Elevated yolk progesterone moderates prenatal heart rate and postnatal auditory learning in bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus)

Abstract

Previous studies have established that yolk hormones of maternal origin can influence physiology and behavior in birds. However, few studies have examined the effects of maternal gestagens, like progesterone, on chick behavior and physiology. We tested the effects of experimentally elevated egg yolk progesterone on embryonic heart rate and postnatal auditory learning in bobwhite quail hatchlings. Quail chicks were passively exposed to an individual maternal assembly call for 10 min/hr during the 24 hr following hatching. Preference for the familiarized call was tested at 48 hr following hatching in three experimental groups: chicks that received artificially elevated yolk progesterone (P) prior to incubation, vehicle-only controls (V), and non-manipulated controls (C). Resting heart rate of P, V, and C embryos were also measured on prenatal day 17. The resting heart rate of P embryos was significantly higher than both the V and C embryos. Chicks from the P group also showed an enhanced preference for the familiarized bobwhite maternal call when compared to chicks from the C and V groups. Our results indicate that elevated yolk progesterone in pre-incubated bobwhite quail eggs can influence arousal level in bobwhite embryos and postnatal perceptual learning in bobwhite neonates.

Distribution and concentration of maternal progesterone in the yolk of Greater Rhea eggs (Rhea americana)

“…Moreover, in European starlings, it has been demonstrated that yolk progesterone concentration during incubation depends on embryonic development (Paitz & Casto, ). Additionally, there is some evidence that progesterone affects the growth of chick embryo (Ahmad & Zamenhof, ; Schär, ), influences embryonic heart rate and prenatal perceptual learning, as well as emotional reactivity after hatching (Bertin et al., ; Herrington, Vallin, & Lickliter, , ). Metabolites of progesterone, such as pregnanediol and pregnanolone, have also been shown to produce biological effects such as increased porphyrin and hemoglobin synthesis in bird embryos (Granick & Kappas, ; Irving, Mainwaring, & Spooner, ; Levere, Kappas, & Granick, ).…”

NTP Research Report on the Scoping Review of Prenatal Exposure to Progestogens and Adverse Health Outcomes

“…Studies reporting on other neurobehavioral domains yielded less consistent results or were assessed using a variety of tests measured in only a few studies each, which limited the ability to compare among studies. For example, of the five studies evaluating the effects of developmental exposure to progesterone on learning and memory, two studies reported apparent higher scores for learning and memory endpoints (Herrington et al 2016;Snyder and Hull 1980), two reported lower scores (Herrington et al 2015;Hull et al 1980), and one study reported no effect (Coyle et al 1976).…”

Research advances of Galliformes since 1990 and future prospects

“…For instance, the female Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) with high concentration of corticosterone could transfer corticosterone to yolk, and may alter offspring growth and adult phenotype (Hayward and Wingfield 2004). Herrington et al (2016) suggested yolk hormones of maternal origin in Northern Bobwhite have a positive effect on the physiological characteristics of offspring.…”