Audience Effects in Territorial Defense of Male Cichlid Fish Are Associated with Differential Patterns of Activation of the Brain Social Decision-Making Network

Abstract

Animals communicate by exchanging signals frequently in the proximity of other conspecifics that may detect and intercept signals not directed to them. There is evidence that the presence of these bystanders modulates the signaling behavior of interacting individuals, a phenomenon that has been named audience effect. Research on the audience effect has predominantly focused on its function rather than on its proximate mechanisms. Here, we have investigated the physiological and neuromolecular correlates of the audience effect in a cichlid fish (Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus). A male was exposed to a territorial intrusion in the presence or absence of a female audience. Results showed that the presence of the female audience increased territorial defense, but elicited a lower androgen and cortisol response to the territorial intrusion. Furthermore, analysis of the expression of immediate early genes, used as markers of neuronal activity, in brain areas belonging to the social decision-making network (SDMN) revealed different patterns of network activity and connectivity across the different social contexts (i.e., audience × intrusion). Overall, these results suggest that socially driven plasticity in the expression of territorial behavior is accommodated in the central nervous system by rapid changes in functional connectivity between nodes of relevant networks (SDMN) rather than by localized changes of activity in specific brain nuclei.

Social and asocial learning in zebrafish are encoded by a shared brain network that is differentially modulated by local activation

“…Other studies revealed the role of Vv in the processing of social information, such as social orientation (37), audience effects (38) and social exploration (39). Together, this evidence is congruent with our findings, where Vv is crucial to learning related from social cues.…”

“…The association of Vv with social learning in zebrafish is not surprising given that the lateral septum, which is its putative homologue in mammalian brains, has been implicated in several learning processes, such as auditory fear learning (33,34), contextual learning (33,35), and working memory (36). Other studies revealed the role of Vv in the processing of social information, such as social orientation (37), audience effects (38) and social exploration (39). Together, this evidence is congruent with our findings, where Vv is crucial to learning related from social cues.…”

How to Improve the YLS/CMI? Exploring a Particularly Predictive Combination of Items

“…Thus, it has been hypothesized that immediate early genes can be the molecular first responders to perceived changes in the social environment that trigger subsequent changes in the neurogenomic state of the SDMN that allows the animal to adjust its behavioral state accordingly (Cardoso et al, 2015). Several studies have documented changes in immediate early gene (IEG) expression across the SDMN associated with changes in social behavior across different vertebrate taxa (e.g., Faykoo-Martinez et al, 2018;Kabelik et al, 2018;O'Connell and Hofmann, 2012), including teleost fish and also tilapia (e.g., Field and Maruska, 2017;Roleira et al, 2017;Teles et al, 2015). In particular, changes in social status (i.e., ascending or descending in a social hierarchy) have been associated with rapid changes in IEG expression in the SDMN paralleled by changes in social behavior (Maruska et al, 2013a,b;Teles et al, 2015;Williamson et al, 2019).…”

Fighting Assessment Triggers Rapid Changes in Activity of the Brain Social Decision-Making Network of Cichlid Fish

“…Thus, it has been hypothesized that immediate early genes can be the molecular first responders to perceived changes in the social environment that trigger subsequent changes in the neurogenomic state of the SDMN that allows the animal to adjust its behavioral state accordingly (Cardoso et al, 2015). Several studies have documented changes in immediate early gene (IEG) expression across the SDMN associated with changes in social behavior across different vertebrate taxa (e.g., Faykoo-Martinez et al, 2018; Kabelik et al, 2018; O’Connell and Hofmann, 2012), including teleost fish and also tilapia (e.g., Field and Maruska, 2017; Roleira et al, 2017; Teles et al, 2015). In particular, changes in social status (i.e., ascending or descending in a social hierarchy) have been associated with rapid changes in IEG expression in the SDMN paralleled by changes in social behavior (Maruska et al, 2013a,b; Teles et al, 2015;Williamson et al, 2019).…”