Social Behaviour Flashcards
What are the advantages of using zebrafish for research?
Simple - no cerebral cortex
Accessible - many genetic variants with different pigmentation
Fast development
Malleable - easily genetically modified
How are free-swimming fish used to study social behaviour?
Zebrafish transparent
Calcium imaging - see neuronal activity
How are tethered fish used to study social behaviour?
Embed in agarose
See if engaging in escape/predation behaviours - based on different tail movement patterns
What does a single chamber experiment involve?
Expose to social cue (e.g. other fish)
Track fish movement with camera
See if prefers to be on side of chamber with/without other fish
What is the social preference status of zebrafish at 1 week old?
No social preference
When do most fish shift to a social preference?
2 weeks old
Which brain area has strong activation in social fish but not aversive fish?
Hypothalamus
What is the effect of fish-sized virtual cues on fish behaviour?
Become more social
What is the effect of small virtual cues on fish behaviour?
Removes social preference/aversion
What is the effect of large virtual cues on fish behaviour?
Causes aversion
In which direction do normal fish swim in a chamber with others?
Towards other fish
How do isolated fish respond to being placed in a chamber with others?
Freeze
Which brain area has strong activation in isolated fish but not normally-socialised fish?
Preoptic area
Which physical feature causes male stickleback fish to attack?
Red underside
What are sign stimuli?
Basic units of social information - e.g. physical features, pheromones
Which sensory input is important in triggering innate social behaviours in mice?
Olfaction
Name the 2 olfactory organs in mice
Main olfactory epithelium
Vomeronasal organ
What is the effect of TrpC2 olfactory receptor KO on 2 male mice placed together?
Removes attacking behaviour
Causes mating behaviour
Where is the TrpC2 olfactory receptor found in mice?
Vomeronasal organ
The activation of which transcription factor can be used as a marker of vomeronasal organ activity?
Egr1
What does the V1R subset of vomeronasal receptors respond to?
Physiological states - e.g. oestrogen, glucocorticoids
What does the V2R subset of vomeronasal receptors respond to?
Gender and species
How do virgin female rats respond to the introduction of a pup?
Build nests
How do virgin male rats respond to the introduction of a pup?
Attack pup
Which sensory cues do rats use to identify pups?
Combination of chemosignal (pheromones) and physical cues (shape)
