Social play experience in juvenile rats is indispensable for appropriate socio-sexual behavior in adulthood in males but not females

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 16

Опубликована: Янв. 23, 2023

Social play is a dynamic and rewarding behavior abundantly expressed by most mammals during the juvenile period. While its exact function debated, various rodent studies on effects of social isolation suggest that participating in essential to appropriate reproductive success adulthood. However, vast majority these were conducted one sex only, critical concern given fact there are known differences play’s expression: across nearly all species play, males more frequently intensely than females, qualitative patterns. Further limiting our understanding importance use total prevent interactions with other juveniles. Here, we employed novel cage design specifically rats while allowing for forms interaction. We find deprivation period results enduring sex-specific later-life behavior, primarily males. Males prevented from playing as juveniles exhibited decreased sexual hypersociability, increased aggressiveness adulthood, no measures females. Importantly, had effect anxiety-like object memory, preference, or recognition either sex, showing specificity identified impairments, though overall many measures. Additionally, acute impaired performance test prosocial both sexes, indicating difference motivation and/or ability acquire this empathy-driven task. Together, findings provide insight into how differs

Язык: Английский

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Deconstructing sex: Strategies for undoing binary thinking in neuroendocrinology and behavior

Hormones and Behavior, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 156, С. 105441 - 105441

Опубликована: Окт. 19, 2023

The scientific community widely recognizes that "sex" is a complex category composed of multiple physiologies. Yet in practice, basic research often treats as single, internally consistent, and binary variable. This practice occludes important physiological factors processes, thus limits the value our findings. In human-oriented biomedical research, use simplistic (and binary) models sex ignores existence intersex, trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming people contributes to medical paradigm neglects their needs interests. More broadly, collective reliance on these legitimizes false human biology undergirds harmful practices anti-trans political movements. Herein, we continue conversations begun at SBN 2022 Symposium Hormones Trans Health, providing guiding questions help scientists deconstruct rethink across stages method. We offer step toward more accurately represents sexed physiologies multiple, interacting, variable, unbounded by gendered preconceptions. hope this paper will serve useful resource for who seek new researching understanding improves science, widens applicability findings, deters misuse against marginalized groups.

Язык: Английский

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Best practices to promote rigor and reproducibility in the era of sex-inclusive research

eLife, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 12

Опубликована: Ноя. 2, 2023

To enhance inclusivity and rigor, many funding agencies journals now mandate the inclusion of females as well males in biomedical studies. These mandates have enhanced generalizability created unprecedented opportunities to discover sex differences. Education sound methods consider a subgroup category has lagged behind, however, resulting problematic literature which study designs, analyses, interpretations results are often flawed. Here, we outline best practices for complying with sex-inclusive mandates, both studies differences primary focus those they not. Our recommendations organized within “4 Cs Studying Sex Strengthen Science: Consideration, Collection, Characterization Communication,” framework developed by Office Research on Women’s Health at National Institutes United States. Following these guidelines should help researchers include their while same time upholding high standards rigor.

Язык: Английский

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Recommendations for a Better Understanding of Sex and Gender in the Neuroscience of Mental Health

Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 4(2), С. 100283 - 100283

Опубликована: Дек. 30, 2023

There are prominent sex/gender differences in the prevalence, expression and lifespan course of mental health neurodiverse conditions. Yet underlying sex gender related mechanisms their interactions still not fully understood. This lack knowledge has harmful consequences for those suffering from problems. Hence, we set up a co-creation session one week workshop with multidisciplinary team 25 researchers, clinicians policy makers, to identify main barriers research neuroscience health. Based on this work, here provide recommendations methodologies, translational stakeholder involvement. These include guidelines recording, reporting, analysis beyond binary groups, open science. Improved understanding may benefit public as is an important step towards precision medicine function archetype studying diversity.

Язык: Английский

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Sex mechanisms as nonbinary influences on cognitive diversity

Hormones and Behavior, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 162, С. 105544 - 105544

Опубликована: Апрель 20, 2024

Essentially all neuropsychiatric diagnoses show some degree of sex and/or gender differences in their etiology, diagnosis, or prognosis. As a result, the roles sex-related variables behavior and cognition are strong interest to many, with several lines research showing effects on executive functions value-based decision making particular. These findings often framed within binary, females described as less optimal than male "defaults"-- framing that pits males against each other deemphasizes enormous overlap fundamental neural mechanisms across sexes. Here, we propose an alternative framework which factors encompass just one subset many sources valuable diversity cognition. First, review literature establishing multidimensional, nonbinary impacts related chromosomes endocrine cognition, focusing value- based decision-making tasks. Next, present two suggestions for interpretations analyses data can be implemented by behavioral neuroscientists without devoting laboratory resources delving into underlying differences. We recommend (1) shifting away from performance metrics towards strategy assessments avoid fallacy is worse another; (2) asking how much variance explains measures whether any mosaic rather assuming separate inextricably correlated. Nonbinary frameworks will allow neuroscience represent full spectrum brains behaviors.

Язык: Английский

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