Genetics of Aggression in Voles

Gobrogge, Kyle L.; Wang, Zuoxin W

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-380858-5.00003-4

Cited by 24 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 180 publications

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“…However, similar to CRF, there was no co-labeling of Fos and AVP in the PVN, indicating that the tube test experience was not affecting vasopressin-containing neurons in this brain region. Since AVP has been shown to regulate aggression (Gobrogge, et al, 2007; Gobrogge, et al, 2009; Gobrogge & Wang, 2011; Winslow, et al, 1993), our data could serve as evidence for different mechanisms regulating dominance in the tube test versus aggression.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Establishment of stable dominance interactions in prairie vole peers: Relationships with alcohol drinking and activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus

Anacker

Smith

Ryabinin

2014

Social Neuroscience

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Dominance hierarchies are an important aspect of group-living as they determine individual access to resources. The existence of dominance ranks in access to space has not been described in socially monogamous, communally nesting prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Here we tested whether dominance could be assessed using the tube test. We also tested whether dominance related to alcohol intake, similar to what has been demonstrated in non-monogamous species. Same-sex pairs of unfamiliar peers were tested in a series of three trials of the tube test, then paired and allowed individual access to alcohol and water for four days, and then tested again in the tube test. For all pairs, the same subjects won the majority of trials before and after alcohol drinking. The number of wins negatively correlated with alcohol intake on the first day of drinking, and positively correlated with levels of Fos in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus following the tube test in a separate group of voles. Dominance was not related to Fos levels in other brain regions examined. Together, these results indicate that prairie voles quickly establish stable dominance ranks through a process possibly involving the hypothalamus, and suggest that dominance is linked to alcohol drinking.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Establishment of stable dominance interactions in prairie vole peers: Relationships with alcohol drinking and activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus

Anacker

Smith

Ryabinin

2014

Social Neuroscience

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“…Pair bonding that induces partner preference also induces selective intruder-directed aggression [43, 86, 88], which serves as a territorial and mating-guarding response [89]. Males separated from their female partner for 4 wk displayed low aggression and high affiliation toward unfamiliar female conspecifics in a neutral environment and unfamiliar male conspecifics in the home cage, a behavioral pattern resembling the non-discriminating sociality of sexually naïve, non-bonded male prairie voles [90].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breaking bonds in male prairie vole: Long-term effects on emotional and social behavior, physiology, and neurochemistry

Sun

Smith

Lei

et al. 2014

Behavioural Brain Research

107

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Social relationships are essential for many fundamental aspects of life while bond disruption can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Male prairie voles form enduring social bonds with their female partners, allowing the evaluation of partner loss on behavior, physiology, and neurochemistry. Males were evaluated for partner preference formation induced by 24 h of mating, and half were separated from their partner for 4 wk. In Experiment 1, partner loss significantly increased anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze and light-dark box tests and marginally increased depressive-like behaviors in the forced swim test. In addition, while intruder-directed aggression is common in pair bonded prairie voles, separated males were affiliative and lacked aggression toward an unfamiliar female and an intruding male conspecific. Partner loss increased the density of oxytocin-immunoreactivity (-ir), vasopressin-ir, and corticotrophin-releasing hormone-ir cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and oxytocin-ir cells in the supraoptic nucleus. Tyrosine hydroxylase-ir was not affected. In Experiment 2, partner preference was observed after 2 wk of partner loss but eliminated after 4 wk partner loss. Body weight gain and plasma corticosterone concentrations were elevated throughout the 4 wk. No effects were observed for plasma oxytocin or vasopressin. Together, partner loss elicits anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors, disrupts bond-related behaviors, and alters neuropeptide systems that regulate such behaviors. Thus, partner loss in male prairie voles may provide a model to better understand the behavior, pathology, and neurobiology underlying partner loss and grief.

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“…Finally, dopamine (DA) signaling in the rostral nucleus accumbens shell (NAcc) is also involved in selective aggression to maintain monogamous pair-bonds (18). However, despite these studies, we know little about how these brain regions, genes, and neurochemicals integrate into a network to control pair-bonding behavior (19). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurochemical Mediation of Affiliation and Aggression Associated With Pair-Bonding

Gobrogge

Jia

Liu

et al. 2017

Biological Psychiatry

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Background The neuropeptides vasopressin (AVP) and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) facilitate while serotonin (5-HT) inhibits aggression. How the brain is wired to coordinate interactions between these functionally opposed neurotransmitters to control behavioral states is poorly understood. Methods Pair-bonded male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) were infused with a retrograde tracer, fluorogold, and tested for affiliation and aggression toward a female partner or novel female. Subsequent immunocytochemical experiments examined neuronal activation using FOS and neuro-chemical/-receptor profiles on brain areas involved in the behaviors. Finally, a series of behavioral pharmacological and real-time in-vivo brain microdialysis experiments were performed on male prairie voles displaying affiliation or aggression. Results We localized a subpopulation of excitatory AVP neurons in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AH) that may gate CRH output from the amygdala to the AH and then the lateral septum to modulate aggression associated with mate guarding. Conversely, we identified a subset of inhibitory 5-HT-ergic projection neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus to the AH that mediates the spatio-temporal release of neuropeptides and their interactions in modulating aggression and affiliation. Conclusions Together, this study establishes the medial extended amygdala as a major neural substrate regulating the switch between positive and negative affective states wherein several neurochemicals converge and interact to coordinate divergent social behaviors.

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Genetics of Aggression in Voles

Cited by 24 publications

References 180 publications

Establishment of stable dominance interactions in prairie vole peers: Relationships with alcohol drinking and activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus

Establishment of stable dominance interactions in prairie vole peers: Relationships with alcohol drinking and activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus

Breaking bonds in male prairie vole: Long-term effects on emotional and social behavior, physiology, and neurochemistry

Neurochemical Mediation of Affiliation and Aggression Associated With Pair-Bonding

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