Behavioral and histochemical characterization of sexually dimorphic responses to acute social isolation and reunion in mice

Kansai Fukumitsu, Kumi O. Kuroda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In many mammalian species, females exhibit higher sociability and gregariousness than males, presumably due to the benefit of group living for maternal care. We have previously reported that adult female mice exhibit contact-seeking behaviors upon acute social isolation via amylin-calcitonin receptor (Calcr) signaling in the medial preoptic area (MPOA). In this study, we examined the sex differences in the behavioral responses to acute social isolation and reunion, and the levels of amylin and Calcr expression in the MPOA. We found that male mice exhibited significantly less contact-seeking upon social isolation. Upon reunion, male mice contacted each other to a similar extent as females, but their interactions were more aggressive and less affiliative compared with females. While Calcr-expressing neurons were activated during social contacts in males as in females, the amylin and Calcr expression were significantly lower in males than in females. Together with our previous findings, these findings suggested that the lower expression of both amylin and Calcr may explain the lower contact-seeking and social affiliation of male mice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)36-43
Number of pages8
JournalNeuroscience Research
Volume194
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 09-2023
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience

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