Social Behaviour

Question 1

What are the advantages of using zebrafish for research?

Answer 1

Simple - no cerebral cortex
Accessible - many genetic variants with different pigmentation
Fast development
Malleable - easily genetically modified

Question 2

How are free-swimming fish used to study social behaviour?

Answer 2

Zebrafish transparent

Calcium imaging - see neuronal activity

Question 3

How are tethered fish used to study social behaviour?

Answer 3

Embed in agarose

See if engaging in escape/predation behaviours - based on different tail movement patterns

Question 4

What does a single chamber experiment involve?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What is the social preference status of zebrafish at 1 week old?

Answer 5

No social preference

Question 6

When do most fish shift to a social preference?

Answer 6

2 weeks old

Question 7

Which brain area has strong activation in social fish but not aversive fish?

Answer 7

Hypothalamus

Question 8

What is the effect of fish-sized virtual cues on fish behaviour?

Answer 8

Become more social

Question 9

What is the effect of small virtual cues on fish behaviour?

Answer 9

Removes social preference/aversion

Question 10

What is the effect of large virtual cues on fish behaviour?

Answer 10

Causes aversion

Question 11

In which direction do normal fish swim in a chamber with others?

Answer 11

Towards other fish

Question 12

How do isolated fish respond to being placed in a chamber with others?

Answer 12

Freeze

Question 13

Which brain area has strong activation in isolated fish but not normally-socialised fish?

Answer 13

Preoptic area

Question 14

Which physical feature causes male stickleback fish to attack?

Answer 14

Red underside

Question 15

What are sign stimuli?

Answer 15

Basic units of social information - e.g. physical features, pheromones

Question 16

Which sensory input is important in triggering innate social behaviours in mice?

Answer 16

Olfaction

Question 17

Name the 2 olfactory organs in mice

Answer 17

Main olfactory epithelium

Vomeronasal organ

Question 18

What is the effect of TrpC2 olfactory receptor KO on 2 male mice placed together?

Answer 18

Removes attacking behaviour

Causes mating behaviour

Question 19

Where is the TrpC2 olfactory receptor found in mice?

Answer 19

Vomeronasal organ

Question 20

The activation of which transcription factor can be used as a marker of vomeronasal organ activity?

Answer 20

Egr1

Question 21

What does the V1R subset of vomeronasal receptors respond to?

Answer 21

Physiological states - e.g. oestrogen, glucocorticoids

Question 22

What does the V2R subset of vomeronasal receptors respond to?

Answer 22

Gender and species

Question 23

How do virgin female rats respond to the introduction of a pup?

Answer 23

Build nests

Question 24

How do virgin male rats respond to the introduction of a pup?

Answer 24

Attack pup

Question 25

Which sensory cues do rats use to identify pups?

Answer 25

Combination of chemosignal (pheromones) and physical cues (shape)