroscience is the poor translatability of research results from preclinical studies in animals to clinical outcomes. Comparative neuroscience can overcome this barrier by studying multiple species to differentiate between species-specific and general mechanisms of neural circuit functioning. Targeted manipulation of neural circuits often depends on genetic dissection, and use of this technique has been restricted to only a few model species, limiting its application in comparative research. However, ongoing advances in genomics make genetic dissection attainable in a growing number of species. To demonstrate the potential of comparative gene editing approaches, we developed a viral-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 strategy that is predicted to target the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) gene in >80 rodent species. This strategy specifically reduced OXTR levels in all evaluated species (n = 6) without causing gross neuronal toxicity. Thus, we show that CRISPR/Cas9-based tools can function in multiple species simultaneously. Thereby, we hope to encourage comparative gene editing and improve the translatability of neuroscientific research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjen J. Boender
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marina Boon
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - H. Elliott Albers
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Samantha R. Eck
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Aubrey M. Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joseph E. LeDoux
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical School, New York, NY, USA
| | - Simone C. Motta
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Anatomy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Prerana Shrestha
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Jack H. Taylor
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brian C. Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Larry J. Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Sarkar A, Wrangham RW. Evolutionary and neuroendocrine foundations of human aggression. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:468-493. [PMID: 37003880 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Humans present a behavioural paradox: they are peaceful in many circumstances, but they are also violent and kill conspecifics at high rates. We describe a social evolutionary theory to resolve this paradox. The theory interprets human aggression as a combination of low propensities for reactive aggression and coercive behaviour and high propensities for some forms of proactive aggression (especially coalitionary proactive aggression). These tendencies are associated with the evolution of groupishness, self-domestication, and social norms. This human aggression profile is expected to demand substantial plasticity in the evolved biological mechanisms responsible for aggression. We discuss the contributions of various social signalling molecules (testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, vasopressin, serotonin, and dopamine) as the neuroendocrine foundation conferring such plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Sarkar
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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De Dreu CKW, Triki Z. Intergroup conflict: origins, dynamics and consequences across taxa. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210134. [PMID: 35369751 PMCID: PMC8977662 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although uniquely destructive and wasteful, intergroup conflict and warfare are not confined to humans. They are seen across a range of group-living species, from social insects, fishes and birds to mammals, including nonhuman primates. With its unique collection of theory, research and review contributions from biology, anthropology and economics, this theme issue provides novel insights into intergroup conflict across taxa. Here, we introduce and organize this theme issue on the origins and consequences of intergroup conflict. We provide a coherent framework by modelling intergroup conflicts as multi-level games of strategy in which individuals within groups cooperate to compete with (individuals in) other groups for scarce resources, such as territory, food, mating opportunities, power and influence. Within this framework, we identify cross-species mechanisms and consequences of (participating in) intergroup conflict. We conclude by highlighting crosscutting innovations in the study of intergroup conflict set forth by individual contributions. These include, among others, insights on how within-group heterogeneities and leadership relate to group conflict, how intergroup conflict shapes social organization and how climate change and environmental degradation transition intergroup relations from peaceful coexistence to violent conflict. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Intergroup conflict across taxa’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten K W De Dreu
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zegni Triki
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Lemoine SRT, Samuni L, Crockford C, Wittig RM. Parochial cooperation in wild chimpanzees: a model to explain the evolution of parochial altruism. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210149. [PMID: 35369746 PMCID: PMC8977654 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Parochial altruism, taking individual costs to benefit the in-group and harm the out-group, has been proposed as one of the mechanisms underlying the human ability of large-scale cooperation. How parochial altruism has evolved remains unclear. In this review paper, we formulate a parochial cooperation model in small-scale groups and examine the model in wild chimpanzees. As suggested for human parochial altruism, we review evidence that the oxytocinergic system and in-group cooperation and cohesion during out-group threat are integral parts of chimpanzee collective action during intergroup competition. We expand this model by suggesting that chimpanzee parochial cooperation is supported by the social structure of chimpanzee groups which enables repeated interaction history and established social ties between co-operators. We discuss in detail the role of the oxytocinergic system in supporting parochial cooperation, a pathway that appears integral already in chimpanzees. The reviewed evidence suggests that prerequisites of human parochial altruism were probably present in the last common ancestor between Pan and Homo. This article is part of the theme issue 'Intergroup conflict across taxa'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain R. T. Lemoine
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Liran Samuni
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, CNRS/University of Lyon, Bron, France
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, CNRS/University of Lyon, Bron, France
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García MG, de Guinea M, Bshary R, van de Waal E. Drivers and outcomes of between-group conflict in vervet monkeys. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210145. [PMID: 35369750 PMCID: PMC8977665 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neighbouring groups compete over access to resources and territories in between-group encounters, which can escalate into between-group conflicts (BGCs). Both the ecological characteristics of a territory and the rival's fighting ability shape the occurrence and outcome of such contests. What remains poorly understood, however, is how seasonal variability in the ecological value of a territory together with fighting ability related to the likelihood of between-group encounters and the extent to which these escalate into conflicts. To test this, we observed and followed four vervet monkey groups in the wild, and recorded the group structure (i.e. size, composition), the locations and the outcomes of 515 BGCs. We then assessed key ecological measures at these locations, such as vegetation availability (estimated from Copernicus Sentinel 2 satellite images) and the intensity of usage of these locations. We tested to what extent these factors together influenced the occurrence and outcomes of BGCs. We found that the occurrence of BGCs increased at locations with higher vegetation availability relative to the annual vegetation availability within the group's home territory. Also, groups engaging in a BGC at locations far away from their home territory were less likely to win a BGC. Regarding group structure, we found that smaller groups systematically won BGCs against larger groups, which can be explained by potentially higher rates of individual free-riding occurring in larger groups. This study sheds light on how the ecology of encounter locations in combination with a group's social characteristics can critically impact the dynamics of BGCs in a non-human primate species. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Intergroup conflict across taxa’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Gareta García
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal 3115, South Africa.,Department of Eco-Ethology, Faculty of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile Argand 11, Neuchâtel 2000, Switzerland
| | - Miguel de Guinea
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Alexander Silverman Institute of Life Sciences, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Redouan Bshary
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal 3115, South Africa.,Department of Eco-Ethology, Faculty of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile Argand 11, Neuchâtel 2000, Switzerland
| | - Erica van de Waal
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal 3115, South Africa.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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