Effects of domestication on brain structure and behavior in mammals

Kruska, Dieter

doi:10.1007/bf02436333

Cited by 47 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…This result was surprising in light of evidence from environmental enrichment studies showing increases in synapses and brain volume in rodent brains that had experienced enriched environments, and from volumetric brain studies which indicate that wild animals have larger brains compared to their domestic counterparts [Ebinger, 1974;Kruska, 1988;Mohammed et al, 2002;Faherty et al, 2003;Kolb et al, 2003;Gelfo et al, 2009]. However, the wild versus domestic comparisons in these studies were of volume differences for either the entire brain or gross structures (cortex, cerebellum and remaining areas), whereas our study compared smaller subdivisions of the brain, such as the size of individual cortical sensory areas.…”

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confidence: 60%

Comparison of Area 17 Cellular Composition in Laboratory and Wild-Caught Rats Including Diurnal and Nocturnal Species

et al. 2011

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In this study we examine the size of primary sensory areas in the neocortex and the cellular composition of area 17/V1 in three rodent groups: laboratory nocturnal Norway rats (Long-Evans; Rattus norvegicus), wild-caught nocturnal Norway rats (R. norvegicus), and laboratory diurnal Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus). Specifically, we used areal measures of myeloarchitecture of the primary sensory areas to compare area size and the isotropic fractionator method to estimate the number of neurons and nonneurons in area 17 in each species. Our results demonstrate that the percentage of cortex devoted to area 17 is significantly greater and the percentage of cortex devoted to S1 is significantly smaller in the diurnal Nile grass rat compared with the nocturnal Norway rat groups. Further, the laboratory rodent groups have a greater percentage of cortex devoted to auditory cortex compared with the wild-caught group. We also demonstrate that wild-caught rats have a greater density of neurons in area 17 compared to laboratory-reared animals. However, there were no other clear cellular composition differences in area 17 or differences in the percentage of brain weight devoted to area 17 between nocturnal and diurnal rats. Thus, there are differences in primary sensory area size between diurnal versus nocturnal and laboratory versus wild-caught rat groups and cellular density between wild-caught and laboratory rat groups. Our results demonstrate that the differences in the size and cellular composition of cortical areas do not fit with what would be expected based on brain scaling differences alone, and have a consistent relationship with lifestyle and sensory morphology.

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confidence: 60%

Comparison of Area 17 Cellular Composition in Laboratory and Wild-Caught Rats Including Diurnal and Nocturnal Species

et al. 2011

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“…Such intraspecific variability of relative brain size has been previously demonstrated in domestic animals, especially when dwarfs have evolved within a species [10,12,22,25]. The restriction of “postcranial growth” in small dog breeds is of importance since the postnatal increase in brain mass finishes around six month and completion of skeletal growth in dogs occurs later in postnatal development [27-29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Comparison of the endocranial- and brain volumes in brachycephalic dogs, mesaticephalic dogs and Cavalier King Charles spaniels in relation to their body weight

et al. 2014

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BackgroundA number of studies have attempted to quantify the relative volumes of the endocranial volume and brain parenchyma in association with the pathogenesis of the Chiari-like malformation (CLM) in the Cavalier King Charles spaniel (CKCS). In our study we examine the influence of allometric scaling of the brain and cranial cavity volume on morphological parameters in different dog breeds. MRI scans of 110 dogs (35 mesaticephalic dogs, 35 brachycephalic dogs, 20 CKCSs with SM, and 20 CKCSs without SM) have been used to create 3-dimensional volumetric models of skull and brain parts. Volumes were related to body weight calculating the adjusted means for different breeds.ResultsThere was a strong global dependency of all volumes to body weight (P < 0.0001). The adjusted means of the absolute and relative volumes of brain parenchyma and cranial compartments are not significantly larger in CKCSs in comparison to brachycephalic and mesaticephalic dogs. A difference in absolute or relative volumes between CKCSs with and without SM after relating these values to body weight could not be identified. The relative volume of the hindbrain parenchyma (caudal fossa parenchyma percentage) was larger in brachycephalic dogs than in CKCSs, without causing herniation or SM.ConclusionAn influence of body weight exist in dogs, which can be sufficiently large to render conclusions on the difference in volumes of the brain and skull unsafe unless some account of the body weight is taken in the analysis. The results of this study challenge the role of overcrowding for the development of SM in dogs.

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“…Domestication alters the phenotype, behavior, and brain size in many mammals including rodents (Kruska 1988) and induces changes in, for example, neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter systems (Trut et al 2009). These systems have been shown to be important players in the modulation of AHN (McEwen et al 2002;Pathania et al 2010).…”

Section: Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis In Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Natural Populations of Mammals

Amrein

2015

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol

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This review will discuss adult hippocampal neurogenesis in wild mammals of different taxa and outline similarities with and differences from laboratory animals. It begins with a review of evidence for hippocampal neurogenesis in various mammals, and shows the similar patterns of age-dependent decline in cell proliferation in wild and domesticated mammals. In contrast, the pool of immature neurons that originate from proliferative activity varies between species, implying a selective advantage for mammals that can make use of a large number of these functionally special neurons. Furthermore, rapid adaptation of hippocampal neurogenesis to experimental challenges appears to be a characteristic of laboratory rodents. Wild mammals show species-specific, rather stable hippocampal neurogenesis, which appears related to demands that characterize the niche exploited by a species rather than to acute events in the life of its members. Studies that investigate adult neurogenesis in wild mammals are not numerous, but the findings of neurogenesis under natural conditions can provide new insights, and thereby also address the question to which cognitive demands neurogenesis may respond during selection.

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Effects of domestication on brain structure and behavior in mammals

Cited by 47 publications

References 29 publications

Comparison of Area 17 Cellular Composition in Laboratory and Wild-Caught Rats Including Diurnal and Nocturnal Species

Comparison of Area 17 Cellular Composition in Laboratory and Wild-Caught Rats Including Diurnal and Nocturnal Species

Comparison of the endocranial- and brain volumes in brachycephalic dogs, mesaticephalic dogs and Cavalier King Charles spaniels in relation to their body weight

Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Natural Populations of Mammals

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