Innate Behavioral Responses Research Articles

Effect of compassion meditation on neuroendocrine, innate immune and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress

Meditation practices may impact physiological pathways that are modulated by stress and relevant to disease. While much attention has been paid to meditation practices that emphasize calming the mind, improving focused attention, or developing mindfulness, less is known about meditation practices that foster compassion. Accordingly, the current study examined the effect of compassion meditation on innate immune, neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress and evaluated the degree to which engagement in meditation practice influenced stress reactivity. Sixty-one healthy adults were randomized to 6 weeks of training in compassion meditation (n=33) or participation in a health discussion control group (n=28) followed by exposure to a standardized laboratory stressor (Trier social stress test [TSST]). Physiologic and behavioral responses to the TSST were determined by repeated assessments of plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and cortisol as well as total distress scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS). No main effect of group assignment on TSST responses was found for IL-6, cortisol or POMS scores. However, within the meditation group, increased meditation practice was correlated with decreased TSST-induced IL-6 (r(p)=-0.46, p=0.008) and POMS distress scores (r(p)=-0.43, p=0.014). Moreover, individuals with meditation practice times above the median exhibited lower TSST-induced IL-6 and POMS distress scores compared to individuals below the median, who did not differ from controls. These data suggest that engagement in compassion meditation may reduce stress-induced immune and behavioral responses, although future studies are required to determine whether individuals who engage in compassion meditation techniques are more likely to exhibit reduced stress reactivity.

The spontaneous expression of pride and shame: Evidence for biologically innate nonverbal displays

The present research examined whether the recognizable nonverbal expressions associated with pride and shame may be biologically innate behavioral responses to success and failure. Specifically, we tested whether sighted, blind, and congenitally blind individuals across cultures spontaneously display pride and shame behaviors in response to the same success and failure situations--victory and defeat at the Olympic or Paralympic Games. Results showed that sighted, blind, and congenitally blind individuals from >30 nations displayed the behaviors associated with the prototypical pride expression in response to success. Sighted, blind, and congenitally blind individuals from most cultures also displayed behaviors associated with shame in response to failure. However, culture moderated the shame response among sighted athletes: it was less pronounced among individuals from highly individualistic, self-expression-valuing cultures, primarily in North America and West Eurasia. Given that congenitally blind individuals across cultures showed the shame response to failure, findings overall are consistent with the suggestion that the behavioral expressions associated with both shame and pride are likely to be innate, but the shame display may be intentionally inhibited by some sighted individuals in accordance with cultural norms.

A Presynaptic Gain Control Mechanism Fine-Tunes Olfactory Behavior

Early sensory processing can play a critical role in sensing environmental cues. We have investigated the physiological and behavioral function of gain control at the first synapse of olfactory processing in Drosophila. Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) express the GABA(B) receptor (GABA(B)R), and its expression expands the dynamic range of ORN synaptic transmission that is preserved in projection neuron responses. Strikingly, each ORN channel has a unique baseline level of GABA(B)R expression. ORNs that sense the aversive odorant CO(2) do not express GABA(B)Rs and do not have significant presynaptic inhibition. In contrast, pheromone-sensing ORNs express a high level of GABA(B)Rs and exhibit strong presynaptic inhibition. Furthermore, pheromone-dependent mate localization is impaired in flies that lack GABA(B)Rs in specific ORNs. These findings indicate that different olfactory receptor channels employ heterogeneous presynaptic gain control as a mechanism to allow an animal's innate behavioral responses to match its ecological needs.

The Bold and the Variable: Fish with High Heterozygosity Act Recklessly in the Vicinity of Predators

AbstractVariation in the innate behavioral response to predation threat is often assumed to reflect genetic differences among the prey individuals. To date, no published results, however, exist that would offer explanation for the origin of this behavioral variation within populations. Using microsatellites as markers, we estimated the genetic variability of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) individuals whose behavior had been individually recorded in a trade‐off situation where both predator chemical cues and food were present. Mean overall heterozygosity and the internal relatedness of fish associated significantly with their activity and foraging, so that the genetically more variable individuals showed more risk‐prone behavior under predation risk. No association between genetic variability and behavior was found in trials where predator odors were not present. These results were consistent over the three study populations of brown trout with different backgrounds, suggesting that the phenomenon is of general nature in this species. Of the possible mechanisms suggested to enable the existence of the positive association between neutral microsatellite variation and fitness‐related trait, the local effect hypothesis gained more support from our data than the general effect hypothesis.

The neonatal ventromedial hypothalamus transcriptome reveals novel markers with spatially distinct patterning.

The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is a distinct morphological nucleus involved in feeding, fear, thermoregulation, and sexual activity. It is essentially unknown how VMH circuits underlying these innate responses develop, in part because the VMH remains poorly defined at a cellular and molecular level. Specifically, there is a paucity of cell-type-specific genetic markers with which to identify neuronal subgroups and manipulate development and signaling in vivo. Using gene profiling, we now identify approximately 200 genes highly enriched in neonatal (postnatal day 0) mouse VMH tissue. Analyses of these VMH markers by real or virtual (Allen Brain Atlas; http://www.brain-map.org) experiments revealed distinct regional patterning within the newly formed VMH. Top neonatal markers include transcriptional regulators such as Vgll2, SF-1, Sox14, Satb2, Fezf1, Dax1, Nkx2-2, and COUP-TFII, but interestingly, the highest expressed VMH transcript, the transcriptional coregulator Vgll2, is completely absent in older animals. Collective results from zebrafish knockdown experiments and from cellular studies suggest that a subset of these VMH markers will be important for hypothalamic development and will be downstream of SF-1, a critical factor for normal VMH differentiation. We show that at least one VMH marker, the AT-rich binding protein Satb2, was responsive to the loss of leptin signaling (Lep(ob/ob)) at postnatal day 0 but not in the adult, suggesting that some VMH transcriptional programs might be influenced by fetal or early postnatal environments. Our study describing this comprehensive "VMH transcriptome" provides a novel molecular toolkit to probe further the genetic basis of innate neuroendocrine behavioral responses.

Predator regime influences innate anti‐predator behaviour in the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis

Summary1. Predation incurs high fitness costs in aquatic organisms either through direct consumption or through avoidance responses that reduce time for activities such as feeding and reproduction. Hence, avoidance responses of aquatic organisms should vary to match closely the predation threat in their environment.2. The freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis occurs in a variety of environments which vary in the presence or absence of predatory fish. We used naïve snails reared from six populations of this species experiencing different predator regimes (three co‐occurring with molluscivorous fish and three without) to assess whether populations differed in the type and degree of their avoidance behaviours. Innate behavioural responses to four treatments (control, conspecific alarm cues, fish kairomones and fish kairomones paired with alarm cue) were compared in laboratory trials.3. The primary anti‐predator behaviour of L. stagnalis in response to fish kairomones was to crawl out of the water rather than seek refuge under water. This response was strongest when fish kairomones were paired with alarm cues, and varied depending on population origin; snails reared from populations co‐occurring with predatory fish showed a stronger response than those raised from populations not experiencing such predators. In addition, populations co‐occurring with predatory fish responded to the fish kairomones presented alone.4. Our findings suggest that the degree of innate anti‐predator behaviour shown by L. stagnalis, in terms of both the level of risk to which it responds and the degree of response, varies depending on the predator regime experienced by field populations. Together with previous work on cue association, this demonstrates that this gastropod is able to match its avoidance behaviour very closely to short and long term predation threats within its habitat.

Olfactory processing and behavior downstream from highly selective receptor neurons

In both the vertebrate nose and the insect antenna, most olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) respond to multiple odors. However, some ORNs respond to just a single odor, or at most to a few highly related odors. It has been hypothesized that narrowly tuned ORNs project to narrowly tuned neurons in the brain, and that these dedicated circuits mediate innate behavioral responses to a particular ligand. Here we have investigated neural activity and behavior downstream from two narrowly tuned ORN types in Drosophila melanogaster. We found that genetically ablating either of these ORN types impairs innate behavioral attraction to their cognate ligand. Neurons in the antennal lobe postsynaptic to one of these ORN types are, like their presynaptic ORNs, narrowly tuned to a pheromone. However, neurons postsynaptic to the second ORN type are broadly tuned. These results demonstrate that some narrowly tuned ORNs project to dedicated central circuits, ensuring a tight connection between stimulus and behavior, whereas others project to central neurons that participate in the ensemble representations of many odors.

Pheromonal communication in vertebrates

Recent insights have revolutionized our understanding of the importance of chemical signals in influencing vertebrate behaviour. Previously unknown families of pheromonal signals have been identified that are expanding the traditional definition of a pheromone. Although previously regarded as functioning independently, the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems have been found to have considerable overlap in terms of the chemosignals they detect and the effects that they mediate. Studies using gene-targeted mice have revealed an unexpected diversity of chemosensory systems and their underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Future developments could show how the functions of the different chemosensory systems are integrated to regulate innate and learned behavioural and physiological responses to pheromones.

Avoidance learning in goldfish ( Carassius auratus) and trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) and implications for pain perception

This paper investigates spatially cued behavioural responses of two species of fish to an acute noxious stimulus and demonstrates response elasticity. Typical avoidance responses to a nociceptive stimulus were used to test (1) if fish learn to avoid spatial areas associated with a potentially noxious stimulus, (2) learning and memory improves with increased stimulus intensity and (3) a supposedly innate reflex behavioural responses change depending on the circumstances. Electric shocks with two different intensities, low (2.5 V and 3 V for trout and goldfish, respectively) and high (25 V and 30 V for trout and goldfish, respectively), were administered directly to the skin to stimulate cutaneous nociceptors. Goldfish ( n = 8) demonstrated spatially cued shock avoidance and an increase in stimulus voltage, significantly improved shock-avoidance learning and memory. However, trout ( n = 8) demonstrated shock-avoidance learning but no significant stimulus discrimination and little information retention. The presence of a conspecific significantly changed this behavioural response to a noxious stimulus. Trout were willing to remain in the vicinity of the conspecific while being subjected to low intensity shock stimuli previously shown to elicit avoidance. Goldfish tended to leave this area yet remain in the mid-tank area, adjacent to the stimulating zone, rather than at the end of the tank. These results suggest that shock avoidance in fish is not purely a reflex action. Fish were prepared to change the supposedly innate avoidance reaction according to a change in circumstances, an important concept in the ongoing debate on pain perception in fish.

Innate antipredator responses of Arctic charr ( Salvelinus alpinus ) depend on predator species and their diet

The ability to discriminate between more dangerous and less dangerous predators can have serious fitness advantages for fish juveniles. This is especially true for hatchery-reared fish young used for stocking, because their post-release mortality is often much higher than that of wild-born conspecifics. We tested whether two coexisting fish predators and their different diets induce innate behavioral responses in predator-naive Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) young originating from an endangered hatchery-bred population used for re-introductions. We predicted the antipredator responses of charr to be stronger towards chemical cues of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and pikeperch (Stizostedion lucioperca) than towards odorless control water. More pronounced antipredator behavior was predicted in treatments with predators fed on charr than when their diet consisted of another sympatric salmonid, European grayling (Thymallus thymallus), or when they were food-deprived. The Arctic charr young showed strong antipredator responses in all brown trout treatments, whereas odors of the less likely predator pikeperch were avoided with conspecific diet only. Freezing was the most sensitive antipredator behavior, as it was completely absent in control treatments. We found considerable individual variation in the amount and strength of antipredator responses. Although almost half of the charr failed to show antipredator behavior towards the piscivores, those with the innate ability showed highly sensitive recognition of predator odors. Our results indicate that the innate antipredator behavior of the juvenile fish is already finely tuned to respond specifically to chemical cues from different fish predators and even their diets.

Post-trial sleep sequences including transition sleep are involved in avoidance learning of adult rats

High resolution computerized EEG analyses, and behavioral observations were used to identify slow wave sleep (SS), paradoxical sleep (PS) and transition sleep (TS) in adult male Wistar rats exposed to a session of two-way active avoidance training. Of the four sleep sequences that could be identified, two included TS (SS→TS→W and SS→TS→PS), while the other two did not (SS→W and SS→PS). Comparison of post-trial sleep variables between fast learning rats (FL, reaching criterion in the training session), slow learning rats (SL, reaching criterion in the retention session the following day), and non learning rats (NL, failing to reach criterion) indicated that the total amounts of SS, TS and PS of the SS→TS→PS sequence was markedly higher in FL rats than in SL rats. In addition, in comparison with the corresponding baseline period, the average duration and total amount of SS and TS episodes of the SS→TS→PS sequence increased in FL rats, while the number of SS→TS→W sequences decreased. On the other hand, the average duration of SS episodes increased in the SS→TS→W and SS→W sequences of SL rats, and in the SS→W and SS→TS→PS sequences of NL rats. Correlative analyses between number of avoidances and post-trial sleep variables demonstrated that avoidances were directly correlated with the duration of SS episodes of the SS→TS→PS sequence and with the duration of TS episodes of the SS→TS→W sequence, but inversely correlated with the number and amount of SS episodes of the SS→W sequence and with the duration and amount of SS episodes of the SS→PS sequence. On the whole, the data supported the view that TS-containing sleep sequences are involved in long-term storage of novel adaptive behavior, while sleep sequences lacking TS are involved in the maintenance of innate behavioral responses.

Responders and nonresponders to cat odor do not differ in other tests of anxiety

Laboratory-bred rats can be divided into those showing clear innate behavioral responses to the odor of a predator (a cat) and those showing no response. However, these two groups did not differ in their responses to a neutral odor, or in the social interaction or elevated plus-maze tests of anxiety. This suggests a distinction between phobic anxiety (generated byt odor) and a generalized anxiety state (generated by novelty in the other test)). Trial 2 in the plus-maze generates a state of fear that is distinct from thet generated on trial 1, and one suggested to reflect phobic anxiety. Although the groups of cat responders and nonresponders did not differ in their scores on trial 2 in the plus-maze, two clear groups of responders and nonresponders could be identified on this trial 1 or not on trial 1 or in the social interaction test). This suggests that is possible to identify bimodal populations of rats in tests of both innate and acquired simple phobias.

Regional differences in rat benzodiazepine binding in response to novelty and cat odour

Laboratory rats exhibit innate behavioural and corticosterone responses when exposed to cat odour. However, not all are responsive and differences in benzodiazepine receptor binding between responders and non-responders were explored. Rats were exposed to cat odour for 5 min and based on time spent sheltering were divided into responders ( n = 21; mean ± SEM = 244 ± 8.2 sec) or non-responders ( n = 20; 43.9 ± 4.8 sec). Four days later, both groups were randomly allocated among 3 experimental conditions: home-cage, neutral or cat odour, and killed 30 min after exposure. [ 3H]flunitrazepam binding was performed at two ligand concentrations (2 and 10 nM); where significant differences in single point binding were found, Scatchard analysis was performed on pooled samples. In hippocampus and frontal cortex responders had significantly lower binding than non-responders. In hippocampus this was most apparent when the rats were exposed to the novel test situation, i.e. neutral odour and was due to a reduction in affinity ( K d = 0.4 and 1.2 nM non-responders and responders). In frontal cortex, differences were significant only following exposure to cat odour ( B max = 2663 and 1501 fmol/mg protein in non-responders and responders). The changes in amygdala were not significant.

Electrophysiological and Innate Behavioral Responses of the Dog to Intravenous Application of Sweet Compounds

Electrophysiological and Innate Behavioral Responses of the Dog to Intravenous Application of Sweet Compounds

Age‐dependent behavior loss in adult Drosophila melanogaster

AbstractThe use of Drosophila as an organism in which to study aging has been limited by the fact that few biomarkers of aging exist in the adult. In this paper we examine behavior loss relative to longevity in wild‐type populations maintained at 22°C and 29°C to determine whether behavior loss—that is, loss of ability to perform certain innate behavioral responses within a defined test interval—can be used as biomarkers of aging. We find that under controlled conditions behavior loss can be used as a landmark of aging in populations maintained at either 22°C or 29°C. The ability to perform normal geotactic and phototactic responses is lost during the reproductive phase of the adult populations, whereas motor activity is not lost until well into the death phase. We feel that the use of behavior loss, together with other parameters of longevity in Drosophila, will allow comparisons to be made between different strains or between different environmental conditions to test their effect on aging. In the companion paper we demonstrate the use of behavior loss to identify a mutation which may accelerate the aging process.

Electrophysiological investigations of intravascular taste using perfused rat tongue.

ARTICLESElectrophysiological investigations of intravascular taste using perfused rat tongueRM BradleyRM BradleyPublished Online:01 Feb 1973https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplegacy.1973.224.2.300MoreSectionsPDF (1 MB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInWeChat Previous Back to Top Next Download PDF FiguresReferencesRelatedInformationCited ByMicrophysiology of Taste BudsAnatomy and Development of the Human Gustatory and Olfactory SystemsPreparing for Life After Birth: Introducing the Concepts of Intrauterine and Extrauterine Sensory Entrainment in Mammalian Young18 October 2019 | Animals, Vol. 9, No. 10Anatomy and development of the human taste systemA Review of the Evidence Supporting the Taste of Non‐esterified Fatty Acids in Humans1 September 2016 | Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, Vol. 93, No. 10Intravital Microscopic Interrogation of Peripheral Taste Sensation2 March 2015 | Scientific Reports, Vol. 5, No. 1Anatomy of the Tongue and Taste Buds4 June 2015A permeability barrier surrounds taste buds in lingual epitheliaRobin Dando*, Elizabeth Pereira*, Mani Kurian*, Rene Barro-Soria, Nirupa Chaudhari, and Stephen D. 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Desimone1 February 1998 | Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol. 79, No. 2Cellular Signal Transduction of Sweetener-Induced TasteNew perspectives in a gustatory physiology: transduction, development, and plasticityR. E. Stewart, J. A. DeSimone, and D. L. Hill1 January 1997 | American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology, Vol. 272, No. 1Taste Loss and Taste Phantoms: A Role of Inhibition in the Taste SystemTranscellular and Paracellular Pathways in Taste Buds Mediate Salt Chemoreception: The Location of Na+ Transducing ChannelsEvidence for stimulus access to taste cells and nerves during development: An electron microscopic studyMicroscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 26, No. 2Taste and SmellClinics in Geriatric Medicine, Vol. 8, No. 3Ingestion patterns of food, water, saccharin and sucrose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic ratsPhysiology & Behavior, Vol. 49, No. 1Developmental neurobiology of salt taste sensationTrends in Neurosciences, Vol. 13, No. 5Perspectives of taste receptionThe Journal of Membrane Biology, Vol. 112, No. 1Intralingual Stimulation with Sweet Proteins in Rhesus Monkey and RatAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 510, No. 1 Olfaction andElectrophysiological and Innate Behavioral Responses of the Dog to Intravenous Application of Sweet CompoundsAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 510, No. 1 Olfaction andDisorders of Smell and TasteOtolaryngologic Clinics of North America, Vol. 20Disorders of Smell and TasteOtolaryngologic Clinics of North America, Vol. 20, No. 1Clinical evaluation of tasteAmerican Journal of Otolaryngology, Vol. 4, No. 4Olfactory receptors respond to blood-borne odorantsBrain Research, Vol. 265, No. 2Interaction of neural systems which control nutritional balanceBrain Research, Vol. 161, No. 3Visceral Feedback and the Taste SignalGustatory adaptation as an explanation for dietary-induced sodium appetitePhysiology & Behavior, Vol. 15, No. 5Electrophysiological studies of salt-sensitive taste receptors More from this issue > Volume 224Issue 2February 1973Pages 300-304 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1973 by American Physiological Societyhttps://doi.org/10.1152/ajplegacy.1973.224.2.300PubMed4686485History Published online 1 February 1973 Published in print 1 February 1973 Metrics

Predation and the Evolution of a Stickleback (Gasterosteus)

In western North America there are populations of Gasterosteus in which the male nuptial colour is a deep black rather than the normal bright red. Such black populations are usually allopatric to red populations, but in some areas the two forms occur in adjacent sympatry.The difference in male nuptial colour and a number of other morphological and physiological traits reflect genetic differences between black and red populations. Male nuptial colour functions as a partial isolating mechanism. Mate selection experiments indicate that females from red populations rarely accept a black male when they have a choice between a red or black male. Females from allopatric black populations also show a preference for red males, but females from black populations immediately upstream from a hybrid zone appear to mate randomly. The significant difference in mate preference between allopatric and sympatric populations of black females is evidence for the reinforcement of male colour as an isolating mechanism. The selective mechanism reinforcing colour as an isolating mechanism is hybrid inferiority due to genetic incompatibility and aberrant behaviour in hybrid males.A hypothesis is presented that persistent differential predation by an endemic predator (Novumbra) on the young concentrated near the male nest site was the selective force responsible for the evolution of the black genotype. Experiments demonstrate that Novumbra is differentially attracted to red males when given a choice between red and black males, and that the young of black sticklebacks possess an innate behavioural response to Novumbra that makes them significantly less vulnerable to predation by Novumbra.

The anatomical and physiological effects of prenatally administered somatotrophin on cerebral development in rats.

SUMMARY 1. Purified anterior pituitary growth hormone has been given to pregnant rats and a study made of the cerebral development of the young in terms of behaviour, electrical activity of the brain and the quantitative histology of the cerebral cortex. 2. The experimental treatment resulted in an increase in the size of the young at birth. The maturation of innate and reflex behavioural responses was little affected but the performance of cortically mediated behaviour was enhanced. Little significant change was observed in the electroencephalogram other than an abnormal response to photic stimulation. 3. These physiological effects were associated with a modified pattern of cortical maturation consistent with a hypertrophy of neurones. This was reflected in an enlargement of the perikarya and an expansion of protoplasmic processes resulting in an increase in the statistical probability of interaction between neurones. 4. The results are discussed in relation to the earlier and somewhat dissimilar findings reported by Zamenhof (1942), and are regarded as consistent with previously formulated hypotheses linking the structure of the cerebral cortex with its mode of functioning.