Mechanisms of Behavioral Synchrony and Division of Labor in a Monogamous Mammalian Species, the California Mouse

许多复杂的社会互动需要发生，以形成一个协调的家庭单位。协调行为的重要性将在求偶过程中进行研究，在形成一对之间的纽带和预测未来的能力，以协调行为，必要的提高年轻人。以加州小鼠为模型，一个长期存在的行为问题将得到检验：在双亲一夫一妻制的物种中，一对求偶者如何评估未来抚养后代的能力？行为协调将通过同步测量以及分工能力进行检查，这两者都是协调的重要方面，取决于社会和环境挑战的复杂性。在像加州小鼠这样的双亲物种中，幼崽的出生是一个重要的事件，预计成对的小鼠将从出生前的基本同步行为过渡到出生后的更大分工，以应对竞争的时间和能量需求。催产素的作用，以及它在大脑中的作用部位，在协调行为中的作用也将通过对同步性和成对行为协调的影响来探讨。人们期望催产素能将不同类型的行为协调联系在一起，跨越生命史的各个阶段。这将增加对家庭单位中行为协调的理解，这是理解人类家庭动态的重要主题。研究生和本科生，以及代表性不足的高中生，将通过场地的多样性进行培训和接触研究。此外，研讨会将在当地和整个威斯康星州社区举行，沿着和通过动物行为博客的外展组成部分。行为同步和劳动分工（DOL）对于协调男女配对行为和养育可行的后代至关重要。在双亲加州小鼠（Peromyscus californicus）中，同步性和DOL的作用将用三种假设进行研究。(1)求偶的同步性加强了配偶间的联系，有助于增加健康。求偶同步的变化，及其对健身的影响，将通过位置和时间匹配的运动和声学行为进行操纵和测量。将通过测量不同条件下的配对相互作用来评估配对键强度。(2)求偶同步是一种机制，可以让伴侣评估未来协调行为的能力，从而建立伴侣关系，但也可以抚养后代。有和没有小狗的配对将被给予食物和入侵者的挑战。它建议，更大的求偶同步将预测更大的同步性在低挑战性任务和更大的DOL在高挑战性任务。3)催产素是求爱过程中的同步性和配对后行为协调的基础。配对的社会协调可能会受到催产素的影响，催产素以对结合和社会显着性的影响而闻名;然而，催产素在配对的长期行为协调中的作用仍然没有得到充分的研究。这项研究将检查是否催产素诱导的行为协调和大脑活动的变化，通过鼻内输注脑室内催产素或加压素受体拮抗剂的输注被阻断。据预测，这些受体的刺激将激活与奖励和行为协调相关的边缘系统和皮质脑区域。总的来说，这个项目揭示了通过结合和行为协调创造一个成功的家庭单位所需的行为和神经机制。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为是值得支持的。

Many complex social interactions need to occur to form a coordinated family unit. The importance of coordinated behaviors will be examined during courtship in both forming bonds between a pair and predicting future ability to coordinate behaviors necessary for raising young. Using the California mouse as a model, a long-standing question in behavior will be tested: how can a courting pair in a biparental monogamous species assess ability to raise young in the future? Coordination in behavior will be examined by synchrony measurements, as well as ability to divide labor, both of which are important aspects of coordination depending on the complexity of the social and environmental challenges. In a biparental species like the California mouse, the birth of young is a significant event and pairs are expected to transition from largely synchronized behaviors prior to birth to greater division of labor after birth in response to competing time and energy demands. The role of oxytocin, and its sites of action in the brain, in coordinating behavior also will be explored through effects on both synchrony and the behavioral coordination of pairs. It is expected that oxytocin will link different types of behavioral coordination across life history stages. This will increase understanding of behavioral coordination in a family unit, a topic important for understanding human family dynamics. Graduate and undergraduate students, as well as underrepresented high school students, will be trained and exposed to research through a diversity of venues. Additionally, seminars will be given both locally and throughout Wisconsin communities, along with and an outreach component through an animal behavior blog.Behavioral synchrony and division of labor (DOL) are critical for coordinating male-female pair behavior and raising viable offspring. In the biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), the roles of synchrony and DOL will be examined with three hypotheses. (1) Courtship synchrony strengthens pair bonding and contributes to increased fitness. Variation in courtship synchrony, and its impact on fitness, will be manipulated and measured through location and temporal matching of movement and acoustic behaviors. Pair bond strength will be assessed by measuring pair interactions under varying conditions. (2) Courtship synchrony is a mechanism for pairs to assess future ability to coordinate behavior, allowing pair bonding but also DOL for raising offspring. Pairs with and without pups will be given food and intruder challenges. It is proposed that greater courtship synchrony will predict greater synchrony in low challenge tasks and greater DOL in high challenge tasks. 3) Oxytocin underlies synchrony during courtship and coordination of behavior after pair formation. Pair social coordination is likely influenced by oxytocin, known for effects on bonding and social salience; however, the role of oxytocin remains underexplored in long-term behavioral coordination of pairs. The research will examine whether oxytocin-induced changes in behavioral coordination and brain activity via intranasal infusions are blocked by infusion of intracerebroventricular oxytocin or vasopressin receptor antagonists. It is predicted that stimulation of these receptors will activate limbic and cortical brain regions associated with reward and behavioral coordination. Overall this project reveals behavioral and neural mechanisms needed to create a successful family unit through bonding and behavioral coordination.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.