Multimodal cues displayed by submissive rats promote prosocial choices by dominants

Gachomba, Michael Joe Munyua; Esteve-Agraz, Joan; Caref, Kevin; Maroto, Aroa S.; Bortolozzo-Gleich, Maria Helena; Laplagne, Diego Andrés; Márquez, Cristina

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.026

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 72 publications

(93 reference statements)

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“…The preference for prosocial choices was previously observed in similar experimental settings in rats (Gachomba et al, 2022; Hernandez-Lallement et al, 2014; Kentrop et al, 2020b; Márquez et al, 2015). Interestingly, the studies performed on rats reported either no sex differences (Gachomba et al, 2022) or even male superiority in prosocial behavior (Kentrop et al, 2020b). The two pioneering studies analyzed only male behavior and revealed a robust prosocial effect (Hernandez-Lallement et al, 2014; Márquez et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…We found that female, but not male, C57BL/6 mice showed a preference for prosocial behavior toward a familiar partner. The preference for prosocial choices was previously observed in similar experimental settings in rats (Gachomba et al, 2022; Hernandez-Lallement et al, 2014; Kentrop et al, 2020b; Márquez et al, 2015). Interestingly, the studies performed on rats reported either no sex differences (Gachomba et al, 2022) or even male superiority in prosocial behavior (Kentrop et al, 2020b).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Some of the reports suggest that females are more susceptible to emotional contagion (mice: 25 ), show enhanced emotion discrimination abilities in double approach paradigms (mice: 24 , rats: 27 ) are more likely to perform prosocial actions (rats: 9,28 ). However, other studies provide evidence for equal susceptibility of male and female rodents to emotional contagion (rat&mice: 21 , mice: 22,29–31 ), equal affective state discrimination skills (mice: 26 ), and comparable levels of prosocial behaviors (rats&mice: 21 , rats: 32 , prairie voles: 33 ). Interestingly, some authors observed even higher levels of empathy-motivated behaviors in male rodents (rats&mice: 21 , rats: 23,34 , mice: 12,35 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of the reports suggest that females are more susceptible to emotional contagion (Pisansky et al, 2017), show enhanced emotion discrimination abilities in double approach paradigms (Langford et al, 2010;Rogers-Carter et al, 2018) and are more likely to perform prosocial actions (Ben-Ami Bartal et al, 2011b;Heinla et al, 2020a). However, other studies provide evidence for equal susceptibility of male and female rodents to emotional contagion (Du et al, 2020;Han et al, 2020;Keum et al, 2016;Langford et al, 2006;Smith et al, 2016), equal affective state discrimination skills (Scheggia et al, 2020a), and comparable levels of prosocial behaviors (Burkett et al, 2016;Du et al, 2020;Gachomba et al, 2022). Interestingly, some authors observed even higher levels of empathy-motivated behaviors in male rodents (Du et al, 2020;Kentrop et al, 2020a;Mikosz et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prosocial behavior, social reward and affective state discrimination in adult male and female mice

Misiołek

Klimczak

Chrószcz

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Prosocial behavior, defined as voluntary behavior intended to benefit another, has long been regarded as an almost uniquely human characteristic. In recent years, it was reported that laboratory animals also favor prosocial choices in various experimental paradigms, thus demonstrating that prosocial behaviors are likely evolutionarily conserved. Here, we investigated prosocial choices in adult male and female C57BL/6 laboratory mice in a task where a mouse is rewarded for either choice, but only one of the choices rewards an interaction partner. Additionally, we assessed social reward using a conditioned place preference task and empathy-like behavior in a task that measures sensitivity to the affective state of interaction partners (i.e., relieved/hungry vs. neutral). We find that female, but not male, mice had a moderate but significant preference for prosocial choices. At the same time, both male and female animals showed similar rewarding effects of social contact in the conditioned place preference test, and similarly, there was no effect of sex on the preference for interaction with a hungry or relieved partner. The observed difference between sexes is consistent with the reported higher propensity for prosocial behavior in women, although with the notable difference of similar sensitivity to the affective state of the interaction partners.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Prosocial behavior, social reward and affective state discrimination in adult male and female mice

Misiołek

Klimczak

Chrószcz

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Therefore, hierarchies represent an important variable in social interactions and prosocial behaviors (Cronin, 2012). In both mice and rats, social dominance consistently promotes prosocial actions (Gachomba et al, 2022;Scheggia et al, 2022) similarly to non-human primates, showing that prosocial behaviors are more often directed towards downward ranks (Cronin, 2012). In this context, oxytocin reduces the differences in social behavior between dominant and subordinate members, thereby flattening the status hierarchy (Jiang and Platt, 2018).…”

Section: Oxytocinergic Transmission Regulates Key Components Of Socia...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissecting social decision-making: A spotlight on oxytocinergic transmission

Coccia

Greca

Luca

et al. 2022

Front. Mol. Neurosci.

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Social decision-making requires the ability to balance both the interests of the self and the interests of others to survive in social environments. Empathy is essential to the regulation of this type of interaction, and it often sustains relevant prosocial behaviors such as altruism and helping behavior. In the last decade, our capacity to assess affective and empathy-like behaviors in rodents has expanded our understanding of the neurobiological substrates that underly social decision-making processes such as prosocial behaviors. Within this context, oxytocinergic transmission is profoundly implicated in modulating some of the major components of social decision-making. Thus, this review will present evidence of the association between oxytocin and empathy-like and prosocial behaviors in nonhuman animals. Then, we will dissect the involvement of oxytocinergic transmission—across different brain regions and pathways—in some of the key elements of social decision-making such as emotional discrimination, social recognition, emotional contagion, social dominance, and social memory. Evidence of the modulatory role of oxytocin on social decision-making has raised considerable interest in its clinical relevance, therefore we will also discuss the controversial findings on intranasal oxytocin administration.

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Sharing Positive Affective States Amongst Rodents

Michon,

Packheiser,

Gazzola

et al. 2023

Affec Sci

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Group living is thought to benefit from the ability to empathize with others. Much attention has been paid to empathy for the pain of others as an inhibitor of aggression. Empathizing with the positive affect of others has received less attention although it could promote helping by making it vicariously rewarding. Here, we review this latter, nascent literature to show that three components of the ability to empathize with positive emotions are already present in rodents, namely, the ability to perceive, share, and prefer actions that promote positive emotional states of conspecifics. While it has often been argued that empathy evolved as a motivation to care for others, we argue that these tendencies may have selfish benefits that could have stabilized their evolution: approaching others in a positive state can provide information about the source of valuable resources; becoming calmer and optimistic around animals in a calm or positive mood can help adapt to the socially sensed safety level in the environment; and preferring actions also benefiting others can optimize foraging, reduce aggression, and trigger reciprocity. Together, these findings illustrate an emerging field shedding light on the emotional world of rodents and on the biology and evolution of our ability to cooperate in groups.

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Multimodal cues displayed by submissive rats promote prosocial choices by dominants

Cited by 16 publications

References 72 publications

Prosocial behavior, social reward and affective state discrimination in adult male and female mice

Prosocial behavior, social reward and affective state discrimination in adult male and female mice

Dissecting social decision-making: A spotlight on oxytocinergic transmission

Sharing Positive Affective States Amongst Rodents

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