Plasma androgen, social position, and response to GnRH in the marsupial sugar glider <i>Petaurus breviceps</i> (Marsupialia: Petauridae)

Bradley, A. J.; Stoddart, D. Michael

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb04849.x

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

(11 reference statements)

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“…In animals undergoing social opportunity, although both individuals exhibited increased levels of GnRH mRNA, subdominant males had significantly higher testosterone than the subordinates. This dissociation between increased GnRH and testosterone levels may be related to an inability of subordinate individuals to respond to GnRH as occurs in group-living subordinate sugar gliders (Bradley & Stoddart, 1997). In this species, exogenous administration of GnRH to dominant and subordinate individuals leads to an increase in plasma testosterone in dominant but not subordinate individuals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Dynamic changes in social dominance and mPOA GnRH expression in male mice following social opportunity

Williamson

Romeo

Curley

2017

Hormones and Behavior

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Social competence - the ability of animals to dynamically adjust their social behavior dependent on the current social context - is fundamental to the successful establishment and maintenance of social relationships in group-living species. The social opportunity paradigm, where animals rapidly ascend a social hierarchy following the removal of more dominant individuals, is a well-established approach for studying the neural and neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying socially competent behavior. In the current study, we demonstrate that this paradigm can be successfully adapted for studying socially competent behavior in laboratory mice. Replicating our previous reports, we show that male laboratory mice housed in a semi-natural environment form stable linear social hierarchies. Novel to the current study, we find that subdominant male mice immediately respond to the removal of the alpha male from a hierarchy by initiating a dramatic increase in aggressive behavior towards more subordinate individuals. Consequently, subdominants assume the role of the alpha male. Analysis of brain gene expression in individuals 1h following social ascent indicates elevated gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) mRNA levels in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) of the hypothalamus compared to individuals that do not experience a social opportunity. Moreover, hormonal analyses indicate that subdominant individuals have increased circulating plasma testosterone levels compared to subordinate individuals. Our findings demonstrate that male mice are able to dynamically and rapidly adjust both behavior and neuroendocrine function in response to changes in social context. Further, we establish the social opportunity paradigm as an ethologically relevant approach for studying social competence and behavioral plasticity in mammals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Dynamic changes in social dominance and mPOA GnRH expression in male mice following social opportunity

Williamson

Romeo

Curley

2017

Hormones and Behavior

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“…It seems odd, therefore, that recent research has revealed the potential for a complex, hierarchical social system in male sugar gliders (Klettenheimer, 1994;Mallick et al, 1994;Bradley & Stoddart, 1997;Klettenheimer, Temple-Smith & Sofronidis, 1997). Work carried out on captive sugar gliders has shown that groups established with a malebiased sex ratio formed male dominance hierarchies, the most dominant male possessing the highest testosterone levels and the greatest body weight .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Coalitions in male sugar gliders: are they natural?

Sadler

Ward

1999

Journal of Zoology

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The sugar glider Petaurus breviceps is generally considered to be a polygynous, group-nesting species. However, recent captive studies have indicated that dominance hierarchies and shared codominance amongst males formed when males were housed in multiple-male, multiple-female cages with male-biased sex ratios. This study uses data from sugar glider groups in natural populations to assess the probability of male dominance hierarchies and the opportunity for codominant father±son coalitions. Nesting groups of sugar gliders were found to have female-biased sex ratios ranging from 1:1.5 to 1:2.7 males:females. The dispersing sex was male ± there were four records of recruitment into the natal group, all of which were female. Only one example was found of a long-term adult male association between a father and putative son, which did not occur in the natal group of the son. The evidence suggests that though father±son associations may occur, the opportunities for male dominance hierarchies or male coalitions are rare in sugar glider nesting groups in the natural environment.

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“…Studies, predominately of the domestic hen, have found that the avian hypothalamus contains two forms of GnRH that differ from the mammalian form. Chicken GnRH‐I and GnRH‐II differ from mammalian GnRH in their primary molecular structure; chicken GNRH‐I differs only by an amino acid in position eight, whereas GnRH II differs in three positions: 13,15 His, 5 Trp 7 and Tyr 8 . Despite this structural difference, there is no apparent difference between the action of mammalian and avian GnRH in birds 13 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Administration results in the sustained release of luteinising hormone from the anterior pituitary and the production of Leydig cell enzymes capable of converting cholesterol into testosterone. The maximal testosterone concentration obtained after GnRH analogue injection has been used as a reliable index of testosterone secretion in a range of mammalian species, including the short‐beaked echidna, 6 koala, 7 sugar glider, 8 stallion 9 and human 10 . Exogenous GnRH has also been given to cockerels and was shown to overcome the suppressive effect of physical restraint on testosterone secretion 5 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Using a GnRH agonist to obtain an index of testosterone secretory capacity in the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) and sulphur‐crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

2010

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Plasma androgen, social position, and response to GnRH in the marsupial sugar glider Petaurus breviceps (Marsupialia: Petauridae)

Cited by 13 publications

References 9 publications

Dynamic changes in social dominance and mPOA GnRH expression in male mice following social opportunity

Dynamic changes in social dominance and mPOA GnRH expression in male mice following social opportunity

Coalitions in male sugar gliders: are they natural?

Using a GnRH agonist to obtain an index of testosterone secretory capacity in the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) and sulphur‐crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

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