The Agoutis: A Future Model for Ecologically Relevant Neuroscience and Physiology In Natura DOI Creative Commons
Juan Ignacio Sanguinetti-Scheck,

D. Gálvez

Ethology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 130(12)

Published: Oct. 18, 2024

ABSTRACT The overarching goal of neurobiology is to understand how complex behaviors are generated by the nervous system. behavior each species, and brain that controls it, shaped historical current state environment they inhabit. This fact juxtaposed with reductionist approach neuroscience isolates animals from their natural environment. Understanding brains evolved orchestrate myriads an animal performs in response its requires integrative considers ecology, ethology, evolution. Current technological developments leading us inflection point at which studying functions wild now possible. Ecological studies on affects (i.e., hibernation, foraging, food hoarding, nest building) have framed a plurality questions be answered mechanistically, yet, only few addressed relationship between brain's anatomy physiology. Neuroscience needs new models allow tackle such wild. Here, we propose model for neuroscience, agouti ( Dasyprocta spp.), large rodent playing critical seasonal role maintenance central south American rainforest ecosystems. We focus model, like agouti, will investigation large‐scale dynamics during ecological importance: scatter‐hoarding retrieval. describe evolution, physiology as well neuro‐anatomical neurophysiological studies, set foundation future natura. suggest agoutis potential groundbreaking neuroscience.

Language: Английский

Competitive social feedback amplifies the role of early life contingency in male mice DOI
Matthew N. Zipple,

Daniel Chang Kuo,

Xinmiao Meng

et al.

Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387(6729), P. 81 - 85

Published: Jan. 2, 2025

Contingency (or “luck”) in early life plays an important role shaping individuals’ development. By comparing the developmental trajectories of functionally genetically identical free-living mice who either experienced high levels resource competition (males) or did not (females), we show that magnifies contingency. Male results a feedback loop importance contingency and pushes individuals onto divergent, self-reinforcing trajectories, while same process appears absent females. Our indicate strength sexual selection may be self-limiting, they highlight potential for to lead differences outcomes, even absence any underlying ability (“merit”).

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Fantastic beasts and how to study them: rethinking experimental animal behavior DOI Creative Commons
Siyu Serena Ding, Jessica L. Fox, Andrew Gordus

et al.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 227(4)

Published: Feb. 15, 2024

ABSTRACT Humans have been trying to understand animal behavior at least since recorded history. Recent rapid development of new technologies has allowed us make significant progress in understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying behavior, a key goal neuroethology. However, there is tradeoff when studying its biological mechanisms: common protocols laboratory are designed be replicable controlled, but they often fail encompass variability breadth natural behavior. This Commentary proposes framework 10 questions that aim guide researchers incorporating rich context into their experimental design or choosing study system. The cover overarching considerations can provide template for interspecies comparisons, enable develop studies model organisms unlock experiments our quest

Language: Английский

Citations

6
Genetically identical mice express alternative reproductive tactics depending on social conditions in the field DOI
Matthew N. Zipple, Caleb C. Vogt, Michael J. Sheehan

et al.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 291(2019)

Published: March 20, 2024

In many species, establishing and maintaining a territory is critical to survival reproduction, an animal's ability do so strongly influenced by the presence density of competitors. Here we manipulate social conditions study alternative reproductive tactics displayed genetically identical, age-matched laboratory mice competing for territories under ecologically realistic environmental conditions. We introduced adult males females mouse strain C57BL/6J into large, outdoor field enclosure containing defendable resource zones one two first created low-density environment, such that number available exceeded males. After established stable territories, pulse intruder observed resulting defensive invasive employed. response this change in with large invested more patrolling but were less effective at excluding as compared small territories. Intruding failed establish tactic featuring greater exploration identical territorial Alternative did not lead equal success-males acquired experienced had access females.

Language: Английский

Citations

4
From animal models to human individuality: Integrative approaches to the study of brain plasticity DOI Creative Commons

M. Hille,

Simone Kühn, Gerd Kempermann

et al.

Neuron, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 112(21), P. 3522 - 3541

Published: Oct. 25, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

4
Making sense of the costs of adversity throughout the lifespan on aging in humans and other animals DOI

Robert M. Sapolsky

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 159, P. 105571 - 105571

Published: Feb. 3, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

2
Sex-specific competitive social feedback amplifies the role of early life contingency in male mice DOI Creative Commons
Matthew N. Zipple,

Daniel Chang Kuo,

Xinmiao Meng

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 21, 2024

Abstract Contingency (or ‘luck’) in early life plays an important role shaping individuals’ development. When individuals live within larger societies, social experiences may cause the importance of contingencies to be magnified or dampened. Here we test hypothesis that competition magnifies contingency a sex-specific manner by comparing developmental trajectories genetically identical, free-living mice who either experienced high levels territorial (males) did not (females). We show male territoriality results competitive feedback loop and pushes onto divergent, self-reinforcing trajectories, while same process appears absent females. Our indicate strength sexual selection self-limiting, as within-sex increases contingency, thereby reducing ability lead evolution. They also demonstrate potential for dramatic differences outcomes, even absence any underlying (‘merit’).

Language: Английский

Citations

2
Assessing immune phenotypes using simple proxy measures: promise and limitations DOI Creative Commons
Alexander E. Downie, Ramya S. Barre,

Annie Robinson

et al.

Discovery Immunology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Abstract The study of immune phenotypes in wild animals is beset by numerous methodological challenges, with assessment detailed aspects phenotype difficult to impossible. This constrains the ability disease ecologists and ecoimmunologists describe variation evaluate hypotheses explaining said variation. development simple approaches that allow characterization across many populations species would be a significant advance. Here we explore whether serum protein concentrations coarse-grained white blood cell profiles, quantities can easily assayed species, predict, therefore serve as proxies for, lymphocyte composition properties. We do this rewilded laboratory mice, which combine benefits phenotyping lab mice natural context found wild. find are largely ineffective predictors composition, either on their own or other covariates. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio show most promise indicators traits, but explanatory power limited. Our results prescribe caution inferring beyond what directly measured, they also highlight some potential paths forward for proxy measures employable ecoimmunologists.

Language: Английский

Citations

2
Vocal communication is seasonal in social groups of wild, free-living house mice DOI Creative Commons
Nicholas Jourjine,

C Goedecker,

Barbara König

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 7, 2024

Abstract House mice ( Mus musculus domesticus ) are among the most widely studied laboratory models of mammalian social behavior, yet we know relatively little about ecology their behaviors in natural environments. Here, address this gap using radiotelemetry to track interactions a population wild over 10 years, from 2013 2023, and interpret these context passive acoustic monitoring data collected August 2022 until November 2023. Using deep convolutional neural networks, identify 1.3 million individual vocalizations align them time with continuously telemetry recording between individually identifiable mice. We find that vocalization is seasonal correlated long-term dynamics features groups. In addition, closely associated entrances exits those groups, occurs often presence pups, how much pairs spend together. This work identifies patterns lays foundation investigate role communication populations classic model organism.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
‘Re‐Wilding’ an Animal Model With Microbiota Shifts Immunity and Stress Gene Expression During Infection DOI Creative Commons
Ian Will, Emily J. Stevens, Thomas Belcher

et al.

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 12, 2024

The frequency of emerging disease is growing with ongoing human activity facilitating new host-pathogen interactions. Novel infection outcomes can also be shaped by the host microbiota. Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes experimentally colonised a wild microbiota community and infected widespread animal pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, have been shown to suffer higher mortality than those pathogen alone. Understanding responses such microbiota-pathogen ecological interactions key pinpointing mechanism underlying severe outcomes. We conducted transcriptomic analyses C. its native microbiota, S. aureus both in combination. Correlations between altered collagen gene expression heightened co-colonised hosts suggest modified resistance infection. Furthermore, showed increased immunity genes variable stress response during Changes could encompass causes effects 'Re-wilding' this model nematode indicated that typically commensal microbes mediate molecular changes are costly when challenged novel pathogen.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
A new era in quantification of animal social behaviors DOI Creative Commons
Jessica Choi, Vivek Kumar

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 157, P. 105528 - 105528

Published: Dec. 29, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

3