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Kenkel WM, Ahmed S, Partie M, Rogers K. Delivery by cesarean section leads to heavier adult bodyweight in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Horm Behav 2024; 160:105499. [PMID: 38350334 PMCID: PMC10961198 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Delivery by cesarean section now makes up 32.1 % of all births in the United States. Meta-analyses have estimated that delivery by cesarean section is associated with a > 50 % increased risk for childhood obesity by 5 years of age. While this association is independent of maternal obesity, breastfeeding, and heritable factors, studies in humans have been unable to test for a causal role of cesarean delivery in this regard. Here, we set out to use an animal model to experimentally test whether delivery by cesarean section would increase offspring weight in adulthood. Delivery by cesarean section may exert neurodevelopmental consequences by impacting hormones that are important at birth as well as during metabolic regulation in later life, such as oxytocin and vasopressin. The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) has long been studied to investigate the roles of oxytocin and vasopressin in brain development and social behavior. Here, we establish that prairie voles tolerate a range of ambient temperatures, including conventional 22° housing, which makes them translationally appropriate for studies of diet-induced obesity. We also studied vole offspring for their growth, sucrose preference, home cage locomotor activity, and food consumption after birth by either cesarean section or vaginal delivery. At sacrifice, we collected measures of weight, length, and adipose tissue to analyze body composition in adulthood. Voles delivered by cesarean section had consistently greater bodyweights than those born vaginally, despite having lower food consumption and greater locomotive activity. Cesarean-delivered animals were also longer, though this did not explain their greater body weights. While cesarean delivery had no effect on vasopressin, it resulted in less oxytocin immunoreactivity within the hypothalamus in adulthood. These results support the case that cesarean section delivery plays a causal role in increasing offspring body weight, potentially by affecting the oxytocin system.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M Kenkel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, United States of America.
| | - Sabreen Ahmed
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, United States of America
| | - Miranda Partie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, United States of America
| | - Katelyn Rogers
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, United States of America
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2
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Kenkel WM, Kingsbury MA, Reinhart JM, Cetinbas M, Sadreyev RI, Carter CS, Perkeybile AM. Lasting consequences on physiology and social behavior following cesarean delivery in prairie voles. Horm Behav 2023; 150:105314. [PMID: 36731301 PMCID: PMC10023354 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Cesarean delivery is associated with diminished plasma levels of several 'birth-signaling' hormones, such as oxytocin and vasopressin. These same hormones have been previously shown to exert organizational effects when acting in early life. For example, our previous work found a broadly gregarious phenotype in prairie voles exposed to oxytocin at birth. Meanwhile, cesarean delivery has been previously associated with changes in social behavior and metabolic processes related to oxytocin and vasopressin. In the present study, we investigated the long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of cesarean delivery in prairie voles. After cross-fostering, vole pups delivered either via cesarean or vaginal delivery were studied throughout development. Cesarean-delivered pups responded to isolation differently in terms of their vocalizations (albeit in opposite directions in the two experiments), huddled in less cohesive groups under warmed conditions, and shed less heat. As young adults, we observed no differences in anxiety-like or alloparental behavior. However, in adulthood, cesarean-delivered voles of both sexes failed to form partner preferences with opposite sex conspecifics. In a follow-up study, we replicated this deficit in partner-preference formation among cesarean-delivered voles and were able to normalize pair-bonding behavior by treating cesarean-delivered vole pups with oxytocin (0.25 mg/kg) at delivery. Finally, we detected minor differences in regional oxytocin receptor expression within the brains of cesarean-delivered voles, as well as microbial composition of the gut. Gene expression changes in the gut epithelium indicated that cesarean-delivered male voles have altered gut development. These results speak to the possibility of unintended developmental consequences of cesarean delivery, which currently accounts for 32.9 % of deliveries in the U.S. and suggest that further research should be directed at whether hormone replacement at delivery influences behavioral outcomes in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M Kenkel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States of America.
| | - Marcy A Kingsbury
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - John M Reinhart
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - Murat Cetinbas
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America; Department of Genetics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Ruslan I Sadreyev
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America; Harvard Medical School, Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - C Sue Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Allison M Perkeybile
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
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Buckley S, Uvnäs-Moberg K, Pajalic Z, Luegmair K, Ekström-Bergström A, Dencker A, Massarotti C, Kotlowska A, Callaway L, Morano S, Olza I, Magistretti CM. Maternal and newborn plasma oxytocin levels in response to maternal synthetic oxytocin administration during labour, birth and postpartum - a systematic review with implications for the function of the oxytocinergic system. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2023; 23:137. [PMID: 36864410 PMCID: PMC9979579 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05221-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reproductive hormone oxytocin facilitates labour, birth and postpartum adaptations for women and newborns. Synthetic oxytocin is commonly given to induce or augment labour and to decrease postpartum bleeding. AIM To systematically review studies measuring plasma oxytocin levels in women and newborns following maternal administration of synthetic oxytocin during labour, birth and/or postpartum and to consider possible impacts on endogenous oxytocin and related systems. METHODS Systematic searches of PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Scopus databases followed PRISMA guidelines, including all peer-reviewed studies in languages understood by the authors. Thirty-five publications met inclusion criteria, including 1373 women and 148 newborns. Studies varied substantially in design and methodology, so classical meta-analysis was not possible. Therefore, results were categorized, analysed and summarised in text and tables. RESULTS Infusions of synthetic oxytocin increased maternal plasma oxytocin levels dose-dependently; doubling the infusion rate approximately doubled oxytocin levels. Infusions below 10 milliunits per minute (mU/min) did not raise maternal oxytocin above the range observed in physiological labour. At high intrapartum infusion rates (up to 32 mU/min) maternal plasma oxytocin reached 2-3 times physiological levels. Postpartum synthetic oxytocin regimens used comparatively higher doses with shorter duration compared to labour, giving greater but transient maternal oxytocin elevations. Total postpartum dose was comparable to total intrapartum dose following vaginal birth, but post-caesarean dosages were higher. Newborn oxytocin levels were higher in the umbilical artery vs. umbilical vein, and both were higher than maternal plasma levels, implying substantial fetal oxytocin production in labour. Newborn oxytocin levels were not further elevated following maternal intrapartum synthetic oxytocin, suggesting that synthetic oxytocin at clinical doses does not cross from mother to fetus. CONCLUSIONS Synthetic oxytocin infusion during labour increased maternal plasma oxytocin levels 2-3-fold at the highest doses and was not associated with neonatal plasma oxytocin elevations. Therefore, direct effects from synthetic oxytocin transfer to maternal brain or fetus are unlikely. However, infusions of synthetic oxytocin in labour change uterine contraction patterns. This may influence uterine blood flow and maternal autonomic nervous system activity, potentially harming the fetus and increasing maternal pain and stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Buckley
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Zada Pajalic
- grid.463529.f0000 0004 0610 6148Faculty for Health Sciences, VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Karolina Luegmair
- grid.9018.00000 0001 0679 2801Institute for Health Care and Nursing Studies, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Anette Ekström-Bergström
- grid.412716.70000 0000 8970 3706Department of Health Sciences, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
| | - Anna Dencker
- grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Claudia Massarotti
- grid.5606.50000 0001 2151 3065Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alicja Kotlowska
- grid.11451.300000 0001 0531 3426Department of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Leonie Callaway
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sandra Morano
- grid.5606.50000 0001 2151 3065Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ibone Olza
- European Institute of Perinatal Mental Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Claudia Meier Magistretti
- grid.425064.10000 0001 2191 8943Institute for Health Policies, Prevention and Health Promotion, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Luzern, Switzerland
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Pereira M, Smiley KO, Lonstein JS. Parental Behavior in Rodents. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 27:1-53. [PMID: 36169811 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-97762-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Members of the order Rodentia are among the best-studied mammals for understanding the patterns, outcomes, and biological determinants of maternal and paternal caregiving. This research has provided a wealth of information but has historically focused on just a few rodents, mostly members of the two Myomorpha families that easily breed and can be studied within a laboratory setting (including laboratory rats, mice, hamsters, voles, gerbils). It is unclear how well this small collection of animals represents the over 2000 species of extant rodents. This chapter provides an overview of the hormonal and neurobiological systems involved in parental care in rodents, with a purposeful eye on providing information known or could be gleaned about parenting in various less-traditional members of Rodentia. We conclude from this analysis that the few commonly studied rodents are not necessarily even representative of the highly diverse members of Myomorpha, let alone other rodent suborders, and that additional laboratory and field studies of members of this order more broadly would surely provide invaluable information toward revealing a more representative picture of the rich diversity in rodent parenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Pereira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Kristina O Smiley
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology & Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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Lang DLY, Bamshad M, Dorcely R. Pattern of fos activation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of male prairie vole's (Microtus ochrogaster) in response to infant-related stimuli. Brain Res 2019; 1714:119-125. [PMID: 30822390 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Prairie voles are socially monogamous mammals that form pair bonds and display paternal care. This study was focused on the male prairie vole's neuronal responses to infant-related odors. Using the fos protein as a measure of neuronal activation, we examined the brain responses of males to infant-related odors. Prior to testing, the subjects had cohabited for two weeks with either a male sibling (Male-Cohabited) or an unrelated female (Female-Cohabited). Given that paternal behavior of male prairie voles is enhanced after two-weeks of cohabitation with a mate, we hypothesized that fos activation in brain regions involved in caring must be increased in response to infants or their odors but not in response to water or sub-adult odors. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the pattern of fos expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BNST) two hours after Male-Cohabited and Female-Cohabited males were exposed to either two live infants or to odors of infants, sub-adults or water. Results showed differences in fos expression within the VTA between Male-Cohabited and Female-Cohabited subjects that were exposed to infants and infant odors. The type of cohabitation had no effect on fos expression within the BNST, but the pattern of fos activation in this region differed by the type of odor to which the subjects were exposed. Together, the data indicate that female sensory cues during post-mating cohabitation may be processed within the VTA to direct the male prairie vole's responses towards infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damaris-Lois Yamoah Lang
- Department of Natural Sciences, The City University Of New York - Hostos CC, Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, United States.
| | - Maryam Bamshad
- Department of Biological Sciences, The City University Of New York - Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Blvd, Bronx, NY 10468, United States.
| | - Reginald Dorcely
- Department of Mathematics, The City University Of New York - Hostos CC, Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451, United States.
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Alhassen L, Phan A, Alhassen W, Nguyen P, Lo A, Shaharuddin H, Sanathara N, Civelli O, Alachkar A. The role of Olfaction in MCH-regulated spontaneous maternal responses. Brain Res 2019; 1719:71-76. [PMID: 31121161 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) is involved in the initiation of maternal behavior during the postpartum period. Virgin females also display some aspects of maternal care independent of the hormonal and neurochemical changes associated with pregnancy and parturition. Maternal behavior in virgin females is triggered by pups-generated chemosensory signals. We therefore examined the role of MCH in maternal-related behaviors in virgin mice and whether it involves chemosensory mechanisms. We used mice with germline knock-out of MCH receptor (MCHR1 KO) and mice with conditional ablation of MCH neurons (MCH cKO) using Cre-inducible diphtheria toxin (iDTR) system. We report that germline deletion of MCHR1 and ablation of MCH neurons impair spontaneous maternal behavior that is induced upon pups' exposure. The latency and duration to retrieve pups by MCHR1 KO and MCH cKO mice are longer than their control littermate mice. In support of this finding, we found that in the three-chamber social test, both MCHR1 KO and MCH cKO mice display a lack of interest in interacting with pups. Strikingly, however, we found that while MCHR1 KO mice were unable to detect pups' chemosensory signals and displayed impairment in general olfactory discrimination, MCH cKO mice exhibited normal olfactory function. Our findings indicate that the lack of MCHR1 or of normal MCH levels causes defects in maternal behavior in non-sensitized virgin mice, and that disruption of the olfactory signaling might not count for these defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamees Alhassen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Alvin Phan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Wedad Alhassen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Paul Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Alice Lo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Hanan Shaharuddin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Nayna Sanathara
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Olivier Civelli
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States
| | - Amal Alachkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Medicine, 369 Med Surge II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, United States.
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7
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Ondrasek NR. Emerging Frontiers in Social Neuroendocrinology and the Study of Nonapeptides. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi R. Ondrasek
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior University of California Davis CA USA
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8
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Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing, an Essential Framework for Maternal-Newborn Nursing. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2016; 45:264-75; quiz e3-4. [PMID: 26826397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogn.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the hormonal physiology of childbearing is foundational for all who care for childbearing women and newborns. When promoted, supported, and protected, innate, hormonally driven processes optimize labor and birth, maternal and newborn transitions, breastfeeding, and mother-infant attachment. Many common perinatal interventions can interfere with or limit hormonal processes and have other unintended effects. Such interventions should only be used when clearly indicated. High-quality care incorporates salutogenic nursing practices that support physiologic processes and maternal-newborn health.
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9
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Zhang S, Yu C, Feng T, Wang B, Tai F. The effects of olfactory and sound signals from dams during prior brief isolation on levels of paternal behaviours in mandarin voles. BEHAVIOUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although effects of paternal deprivation on offspring have been previously studied, the factors initiating and maintaining paternal care are not very clear. Using socially monogamous mandarin voles, we investigated whether cues from dams affect paternal behaviours. The sires were separated from their pups individually or placed with dams immediately prior to paternal behaviour testing. The results showed that sires kept with dams displayed more huddling behaviour and shorter latency of retrieving than sires isolated individually. Sires placed with dams in a closed box also exhibited less huddling behaviour and longer latency of retrieving than sires placed with dams in an open box. In addition, anosmia, deafness or combination of these two treatments all significantly reduced huddling and licking behaviour compared with sham-operated group respectively. These results suggest that communication between sires and dams especially via olfactory and auditory signals plays an important role in strengthening paternal behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwei Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710062, P.R. China
| | - Chengjun Yu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710062, P.R. China
- School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Tuo Feng
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710062, P.R. China
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710032, P.R. China
| | - Bo Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710062, P.R. China
- College of Biological Technology, Xi’an University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710065, P.R. China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710062, P.R. China
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10
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Numan M, Young LJ. Neural mechanisms of mother-infant bonding and pair bonding: Similarities, differences, and broader implications. Horm Behav 2016; 77:98-112. [PMID: 26062432 PMCID: PMC4671834 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". Mother-infant bonding is a characteristic of virtually all mammals. The maternal neural system may have provided the scaffold upon which other types of social bonds in mammals have been built. For example, most mammals exhibit a polygamous mating system, but monogamy and pair bonding between mating partners occur in ~5% of mammalian species. In mammals, it is plausible that the neural mechanisms that promote mother-infant bonding have been modified by natural selection to establish the capacity to develop a selective bond with a mate during the evolution of monogamous mating strategies. Here we compare the details of the neural mechanisms that promote mother-infant bonding in rats and other mammals with those that underpin pair bond formation in the monogamous prairie vole. Although details remain to be resolved, remarkable similarities and a few differences between the mechanisms underlying these two types of bond formation are revealed. For example, amygdala and nucleus accumbens-ventral pallidum (NA-VP) circuits are involved in both types of bond formation, and dopamine and oxytocin actions within NA appear to promote the synaptic plasticity that allows either infant or mating partner stimuli to persistently activate NA-VP attraction circuits, leading to an enduring social attraction and bonding. Further, although the medial preoptic area is essential for maternal behavior, its role in pair bonding remains to be determined. Our review concludes by examining the broader implications of this comparative analysis, and evidence is provided that the maternal care system may have also provided the basic neural foundation for other types of strong social relationships, beyond pair bonding, in mammals, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Larry J Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
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11
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Abstract
Sex- and species-specific patterns of estrogen receptor (ER)-α expression are established early in development, which may contribute to sexual differentiation of behavior and determine male social organization. The current study investigated the effects of ERα and ERβ activation during the second postnatal week on subsequent alloparental behavior and ERα expression in juvenile prairie voles. Male and female pups were treated daily with 17β-estradiol (E2, ERα/ERβ agonist), PPT (selective ERα agonist), DPN (selective ERβ agonist), or the oil vehicle on postnatal days (PD) 8-14. Alloparental behavior and ERα expression were examined at PD21. PPT treatment inhibited prosocial motivation in males and increased pup-directed aggression in both sexes. E2 and DPN had no apparent effect on behavior in either sex. PPT-treated males had increased ERα expression in the medial preoptic area (MPN), medial amygdala (MEApd) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTpr). DPN treatment also increased ERα expression in males, but only in the BSTpr. Female ERα expression was unaffected by treatment. These results support the hypothesis that ERα activation in early life is associated with less prosocial patterns of central ERα expression and alloparental behavior in males. The lack of an effect of E2 on behavior suggests that ERβ may antagonize the effects of ERα on alloparental behavior. The results in DPN-treated males suggest that ERα in the MEApd, and not the BSTpr, may be a primary determinant of alloparental behavior in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam N Perry
- The Brain-Body Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, United States.
| | - C Sue Carter
- The Brain-Body Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
| | - Bruce S Cushing
- The Brain-Body Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
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12
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Gou B, Liu Y, Guntur AR, Stern U, Yang CH. Mechanosensitive neurons on the internal reproductive tract contribute to egg-laying-induced acetic acid attraction in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2014; 9:522-30. [PMID: 25373900 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Selecting a suitable site to deposit their eggs is an important reproductive need of Drosophila females. Although their choosiness toward egg-laying sites is well documented, the specific neural mechanism that activates females' search for attractive egg-laying sites is not known. Here, we show that distention and contraction of females' internal reproductive tract triggered by egg delivery through the tract plays a critical role in activating such search. We found that females start to exhibit acetic acid (AA) attraction prior to depositing each egg but no attraction when they are not laying eggs. Artificially distending the reproductive tract triggers AA attraction in non-egg-laying females, whereas silencing the mechanosensitive neurons we identified that can sense the contractile status of the tract eliminates such attraction. Our work uncovers the circuit basis of an important reproductive need of Drosophila females and provides a simple model for dissecting the neural mechanism that underlies a reproductive need-induced behavioral modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Gou
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ananya R Guntur
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Chung-Hui Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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13
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Donlin M, Cavanaugh BL, Spagnuolo OS, Yan L, Lonstein JS. Effects of sex and reproductive experience on the number of orexin A-immunoreactive cells in the prairie vole brain. Peptides 2014; 57:122-8. [PMID: 24874707 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2014.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Revised: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Large populations of cells synthesizing the neuropeptide orexin (OX) exist in the caudal hypothalamus of all species examined and are implicated in physiological and behavioral processes including arousal, stress, anxiety and depression, reproduction, and goal-directed behaviors. Hypothalamic OX expression is sexually dimorphic in different directions in laboratory rats (F>M) and mice (M>F), suggesting different roles in male and female physiology and behavior that are species-specific. We here examined if the number of hypothalamic cells immunoreactive for orexin A (OXA) differs between male and female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a socially monogamous species that pairbonds after mating and in which both sexes care for offspring, and if reproductive experience influences their number of OXA-immunoreactive (OXA-ir) cells. It was found that the total number of OXA-ir cells did not differ between the sexes, but females had more OXA-ir cells than males in anterior levels of the caudal hypothalamus, while males had more OXA-ir cells posteriorly. Sexually experienced females sacrificed 12 days after the birth of their first litter, or one day after birth of a second litter, had more OXA-ir cells in anterior levels but not posterior levels of the caudal hypothalamus compared to females housed with a brother (incest avoidance prevents sibling mating). Male prairie voles showed no effect of reproductive experience but showed an unexpected effect of cohabitation duration regardless of mating. The sex difference in the distribution of OXA-ir cells, and their increased number in anterior levels of the caudal hypothalamus of reproductively experienced female prairie voles, may reflect a sex-specific mechanism involved in pairbonding, parenting, or lactation in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Donlin
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 108 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Breyanna L Cavanaugh
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 108 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Olivia S Spagnuolo
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 108 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Lily Yan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 108 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 108 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
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Bell AF, Erickson EN, Carter CS. Beyond labor: the role of natural and synthetic oxytocin in the transition to motherhood. J Midwifery Womens Health 2014; 59:35-42: quiz 108. [PMID: 24472136 PMCID: PMC3947469 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.12101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Emerging research raises questions that synthetic oxytocin during childbirth may alter the endogenous oxytocin system and influence maternal stress, mood, and behavior. Endogenous oxytocin is a key component in the transition to motherhood, affecting molecular pathways that buffer stress reactivity, support positive mood, and regulate healthy mothering behaviors (including lactation). Synthetic oxytocin is widely used throughout labor and postpartum care in modern birth. Yet research on the implications beyond labor of maternal exposure to perinatal synthetic oxytocin is rare. In this article, we review oxytocin-related biologic pathways and behaviors associated with the transition to motherhood and evidence supporting the need for further research on potential effects of intrapartum oxytocin beyond labor. We include a primer on oxytocin at the molecular level.
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15
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Ophir AG, Sorochman G, Evans BL, Prounis GS. Stability and dynamics of forebrain vasopressin receptor and oxytocin receptor during pregnancy in prairie voles. J Neuroendocrinol 2013; 25:719-28. [PMID: 23656585 PMCID: PMC3716852 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2012] [Revised: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
During pregnancy, females undergo several physiologically driven changes that facilitate adaptive behaviours and prepare the mother to care for her developing offspring. The nonapeptide hormone oxytocin is best recognised for its involvement in mammalian pregnancy and has been tightly associated with maternal care, in addition to its roles in pregnancy, parturition and lactation. A closely-related nonapeptide hormone, arganine vasopressin, has received considerably less attention for its role in pregnancy, although it has recently been implicated in modulating maternal care and aggression. In the present study, we examined the expression patterns of receptors for oxytocin (OXTR) and vasopressin (V1aR) over the course of pregnancy, ranging from non-mated virgin to immediately postpartum female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Unexpectedly, we found that OXTR was highly stable in all measured structures in the forebrain. V1aR was also stable throughout most of the brain. Two exceptions to this were found in the ventral pallidum (VPall) and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN); both significantly correlated with the length of time that females were pregnant. Changes in the PVN may reflect functional feedback in vasopressin release, or preparatory changes for ensuing maternal behaviour. The results also indicate an unappreciated role for VPall V1aR in pregnancy, which may relate to the function of the VPall in hedonic 'liking' and motivational 'wanting.' Taken together, our data indicate that, with a few compelling exceptions, nonapeptide dynamics during prairie vole pregnancy are largely limited to changes in the synthesis and release of oxytocin and vasopressin, and not the receptors to which they bind.
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Affiliation(s)
- A G Ophir
- Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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16
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Lévy F, Keller M, Cornilleau F, Moussu C, Ferreira G. Vaginocervical stimulation of Ewes induces the rapid formation of a new bond with an alien young without interfering with a previous bond. Dev Psychobiol 2011; 52:537-44. [PMID: 20806326 DOI: 10.1002/dev.20459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Ewes form a selective olfactory memory for their lambs after 2 hr of mother-young interaction following parturition. Mothers will subsequently reject any strange lamb at suckling. The present study investigated whether artificial vaginocervical stimulation (VCS) allows the formation of a selective bond with an unfamiliar lamb and whether it interferes with the maintenance of the bond formed with the familiar lamb. At 2 hr postpartum, mothers were separated from their familiar lamb after having formed a selective bond with it and were given 10 min of mechanical VCS. In the "VCS + lamb" group (n = 24) an unfamiliar lamb was left with the ewe for 2 hr whereas in the "VCS no lamb" group (n = 26) the mother was left alone for the same period of time. Ewes of the "no VCS" group (n = 14) did not receive any VCS. In the majority of animals of the "VCS + lamb" group (23/24) VCS induced a complete acceptance of the unfamiliar lamb without any disruption of the bond previously formed with the familiar lamb. VCS or 2 hr of separation did not disrupt the maintenance of the selective bond initially formed with the familiar lamb since all the ewes of the "VCS no lamb" and "no VCS" groups accepted it at suckling.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Lévy
- INRA, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France.
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17
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Wu R, Yuan A, Yuan Q, Guo R, Tai F, Song Z, Yu C. Comparison of sociability, parental care and central estrogen receptor α expression between two populations of mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2010; 197:267-77. [PMID: 21104088 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-010-0609-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2010] [Revised: 10/27/2010] [Accepted: 10/30/2010] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The socially monogamous mandarin vole (Microtus mandarinus) shows significant behavioral plasticity. We examined whether levels of sociability, parental care and central expression of estrogen receptor alpha differed between two populations with different ecologies. Our results show that males from the Chengcun population display significantly more amicable and less aggressive behaviors towards novel same-sex individuals compared to males from the second population of Xinzheng. Chengcun voles directed more licking behavior towards neonatal pups than did Xinzheng voles. Differences were also found in the number of estrogen receptor alpha-immunoreactive neurons. For example, Xinzheng males displayed significantly higher immunoreactivity than Chengcun males in the medial amygdala, medial preoptic area and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. Xinzheng females expressed higher levels of estrogen receptor alpha-immunoreactivity than Chengcun females in the medial preoptic area. Chengcun females exhibited significantly more estrogen receptor alpha expression than Xinzheng females in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Our results indicate that mandarin voles from the Chengcun site possess monogamous traits, and animals from Xinzheng possess polygamous traits. It also appears that different social behavior and levels of parental care in these two populations may be associated with differences in estrogen receptor alpha-immunoreactive neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyong Wu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, China
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18
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Olazábal DE. Stability and potential inheritance of infanticidal behavior in prairie voles. Dev Psychobiol 2010; 52:825-32. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.20478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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19
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Curtis JT. Female prairie vole mate-choice is affected by the males' birth litter composition. Physiol Behav 2010; 101:93-100. [PMID: 20434472 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2009] [Revised: 04/16/2010] [Accepted: 04/21/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Experimental testing and retrospective examination of breeding records were used to examine the influence of sex composition and/or size of males' birth litters on female mate-choice. Sexually naïve female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) avoided males derived from all-male litters, but showed no preference for, or aversion to, males from single-male litters or from more typical mixed-sex litters. Examination of the pregnancy status of females after two weeks of pairing with a male allowed us to estimate the probabilites of a pups' intrauterine position relative to siblings for various litter sizes. The typical prairie vole pup derived from a mixed-sex litter comprised of 4.4 pups, and had a 13% chance of being isolated from siblings in utero and a 22% chance of being between siblings in utero. Pups from single-sex litters tended to be larger at weaning than did pups from mixed-sex litters; however, male size did not influence female choice behavior. These results suggest that some aspect of the perinatal experience of prairie vole pups from single sex litters can influence social interactions later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Thomas Curtis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74107, USA.
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Hayes U, Balaban S, Smith J, Perry-Jenkins M, Powers S. Role of pelvic sensory signaling during delivery in postpartum mental health. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2010; 28:307-323. [PMID: 21779139 PMCID: PMC3139218 DOI: 10.1080/02646831003630039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Animal research demonstrates that pelvic sensory signaling at parturition initiates behavioral and emotional changes that are protective for mother and offspring. In contrast, research with humans has found no effect of cesarean delivery (i.e., procedure that blocks pelvic signaling) on mother's mental health. The lack of effect may reflect little consideration for the use of epidurals, another intervention that blocks pelvic signaling. The following study examines whether blocking pelvic signaling during delivery predicts postpartum depression symptomatology. METHOD: Longitudinal mental health data were collected prospectively from 142 primiparous women who had a cesarean delivery and/or received epidural anesthesia (Intervention) or delivered vaginally without anesthesia (No-Intervention). Measurements began in late pregnancy and continued through the first postpartum year. RESULTS: Intervention mothers reported more depressive symptoms at the end of the first postpartum year compared to those in the No-Intervention group. This effect was independent of socio-cultural factors known to predict levels of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that pelvic sensory signaling may help to prepare women for the postpartum period. Considering there are many factors influencing the mental health of mothers, the present finding suggest that populations vulnerable to postpartum depression should consider a delivery without intervention, when medically permissible.
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Affiliation(s)
- U.L. Hayes
- Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - S. Balaban
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - J.Z. Smith
- Center for Research on Families, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - M. Perry-Jenkins
- Center for Research on Families, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - S.I. Powers
- Center for Research on Families, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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Jia R, Tai F, An S, Zhang X, Broders H. Effects of neonatal paternal deprivation or early deprivation on anxiety and social behaviors of the adults in mandarin voles. Behav Processes 2009; 82:271-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2009.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2009] [Revised: 07/18/2009] [Accepted: 07/18/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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de Vries GJ, Södersten P. Sex differences in the brain: the relation between structure and function. Horm Behav 2009; 55:589-96. [PMID: 19446075 PMCID: PMC3932614 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2009] [Revised: 03/10/2009] [Accepted: 03/12/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In the fifty years since the organizational hypothesis was proposed, many sex differences have been found in behavior as well as structure of the brain that depend on the organizational effects of gonadal hormones early in development. Remarkably, in most cases we do not understand how the two are related. This paper makes the case that overstating the magnitude or constancy of sex differences in behavior and too narrowly interpreting the functional consequences of structural differences are significant roadblocks in resolving this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geert J de Vries
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Tobin Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 9333, USA.
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23
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Voitenko NN. Effect of prenatal application of delta-sleep-inducing peptide and prenatal emotional stress on brain monoamine oxidase and on the behavior of adult male progeny of DD mice. NEUROCHEM J+ 2008. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712408030100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Yamoah D, Williams-Baginski K, Bamshad M. Changes in response to odors during the reproductive period in male and female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). CAN J ZOOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1139/z07-133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner, 1842), the onset of parental caring differs by sex and reproductive condition. Maternal caring is displayed abruptly at parturition, whereas paternal caring intensifies gradually during the reproductive period. To determine if changes in odor responsiveness contribute to sex differences in onset of parental behavior, voles were given a choice to investigate various odors at different times during the reproductive cycle. Subjects were either sexually naïve or mated. Mated pairs cohabited until mid-gestation, late gestation, or 3 days postpartum. Voles crossed a tunnel to explore a row of three filter papers covered with infant odor, orange extract, or saline. Males and females exhibited different odor preferences. Males preferred infant odor to saline and orange extract, whereas females preferred infant odor and saline to orange extract. Mating changed the odor investigative behaviors in both males and females. Some voles vigorously manipulated odor-covered papers. The number of females manipulating the papers increased abruptly at late gestation. The number of males manipulating the papers was particularly high at mid-gestation and after the birth of young. Results suggest that mating and cohabitation in prairie voles influences odor responses in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Yamoah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College – The City University of New York (CUNY), Bronx, NY 10468, USA
| | - K. Williams-Baginski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College – The City University of New York (CUNY), Bronx, NY 10468, USA
| | - M. Bamshad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College – The City University of New York (CUNY), Bronx, NY 10468, USA
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