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J Neuroendocrinol

Title:		Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying sensory integration of social signals
Author(s):		O'Connell LA; Rigney MM; Dykstra DW; Hofmann HA;
Address:		"Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA"
Journal Title:		J Neuroendocrinol
Year:		2013
Volume:		25
Issue:		7
Page Number:		644 - 654
DOI:		10.1111/jne.12045
ISSN/ISBN:		1365-2826 (Electronic) 0953-8194 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Individuals integrate information about their environment into adaptive behavioural responses, yet how different sensory modalities contribute to these decisions and where in the brain this integration occurs is not well understood. We presented male cichlid fish (Astatotilapia burtoni) with sensory information in three social contexts: intruder challenge, reproductive opportunity and a socially neutral situation. We then measured behavioural and hormonal responses along with induction of the immediate early gene c-Fos in candidate forebrain regions. In the intruder challenge context, males were exposed to either a visual stimulus of a dominant male, the putative male pheromone androstenedione, or both. We found that, compared to the neutral context, a visual stimulus was necessary and sufficient for an aggressive response, whereas both chemical and visual stimuli were needed for an androgen response. In the reproductive opportunity context, males were exposed to either a visual stimulus of a receptive female, a progesterone metabolite (female pheromone) only, or both. We further found that the visual stimulus is necessary and sufficient for an androgen response in the reproductive opportunity context. In the brain, we observed c-Fos induction in response to a visual challenge stimulus specifically in dopaminergic neurones of area Vc (the central region of the ventral telencephalon), a putative striatal homologue, whereas presentation of a chemical stimulus did not induce c-Fos induction in the intruder challenge context. Our results suggest that different sensory cues are processed in a social context-specific manner as part of adaptive decision-making processes"
Keywords:		"Animals *Behavior, Animal Cichlids/*physiology Female Male Neuroendocrine Cells/*physiology *Social Environment;"
Notes:		"MedlineO'Connell, L A Rigney, M M Dykstra, D W Hofmann, H A eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 2013/05/02 J Neuroendocrinol. 2013 Jul; 25(7):644-54. doi: 10.1111/jne.12045"