Equivalent learning, but unequal participation: Male bumble bees learn comparably to females, but participate in cognitive assessments at lower rates

Manning, Tian H.; Austin, Matthew W.; MuseMorris, Kamau; Dunlap, Aimee S.

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104528

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 23 publications

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“…In such a scenario, the overall evolutionary demand of the species is fulfilled, albeit in a complex sex-specific manner. A fascinating example is the lower participation of the male bumblebee in cognitive tasks 73 , even though they share comparable learning abilities with sterile worker females 74 , suggesting that nuanced sex-specific roles alter the perceived learning objective for each sex. Therefore, considering the sex differences in decision-making behavior across organisms, it stands to reason that sexual selection impinges on learning behaviors to favor sex-specific outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modulation by NPYR underlies experience-dependent, sexually dimorphic learning

Peedikayil-Kurien,

Haque,

Gat

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The evolutionary paths taken by each sex within a given species sometimes diverge, resulting in behavioral differences that promote specific fitness outcomes for each sex. Given their distinct needs, the mechanism by which each sex learns from a shared experience is still an open question. We reveal a novel sexual dimorphism in learning: C. elegans males do not learn to avoid the pathogenic bacteria PA14 as efficiently and rapidly as hermaphrodites, even though their innate immunity recognizes the pathogen in a similar manner. Notably, we observe sexually dimorphic neuronal activity following pathogen exposure: hermaphrodites generate robust representations while males, in line with their behavior, exhibit contrasting representations, suggesting that a mechanism that modulates incoming sensory cues is at play. Transcriptomic and behavioral analysis revealed that the neuropeptide receptor npr-5, an ortholog of the mammalian NPY receptor, regulates male learning by modulating neuronal activity. Furthermore, we show the dependency of the males decision-making phenotype on their sexual status and demonstrate the pivotal role of npr-5 in this regulation as a sensory gatekeeper. Thus, collectively, we portray sex-specific plasticity in behavior toward a shared experience by modulating learning to fulfill the evolutionary needs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%