Group housing during adolescence has long-term effects on the adult stress response in female, but not male, zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

Emmerson, Michael G.; Spencer, Karen A.

doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.07.008

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…Hence, one month after transfer, the hormonal phenotype of colony-housed males was changed towards that of pair-housed males. Enduring changes in HPA axis function due to social conditions have been already reported in other vertebrates during earlier phases of life: in zebra finches, for example, group housing during adolescence had long-term effects on adult HPA responsiveness in females [56].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Adaptive reshaping of the hormonal phenotype after social niche transition in adulthood

et al. 2020

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Phenotypic plasticity allows individuals to adjust traits to the environment. Whether long-term adjustments of the phenotype occur during later life stages is largely unknown. To address this question, we examined whether hormonal phenotypes that are shaped by the environment during adolescence can still be reshaped in full adulthood. For this, guinea pig males were either housed in mixed-sex colonies or in heterosexual pairs. In adulthood, males were individually transferred to pair housing with a female. This way, a social niche transition was induced in colony-housed males, but not in pair-housed males. Before transfer, corresponding to findings in adolescence, adult colony-housed males showed significantly higher baseline testosterone levels and lower cortisol responsiveness than pair-housed males. One month after transfer, the hormonal phenotype of colony-housed males was changed towards that of pair-housed males: animals showed comparable baseline testosterone levels and cortisol responsiveness was significantly increased in colony-housed males. This endocrine readjustment builds the basis for an adaptive behavioural tactic in the new social situation. Thus, an adaptive change of the behavioural phenotype may still occur in adulthood via modification of underlying mechanisms. This suggests a greater role for developmental plasticity in later life stages than is commonly presumed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Adaptive reshaping of the hormonal phenotype after social niche transition in adulthood

et al. 2020

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“…Previous studies have shown that high‐density crowding would shortens the life‐span of D. melanogaster [ 17 ] and Zebra finches; [ 33 ] however, but such observations are lacking in mammals. In the present study, we found that high housing density significantly shortened the lifespan of Brandt's voles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gut Microbiota is Associated with Aging‐Related Processes of a Small Mammal Species under High‐Density Crowding Stress

Zhang

et al. 2023

Advanced Science

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Humans and animals frequently encounter high‐density crowding stress, which may accelerate their aging processes; however, the roles of gut microbiota in the regulation of aging‐related processes under high‐density crowding stress remain unclear. In the present study, it is found that high housing density remarkably increases the stress hormone (corticosterone), accelerates aging‐related processes as indicated by telomere length (in brain and liver cells) and DNA damage or inflammation (as revealed by tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐10 levels), and reduces the lifespan of Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii). Fecal microbiota transplantation from donor voles of habitats with different housing densities induces similar changes in aging‐related processes in recipient voles. The elimination of high housing density or butyric acid administration delays the appearance of aging‐related markers in the brain and liver cells of voles housed at high‐density. This study suggests that gut microorganisms may play a significant role in regulating the density‐dependent aging‐related processes and subsequent population dynamics of animals, and can be used as potential targets for alleviating stress‐related aging in humans exposed to high‐density crowding stress.

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“…In a previous study, wildcaught babblers held captive for a few days for an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge validating fGCMs as a proxy for circulating GCs had 50-fold higher fGCM concentrations compared with free-ranging conspecifics (Jepsen et al 2019). Captivity-induced stress is typically a response to factors including the capture event itself, transport and handling (Nilsson et al 2008;Dickens et al 2009), and exposure to an unnatural environment (e.g., artificial light and noise and a general lack of stimulation or appropriate social housing; Young 2003; Morgan and Tromborg 2007;Calisi and Bentley 2009;Emmerson and Spencer 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Manipulation of Air Temperature in Captivity Appears Unsuitable for Evaluating Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Responses of Wild-Caught Birds to Heat Exposure

Ngcamphalala

Bouwer

Nicolson

et al. 2021

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Noninvasive measurement of stress-related alterations in fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations has considerable potential for quantifying physiological responses to very hot weather in free-ranging birds, but practical considerations related to sampling will often make this method feasible only for habituated study populations. Here we evaluate an alternate approach, the use of experimentally manipulated thermal environments for evaluating stress responses to high environmental temperatures in wild-caught birds housed in captivity. Using an enzyme immunoassay utilizing antibodies against 5ß-pregnane-3a,11ß,21triol-20-one-CMO∶BSA (tetrahydrocorticosterone), we quantified fGCMs in captive individuals of three southern African arid-zone species (southern pied babblers [Turdoides bicolor], white-browed sparrow-weavers [Plocepasser mahali], and southern yellow-billed hornbills [Tockus leucomelas]) experiencing daily air temperature maxima (T max ) ranging from 307-327C to 427-447C. For none of the three species did T max emerge as a significant predictor of elevated fGCM concentrations, and no stress response to simulated hot weather was evident. The apparent lack of a stress response to T max p 427C in captive southern pied babblers contrasts with linear increases in fGCMs at T max 1 387C in free-ranging conspecifics. The lack of an effect of T max on fGCM levels may potentially be explained by several factors, including differences in operative temperatures and the availability of water and food between free-ranging and captive settings or the stress effect of captivity itself. Our results suggest that experimental manipulations of thermal environments experienced by wild-caught captive birds have limited usefulness for testing hypotheses concerning the effects of hot weather events on fGCM (and, by extension, glucocorticoid) concentrations.

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Group housing during adolescence has long-term effects on the adult stress response in female, but not male, zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

Abstract: HighlightsAdolescent group size, not density, influences adult corticosterone secretion.A larger group size results in higher corticosterone secretion during restraint.The adolescent group size effects on corticosterone were only found in females.

Cited by 7 publications

References 81 publications

Adaptive reshaping of the hormonal phenotype after social niche transition in adulthood

Adaptive reshaping of the hormonal phenotype after social niche transition in adulthood

Gut Microbiota is Associated with Aging‐Related Processes of a Small Mammal Species under High‐Density Crowding Stress

Experimental Manipulation of Air Temperature in Captivity Appears Unsuitable for Evaluating Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Responses of Wild-Caught Birds to Heat Exposure

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