The Experts below are selected from a list of 579 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Robert J. Blanchard - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Central oxytocin regulates social familiarity and Scent Marking Behavior that involves amicable odor signals between male mice.
Physiology & Behavior, 2015Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, D. C. Blanchard, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:The effect of oxytocin on social Behavior and odor communication was investigated in male C57BL/6J mice. In three-male colonies, in visible burrow systems, icv oxytocin (OT) infusion before colony formation substantially increased huddling together over the initial 8 h of grouping, accompanied by decreased expression of a number of social approaches associated with conspecific aggression and defense. OT antagonist infusion had little impact on expression of social approaches but decreased time engaging in social components including huddle over the initial 8 h. These results demonstrate a linkage of social familiarity to OT availability in the brain. In a Scent Marking paradigm central infusion of OT reduced territorial Marking towards male conspecifics, and this in turn reduced the Scent Marking of untreated stimulus males to OT-infused subjects. Infusion of an OT antagonist into stimulus mice who were confronted with OT-infused subjects prevented the reduction/suppression of Scent Marking that was normally seen following exposure of social odors released from OT-injected mice. Odor of pair-housed mice also induced a suppression of territorial Scent Marking in odor recipients, but OT antagonist administration into pair-housed mice blocked this suppressive effect of odor cue. These results indicate that central OT modulates release as well as detection of amicable signals facilitating/maintaining familiar relationships and suppressing territorial Behavior between male mice. Overall, these findings suggest that OT plays a significant role in regulating social familiarity via changing qualities of conspecific odor cues.
-
neural correlates of Scent Marking Behavior in c57bl 6j mice detection and recognition of a social stimulus
Neuroscience, 2009Co-Authors: K.g. Borelli, D. C. Blanchard, L.k. Javier, Erwin B. Defensor, Marcus Lira Brandão, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:Mice show urinary Scent Marking Behavior as a form of social communication. Marking to a conspecific stimulus mouse or odor varies with stimulus familiarity, indicating discrimination of novel and familiar animals. This study investigated Fos immunoreactivity in inbred C57BL/6J (C57) males following Scent Marking Behavior in response to detection of a social stimulus, or discrimination between a familiar and an unfamiliar conspecific. In Experiment 1 C57 mice were exposed for four daily trials to an empty chamber; on a test day they were exposed to the same chamber or to a male CD-1 mouse in that chamber. Increased Scent Marking to the CD-1 mouse was associated with increased Fos-immunoreactive cells in the basolateral amygdala, medial amygdala, and dorsal and ventral premammillary nuclei. In Experiment 2 C57 mice were habituated to a CD-1 male for 4 consecutive days and, on the 5th day, exposed to the same CD-1 male, or to a novel CD-1 male. Mice exposed to a novel CD-1 displayed a significant increase in Scent Marking compared to their last exposure to the familiar stimulus, indicating discrimination of the novelty of this social stimulus. Marking to the novel stimulus was associated with enhanced activation of several telencephalic, as well as hypothalamic and midbrain, structures in which activation had not been seen in the detection paradigm (Experiment 1). These included medial prefrontal and piriform cortices, and lateral septum; the paraventricular nuclei, ventromedial nuclei, and lateral area of the hypothalamus, and the ventrolateral column of the periaqueductal gray. These data suggest that a circumscribed group of structures largely concerned with olfaction is involved in detection of a conspecific olfactory stimulus, whereas discrimination of a novel vs. a familiar conspecific stimulus engages a wider range of forebrain structures encompassing higher-order processes and potentially providing an interface between cognitions and emotions.
-
a new test paradigm for social recognition evidenced by urinary Scent Marking Behavior in c57bl 6j mice
Behavioural Brain Research, 2008Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, Keiko Arakawa, Caroline D Blanchard, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:Olfaction is a major sensory element in intraspecies recognition and communication in mice. The present study investigated Scent Marking Behaviors of males of the highly inbred C57BL/6J (C57) strain in order to evaluate the ability of these Behaviors to provide clear and consistent measures of social familiarity and response to social signals. C57 males engage in Scent Marking when placed in a chamber with a wire mesh partition separating them from a conspecific. Male mice (C57 or outbred CD-1 mice) showed rapid habituation of Scent Marking (decreased Marking over trials) with repeated exposure at 24-h intervals, to a stimulus animal of the C57 or CD-1 strains, or to an empty chamber. Subsequent exposure to a genetically different novel mouse (CD-1 after CD-1 exposure, or CD-1 after C57 exposure) or to a novel context (different shaped chamber) produced recovery of Marking, while responses to a novel but genetically identical mouse (C57 after C57 exposure) or to the empty chamber did not. This finding demonstrated that male mice differentiate familiar and novel conspecifics as expressed by habituation and recovery of Scent Marking, but neither C57 or CD-1 mice can differentiate new vs. familiar C57 males; likely due to similarities in their odor patterns. The data also indicate that Scent Marking can differentiate novel from familiar contexts.
-
Scent Marking Behavior as an odorant communication in mice
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2008Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, D. C. Blanchard, Keiko Arakawa, Christopher Dunlap, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:In rodents, where chemical signals play a particularly important role in determining intraspecies interactions including social dominance and intersexual relationships, various studies have shown that Behavior is sensitive to conspecific odor cues. Mice use urinary Scent marks for communication with individual conspecifics in many social contexts. Urinary Scent involves genetic information about individuals such as species, sex, and individual identity as well as metabolic information such as social dominance, and reproductive and health status, which are mediated by chemical proteins in Scent marks including the major histocompatibility complex and the major urinary proteins. The odor of the predator which can be considered to be a threatening signal for the prey also modulate mouse Behavior in which Scent Marking is suppressed in response to the cat odor exposure in mice. These odorant chemicals are detected and recognized through two olfactory bulbs, the role of which in detection of chemosignals with biological relevant appears to be differential, but partly overlapped. Mice deposit Scent marks toward conspecifics to maintain their social relationships, and inhibit Scent Marking in a context where natural predator, cat odor is contained. This suppression of Scent Marking is long-lasting (for at least 7 days) and context-dependent, while the odorant signaling to conspecifics tends to appear frequently (over 24 h but less than 7 days intervals) depending on the familiarity of each signal-recipient. It has been discussed that Scent Marking is a communicative Behavior associated with territoriality toward conspecifics, indicating that the social signaling within species are sensitive to predator odor cues in terms of vulnerability to predation risk.
-
Scent Marking Behavior in male c57bl 6j mice sexual and developmental determination
Behavioural Brain Research, 2007Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, Keiko Arakawa, Caroline D Blanchard, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:The present study investigated urinary Scent Marking Behavior in male C57BL/6J (C57) mice as olfactory social signaling. In Experiment 1, when compared Scent Marking toward adult males, C57 males showed substantial Scent Marking toward CD-1 males and even toward the odor alone of CD-1 males, but not toward C57 males. Experiment 2 explored Scent Marking in C57 males of different ages to males and females, and juveniles and adults of the same strain. C57 males deposited more marks than control conditions only toward an adult C57 female when tested at 100 days of age, but not at 60 days of age. Development of urine Marking Behavior was investigated in C57 males at the ages of 30, 60, 90, and 120 days in Experiment 3. When tested alone (control) or confronted with a C57 male, C57 males showed diminished Scent marks throughout development. Compared to controls, Marking toward a CD-1 male increased after the age of 60 days, while marks toward an adult female showed significant increases after the age of 90 days. This difference in Scent Marking depending on the sex of the stimulus animal is likely to be associated with development of sexual Behavior, in which males need to set up territories against other males prior to advertising to females. Although highly inbred strains have similar odor components, C57 males are able to detect and deposit urine marks after puberty as social communication depending on age, sex, and genetic differences in the opponents.
Jacqueline N Crawley - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Communication Impairments in Mice Lacking Shank1: Reduced Levels of Ultrasonic Vocalizations and Scent Marking Behavior
2013Co-Authors: Markus Wohr, Florence I Roullet, Albert Y Hung, Morgan Sheng, Jacqueline N CrawleyAbstract:Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. Core symptoms are abnormal reciprocal social interactions, qualitative impairments in communication, and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of Behavior with restricted interests. Candidate genes for autism include the SHANK gene family, as mutations in SHANK2 and SHANK3 have been detected in several autistic individuals. SHANK genes code for a family of scaffolding proteins located in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. To test the hypothesis that a mutation in SHANK1 contributes to the symptoms of autism, we evaluated Shank1 2/2 null mutant mice for Behavioral phenotypes with relevance to autism, focusing on social communication. Ultrasonic vocalizations and the deposition of Scent marks appear to be two major modes of mouse communication. Our findings revealed evidence for low levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and Scent marks in Shank1 2/2 mice as compared to wildtype Shank1 +/+ littermate controls. Shank1 2/2 pups emitted fewer vocalizations than Shank1 +/+ pups when isolated from mother and littermates. In adulthood, genotype affected Scent Marking Behavior in the presence of female urinary pheromones. Adult Shank1 2/2 males deposited fewer Scent marks in proximity to female urine than Shank1 +/+ males. Call emission in response to female urinary pheromones also differed between genotypes. Shank1 +/+ mice changed their calling pattern dependent on previous female interactions, while Shank1 2/2 mice were unaffected, indicating a failure o
-
communication impairments in mice lacking shank1 reduced levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and Scent Marking Behavior
PLOS ONE, 2011Co-Authors: Markus Wohr, Florence I Roullet, Albert Y Hung, Morgan Sheng, Jacqueline N CrawleyAbstract:Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. Core symptoms are abnormal reciprocal social interactions, qualitative impairments in communication, and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of Behavior with restricted interests. Candidate genes for autism include the SHANK gene family, as mutations in SHANK2 and SHANK3 have been detected in several autistic individuals. SHANK genes code for a family of scaffolding proteins located in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. To test the hypothesis that a mutation in SHANK1 contributes to the symptoms of autism, we evaluated Shank1−/− null mutant mice for Behavioral phenotypes with relevance to autism, focusing on social communication. Ultrasonic vocalizations and the deposition of Scent marks appear to be two major modes of mouse communication. Our findings revealed evidence for low levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and Scent marks in Shank1−/− mice as compared to wildtype Shank1+/+ littermate controls. Shank1−/− pups emitted fewer vocalizations than Shank1+/+ pups when isolated from mother and littermates. In adulthood, genotype affected Scent Marking Behavior in the presence of female urinary pheromones. Adult Shank1−/− males deposited fewer Scent marks in proximity to female urine than Shank1+/+ males. Call emission in response to female urinary pheromones also differed between genotypes. Shank1+/+ mice changed their calling pattern dependent on previous female interactions, while Shank1−/− mice were unaffected, indicating a failure of Shank1−/− males to learn from a social experience. The reduced levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and Scent Marking Behavior in Shank1−/− mice are consistent with a phenotype relevant to social communication deficits in autism.
Liat R. Thomsen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
1 SEXUAL DIMORPHISM IN TERRITORIAL Scent Marking BY ADULT EURASIAN BEAVERS (Castor fiber)
2015Co-Authors: Frank Rosell, Liat R. ThomsenAbstract:Abstract⎯Mammalian Scent Marking is often associated with territorial defense. However, males and females may demonstrate different activity pattern and play different roles. Female mammals nurture the young during lactation, while males purportedly perform other tasks more frequently, such as territorial maintenance and defense. This paper investigates the contribution made by mated pairs of adult males and females to territorial Scent-Marking in the obligate monogamous Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). We hypothesized that both sexes should show territorial Behavior and predicted that they deposit a higher proportion of Scent marks at borders. We also hypothesized that a sexual dimorphism exists due to reproductive constraints on the females and predicted that males should invest significantly more in Scent-Marking Behavior than females during summer. We obtained Behavioral data by radio-tracking six mated pairs of Eurasian beavers during spring and summer 2000-2001 on two rivers in south-eastern Norway. Our results showed that both males and females clustered their Scent marks near territorial borders, but males deposited a significantly larger number of Scent marks than females and spent significantly more time at borders. Males were also found to have a significantly higher Scent Marking rate and Scent marks per night than females during summer, but not during spring. Overall, Scent marks per nigh
-
Sexual Dimorphism in Territorial Scent Marking by Adult Eurasian Beavers (Castor fiber)
Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2006Co-Authors: Liat R. ThomsenAbstract:Mammalian Scent Marking is often associated with territorial defense. However, males and females may demonstrate different activity patterns and play different roles. Female mammals nurture the young during lactation, while males purportedly perform other tasks more frequently, such as territorial maintenance and defense. This paper investigates the contribution made by mated pairs of adult males and females to territorial Scent-Marking in the obligate monogamous Eurasian beavers ( Castor fiber ). We hypothesized that both sexes should show territorial Behavior, and predicted that they deposit a higher proportion of Scent marks at borders. We also hypothesized that a sexual dimorphism exists due to reproductive constraints on the females, and predicted that males should invest significantly more in Scent-Marking Behavior than females during summer. We obtained Behavioral data by radio tracking six mated pairs of Eurasian beavers during spring and summer 2000–2001 on two rivers in southeastern Norway. Our results showed that both males and females clustered their Scent marks near territorial borders, but males deposited a larger number of Scent marks than females and spent more time at borders. Males were also found to have a higher Scent Marking rate and Scent marks per night than females during summer, but not during spring. Overall, Scent marks per night were higher in males than females. We conclude that both males and females Eurasian beavers carry out territorial Behavior by Scent Marking, but males carry a larger part of the territorial defense during summer when females lactate. Our results are discussed in the light of the codefense hypothesis.
Pablo R Stevenson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Scent Marking in two western amazonian populations of woolly monkeys lagothrix lagotricha
American Journal of Primatology, 2006Co-Authors: Anthony Di Fiore, Andres Link, Pablo R StevensonAbstract:We describe patterns of Scent Marking observed in two wild populations of lowland woolly monkeys that were the subjects of long-term studies in the westernmost portion of the Amazon basin. The woolly monkeys engaged primarily in two types of Scent Marking: chest rubbing and anogenital rubbing. In both study populations, males and females performed both types of Scent Marking, but males chest-rubbed more commonly than females, while females engaged in more anogenital rubbing. We evaluated two nonexclusive hypotheses for the function of Scent Marking by woolly monkeys: 1) that Scent Marking is used in sociosexual contexts, and 2) that Scent Marking is used to convey information about occupancy of or willingness to defend an area from conspecifics in other social groups. We found no association between the occurrence of Scent-Marking Behavior and location within the home range, but did find that Scent Marking occurred more commonly than expected on days when copulations, mating solicitations, and intergroup encounters were observed. Additionally, mating activity and chest rubbing were highly correlated across the yearly cycle, even when the potentially confounding variable of ripe fruit availability was controlled for. In woolly monkeys, overt male-male competition is rare and female choice is an important part of the mating system. Our results are most consistent with the idea that Scent Marking plays a role in advertising male quality or competitive ability, and perhaps in coordinating mating activity.
-
research article Scent Marking in two western amazonian populations of woolly monkeys lagothrix lagotricha
2006Co-Authors: Anthony Di Fiore, Andres Link, Pablo R StevensonAbstract:We describe patterns of Scent Marking observed in two wild populations of lowland woolly monkeys that were the subjects of long-term studies in the westernmost portion of the Amazon basin. The woolly monkeys engaged primarily in two types of Scent Marking: chest rubbing and anogenital rubbing. In both study populations, males and females performed both types of Scent Marking, but males chest-rubbed more commonly than females, while females engaged in more anogenital rubbing. We evaluated two nonexclusive hypotheses for the function of Scent Marking by woolly monkeys: 1) that Scent Marking is used in sociosexual contexts, and 2) that Scent Marking is used to convey information about occupancy of or willingness to defend an area from conspecifics in other social groups. We found no association between the occurrence of Scent-Marking Behavior and location within the home range, but did find that Scent Marking occurred more commonly than expected on days when copulations, mating solicitations, and intergroup encounters were observed. Additionally, mating activity and chest rubbing were highly correlated across the yearly cycle, even when the potentially confounding variable of ripe fruit availability was controlled for. In woolly monkeys, overt male‐male competition is rare and female choice is an important part of the mating system. Our results are most consistent with the idea that Scent Marking plays a role in advertising male quality or competitive ability, and perhaps in coordinating mating activity. Am. J. Primatol. 68:637‐649, 2006. c 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hiroyuki Arakawa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Central oxytocin regulates social familiarity and Scent Marking Behavior that involves amicable odor signals between male mice.
Physiology & Behavior, 2015Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, D. C. Blanchard, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:The effect of oxytocin on social Behavior and odor communication was investigated in male C57BL/6J mice. In three-male colonies, in visible burrow systems, icv oxytocin (OT) infusion before colony formation substantially increased huddling together over the initial 8 h of grouping, accompanied by decreased expression of a number of social approaches associated with conspecific aggression and defense. OT antagonist infusion had little impact on expression of social approaches but decreased time engaging in social components including huddle over the initial 8 h. These results demonstrate a linkage of social familiarity to OT availability in the brain. In a Scent Marking paradigm central infusion of OT reduced territorial Marking towards male conspecifics, and this in turn reduced the Scent Marking of untreated stimulus males to OT-infused subjects. Infusion of an OT antagonist into stimulus mice who were confronted with OT-infused subjects prevented the reduction/suppression of Scent Marking that was normally seen following exposure of social odors released from OT-injected mice. Odor of pair-housed mice also induced a suppression of territorial Scent Marking in odor recipients, but OT antagonist administration into pair-housed mice blocked this suppressive effect of odor cue. These results indicate that central OT modulates release as well as detection of amicable signals facilitating/maintaining familiar relationships and suppressing territorial Behavior between male mice. Overall, these findings suggest that OT plays a significant role in regulating social familiarity via changing qualities of conspecific odor cues.
-
a new test paradigm for social recognition evidenced by urinary Scent Marking Behavior in c57bl 6j mice
Behavioural Brain Research, 2008Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, Keiko Arakawa, Caroline D Blanchard, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:Olfaction is a major sensory element in intraspecies recognition and communication in mice. The present study investigated Scent Marking Behaviors of males of the highly inbred C57BL/6J (C57) strain in order to evaluate the ability of these Behaviors to provide clear and consistent measures of social familiarity and response to social signals. C57 males engage in Scent Marking when placed in a chamber with a wire mesh partition separating them from a conspecific. Male mice (C57 or outbred CD-1 mice) showed rapid habituation of Scent Marking (decreased Marking over trials) with repeated exposure at 24-h intervals, to a stimulus animal of the C57 or CD-1 strains, or to an empty chamber. Subsequent exposure to a genetically different novel mouse (CD-1 after CD-1 exposure, or CD-1 after C57 exposure) or to a novel context (different shaped chamber) produced recovery of Marking, while responses to a novel but genetically identical mouse (C57 after C57 exposure) or to the empty chamber did not. This finding demonstrated that male mice differentiate familiar and novel conspecifics as expressed by habituation and recovery of Scent Marking, but neither C57 or CD-1 mice can differentiate new vs. familiar C57 males; likely due to similarities in their odor patterns. The data also indicate that Scent Marking can differentiate novel from familiar contexts.
-
Scent Marking Behavior as an odorant communication in mice
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2008Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, D. C. Blanchard, Keiko Arakawa, Christopher Dunlap, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:In rodents, where chemical signals play a particularly important role in determining intraspecies interactions including social dominance and intersexual relationships, various studies have shown that Behavior is sensitive to conspecific odor cues. Mice use urinary Scent marks for communication with individual conspecifics in many social contexts. Urinary Scent involves genetic information about individuals such as species, sex, and individual identity as well as metabolic information such as social dominance, and reproductive and health status, which are mediated by chemical proteins in Scent marks including the major histocompatibility complex and the major urinary proteins. The odor of the predator which can be considered to be a threatening signal for the prey also modulate mouse Behavior in which Scent Marking is suppressed in response to the cat odor exposure in mice. These odorant chemicals are detected and recognized through two olfactory bulbs, the role of which in detection of chemosignals with biological relevant appears to be differential, but partly overlapped. Mice deposit Scent marks toward conspecifics to maintain their social relationships, and inhibit Scent Marking in a context where natural predator, cat odor is contained. This suppression of Scent Marking is long-lasting (for at least 7 days) and context-dependent, while the odorant signaling to conspecifics tends to appear frequently (over 24 h but less than 7 days intervals) depending on the familiarity of each signal-recipient. It has been discussed that Scent Marking is a communicative Behavior associated with territoriality toward conspecifics, indicating that the social signaling within species are sensitive to predator odor cues in terms of vulnerability to predation risk.
-
Scent Marking Behavior in male c57bl 6j mice sexual and developmental determination
Behavioural Brain Research, 2007Co-Authors: Hiroyuki Arakawa, Keiko Arakawa, Caroline D Blanchard, Robert J. BlanchardAbstract:The present study investigated urinary Scent Marking Behavior in male C57BL/6J (C57) mice as olfactory social signaling. In Experiment 1, when compared Scent Marking toward adult males, C57 males showed substantial Scent Marking toward CD-1 males and even toward the odor alone of CD-1 males, but not toward C57 males. Experiment 2 explored Scent Marking in C57 males of different ages to males and females, and juveniles and adults of the same strain. C57 males deposited more marks than control conditions only toward an adult C57 female when tested at 100 days of age, but not at 60 days of age. Development of urine Marking Behavior was investigated in C57 males at the ages of 30, 60, 90, and 120 days in Experiment 3. When tested alone (control) or confronted with a C57 male, C57 males showed diminished Scent marks throughout development. Compared to controls, Marking toward a CD-1 male increased after the age of 60 days, while marks toward an adult female showed significant increases after the age of 90 days. This difference in Scent Marking depending on the sex of the stimulus animal is likely to be associated with development of sexual Behavior, in which males need to set up territories against other males prior to advertising to females. Although highly inbred strains have similar odor components, C57 males are able to detect and deposit urine marks after puberty as social communication depending on age, sex, and genetic differences in the opponents.
