Sickness and behaviour in animals: a motivational perspective

Aubert, Arnaud

doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(99)00034-2

Cited by 225 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

137

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In situations where the animal is at risk of death or engaged in a hierarchical confrontation (e.g., with predators, competitors, and climatic extremes), sickness behavior is momentarily interrupted to prioritize behaviors, such as fight or flight or sexual and maternal behaviors (Aubert, 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neonatal lipopolysaccharide exposure induces sexually dimorphic sickness behavior in adult rats.

Bernardi

Teixeira

Oliveira

et al. 2014

Psychology & Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether neonatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 50 µg/kg, i.p., on postnatal day 2) induces depressive-and/or anxiety-like effects and sexually dimorphic responses in rats challenged with LPS (100 µg/kg, i.p.) in adulthood. The results revealed that males presented a less depressive state in the forced swim test and exhibited no changes in general motor activity in the open field test. Females exhibited an increase in sickness behavior, revealing different behavioral strategies in response to a bacterial disease. The male rats also exhibited higher cell proliferation, reflected by bone marrow and peripheral blood counts, and female rats exhibited a decrease in corticosterone levels. No changes were observed in the elevated plus maze or peripheral cytokine levels (interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α). Neonatal exposure to LPS induced sexually dimorphic behavioral, neuroendocrine, and immune effects after an LPS challenge in adulthood, differentially affecting male and female susceptibility to disease later in life.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neonatal lipopolysaccharide exposure induces sexually dimorphic sickness behavior in adult rats.

Bernardi

Teixeira

Oliveira

et al. 2014

Psychology & Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These factors induce 'sickness behaviour' (Hart, 1988), a suite of behaviours and changes in motivational state (e.g. a decreased propensity for reproduction) that is thought to help the animal recover from infection (Hart, 1988;Aubert, 1999;Dantzer, 2004). Cytokines can induce these shifts in behaviour because neurons have receptors for them in specific brain areas (Dantzer et al, 2008).…”

Section: Psychoneuroimmunological Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasites: evolution’s neurobiologists

Adamo

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

148

187

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Increasing evidence suggests that behavioral responses to infection represent a flexible, motivational state that can be modified according to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors (Aubert, 1999;Konsman et al, 2002). For instance, interleukin-1 treatment inhibits sexual behavior in female, but not male rats, while concomitantly decreasing locomotory activity in both sexes (Yirmiya et al, 1995).…”

Section: Social Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal modulation of sickness behavior in free-living northwestern song sparrows (Melospiza melodia morphna)

Owen-Ashley

Wingfield

2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY A variety of vertebrate species modulate immune function on a seasonal basis to cope with seasonal energy deficits and competing life-history demands, such as reproduction. Most studies to date have focused upon seasonal variation of cellular and humoral immunity, while neglecting behavioral responses to infection. These behavioral strategies are collectively termed sickness behaviors and are hypothesized to divert energy away from normal activities to combat and overcome infection. Sickness behavior can be triggered experimentally by injecting bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we provide the first evidence for seasonal modulation of sickness behavior in a free-living animal. Male song sparrows of western Washington state (Melospiza melodia morphna) are sedentary and territorial year round, except for a brief time during molt. Treatment with LPS decreased territorial aggressive behavior of males in the winter (nonbreeding), but not in the spring (breeding). Subjects were recaptured approx. 25 h after treatment. Recaptured LPS males in the winter lost more body mass than saline-injected controls while LPS males in the spring did not. These data indicate that birds in breeding condition were relatively insensitive to the effects of LPS. On a proximate level, suppression of sickness behavior during breeding is likely mediated by seasonal differences in energy allocation, as wintering sparrows were significantly heavier and had larger subcutaneous fat reserves and lower baseline corticosterone levels than breeding birds. Ultimately, suppression of sickness behavior may represent an allocation strategy to balance current reproductive opportunities with the life-history costs of self-defense.

show abstract

Sickness and behaviour in animals: a motivational perspective

Cited by 225 publications

References 38 publications

Neonatal lipopolysaccharide exposure induces sexually dimorphic sickness behavior in adult rats.

Neonatal lipopolysaccharide exposure induces sexually dimorphic sickness behavior in adult rats.

Parasites: evolution’s neurobiologists

Seasonal modulation of sickness behavior in free-living northwestern song sparrows (Melospiza melodia morphna)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About