Effects of isolation-rearing on the development of social behaviors in male Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)
Effects of isolation-rearing on the development of social behaviors in male Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)
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DOI：
10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.03.003
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发表时间：
2008-06
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Michito Shimozuru;T. Kikusui;Y. Takeuchi;Y. Mori
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Michito Shimozuru;T. Kikusui;Y. Takeuchi;Y. Mori
社会隔离已被证明可以改变许多物种的行为模式和神经内分泌功能。本研究探讨了断奶后社会隔离对雄性蒙古沙土鼠行为发育及粪便睾酮和皮质酮水平的影响。在实验1中，隔离饲养(IR)的雄性花了更多的时间进行社交嗅探。与集体饲养的雄性相比，IR雄性也表现出更多的攻击性和焦虑相关行为(GR；每笼三只动物)。在实验2中，除了GR(每笼两只雄性)和IR雄性(IR雄性)外，还检查了屏幕分割饲养条件(SDR)。在SDR组，两名受试者被铁丝网隔开，允许感觉交流和有限的身体接触，但不能进行直接的社会互动。SDR男性在嗅觉和焦虑相关行为上表现出与IR男性相似的模式；然而，没有观察到攻击性的增加。不同饲养条件下的雄鼠粪便睾酮和皮质酮水平无明显差异。这些结果表明，断奶后的社交隔离影响行为发育，而不影响睾酮和皮质酮水平。因此，观察到的行为变化可能受不同机制的调节；社交嗅探和焦虑相关行为的增加可能是由于剥夺了直接的社交互动，而攻击行为的增强可能是由于缺乏感觉刺激和与其他个人的有限身体接触造成的。
Social isolation has been shown to modify behavioral patterns and neuroendocrine function in many species. In this study, we examined the influence of post-weaning social isolation on the behavioral development and fecal testosterone and corticosterone levels of male Mongolian gerbils. In Experiment 1, isolation-reared (IR) males spent more time engaged in social-sniffing. IR males also showed more aggressive and anxiety-related behaviors than group-reared males (GR; three animals per cage). In Experiment 2, a screen-divided-reared condition (SDR) was examined in addition to GR (two males per cage) and IR males. In the SDR group, two subjects were separated by a wire mesh screen allowing for sensory communication and limited physical contact but not direct social interactions. SDR males showed similar patterns in sniffing and anxiety-related behaviors to IR males; however, an increase in aggression was not observed. No differences in fecal testosterone and corticosterone levels were found among males in different rearing conditions. These results suggest that post-weaning social isolation affects behavioral development without affecting testosterone and corticosterone levels. The behavioral changes observed may therefore be regulated by different mechanisms; increases in social-sniffing and anxiety-related behaviors may be caused by the deprivation of direct social interactions, whereas the enhancement of aggressive behaviors may be caused by the lack of sensory stimulation and limited physical contact with other individuals.