A Neural Mechanism Underlying Mating Preferences for Familiar Individuals in Medaka Fish

Abstract

Social familiarity affects mating preference among various vertebrates. Here, we show that visual contact of a potential mating partner before mating (visual familiarization) enhances female preference for the familiarized male, but not for an unfamiliarized male, in medaka fish. Terminal-nerve gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 (TN-GnRH3) neurons, an extrahypothalamic neuromodulatory system, function as a gate for activating mating preferences based on familiarity. Basal levels of TN-GnRH3 neuronal activity suppress female receptivity for any male (default mode). Visual familiarization facilitates TN-GnRH3 neuron activity (preference mode), which correlates with female preference for the familiarized male. GnRH3 peptides, which are synthesized specifically in TN-GnRH3 neurons, are required for the mode-switching via self-facilitation. Our study demonstrates the central neural mechanisms underlying the regulation of medaka female mating preference based on visual social familiarity.

Timing reproduction in teleost fish: cues and mechanisms

“…In medaka, GnRH3 has been implicated in female mate choice [38]. Medaka females prefer to spawn with familiar males but ablation of GnRH3 neurons or mutation of the Gnrh3 gene change the latency of females to spawn with an unfamiliar male.…”

Low dose exposure to Bisphenol A alters development of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 neurons and larval locomotor behavior in Japanese Medaka

“…Accumulating evidence indicates that TN-GnRH3 neurons may exert long-lasting neuromodulatory action on reproductive behavior (Abe and Oka, 2011), such as mate preference (Okuyama et al, 2014), social interaction (Ramakrishnan and Wayne, 2009), and motivational status of animals in mating (Yamamoto et al, 1997). Recent studies further demonstrate that GnRH3 neurons may be involved in the modulation of non-reproductive locomotor behavior.…”

Neuroanatomical relationships between FMRFamide-immunoreactive components of the nervus terminalis and the topology of olfactory bulbs in teleost fish

“…In many species, the NT neurons form a compact cluster (ganglion) that is located between the OBs and the ventral telencephalon. These cells project fibres centrally to the ventral forebrain and peripherally to both the olfactory epithelium (Brookover and Jackson 1911;Rossi and Basile 1968;Oka et al 1986;Ekström et al 1988;Kim et al 1995;Yamamoto et al 1995;Parhar et al 1996;Wirsig-Wiechmann and Oka 2002) and the retina (Münz et al 1981;Stell et al 1984Stell et al , 1987Östholm et al 1990), suggesting the NT plays a functional role in the physiology of the olfactory and visual systems (Eisthen et al 2000;Kawai et al 2009), in addition to modulating behavioural responses (Wirsig and Leonard 1987;Yamamoto et al 1997;Ogawa et al 2006;Okuyama et al 2014). Because of its connection with the olfactory region and the retina, the NT ganglion in teleosts is denominated the Bnucleus olfacto-retinalis^(NOR; Münz et al 1981).…”