International Journal of Comparative Psychology 

About: International Journal of Comparative Psychology is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Cognition & Comparative psychology. It has an ISSN identifier of 0889-3667. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 738 publications have been published receiving 8998 citations.

Zebrafish Behavior in Novel Environments: Effects of Acute Exposure to Anxiolytic Compounds and Choice of Danio rerio Line.

Abstract: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) associative responses are useful for pharmaceutical and toxicology screening, behavioral genetics, and discovering neural mechanisms involved in behavioral modulation In novel environments, zebrafish swim to tank bottoms and dark backgrounds, behaviors attributed to anxiety associated with threat of predation To examine possible genetic effects of inbreeding and segregation on this behavior, we compared Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) AB and WIK lines to zebrafish and GloFish® from a pet store (PETCO) in two qualitatively different novel environments: the dive tank and aquatic light/dark plus maze Behavior was observed in the dive tank for 5 min, immediately followed by 5 min in the light/dark plus maze Among strains, WIK spent more time in the dive tank top than AB (76 ± 30 vs 17 ± 11 sec), and AB froze in the plus maze center for longer than PETCO or GloFish® (162 ± 61 vs 72 ± 29 or 27 ± 27 sec) Further, behavior of zebrafish exposed for 3 min to 25 mg/L nicotine, desipramine, chlordiazepoxide, yohimbine, 100 mg/L citalopram, 005% DMSO, or 05% ethanol was compared to controls Approximately 01% of drug is available in brain after such exposures Desipramine or citalopram-exposed fish spent more time in the dive tank top, and both reuptake inhibitors bound to serotonin transporters in zebrafish brain with high affinity (K(i) = 7 ± 5 and 9 ± 5 nM) In the plus maze, chlordiazepoxide, ethanol and DMSO-exposed fish crossed more lines and spent more time in white arms Neither 25 mg/L nicotine nor yohimbine altered zebrafish behavior in novel environments, but nicotine was anxiolytic at higher doses Overall, the light/dark plus maze and dive tank are distinct behavioral measures that are sensitive to treatment with anxiolytic compounds, but zebrafish line selection and solvents can influence baseline behavior in these tests

A Methodological Review of Personality-Related Studies in Fish: Focus on the Shy-Bold Axis of Behavior

Abstract: Personality research has begun to take hold in the animal kingdom as psychologists turn to animal models to investigate various aspects of personality. Similarly, behavioral ecologists and related fields have begun to explore the idea that individual variation in behavior is more than just noise around an average for a given population or group of interest. As a result, many have begun to turn to personality-related questions to explain individual differences in animal behavior. Collectively, psychologists, ecologists and related fields have created a boom in animal personality-related research. This interest has expanded to a variety of fish species, with many studies focused on an important axis of behavior in humans: the shy-bold axis. Unfortunately, there has been very little consideration for the methodology employed. We review both the experimental and statistical methodology found in a body of research on fish species, for which personality-related research has been conducted. Our aim is to shed light on many important considerations that are often overlooked in order to facilitate research concerned with the reliability and validity of the many methods used. The classic approach to behavioral and evolutionary ecology seeks answers based on averaged behavior and fails to consider unique variation between individuals and the functional importance of such variability (Mather, 1998; Slater, 1981). The importance of finer scale investigations at the level of the individual is only beginning to emerge as researchers have begun explore Darwin’s less accepted views that evolution acts on the individual and may not be limited to only physical traits (Darwin, 1998; Gosling, 2001). This burgeoning interest has given rise to research in areas of animal personality and temperament in a wide range of taxa and has led to recent recognition of the potential implications in ecological studies of animal behavior. If something similar to personality is found in animals and individual differences in behavior reflect more than just noise around an average, then traditional approaches to behavioral ecology, behavioral biology and how we approach questions about evolution may be challenged. The boom of interest in these new directions combined with the fear of anthropomorphism seems to have placed the search for “individual differences” at the forefront of investigations with little regard to ensuring adequate measures and methodology. In a complex and controversial topic such as animal personality, these considerations are vital to research in this area. This article aims to present some inconsistencies and considerations by reviewing a subset of studies focused on an important shy-bold axis, which has been a growing focus in research with many species of fish.

Do Marine Mammals Experience Stress Related to Anthropogenic Noise

Abstract: This paper could not have been written without the financial and organizational support from Dieter Paulmann and Jo Hastie respectively Thanks are also due to two anonymous reviewers, whose comments on an earlier version of the manuscript greatly improved the paper The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors alone and do not represent those of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, the US National Marine Sanctuary Program, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, the US National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA and/or any other institution or agency Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Andrew Wright, Leviathan Sciences, USA (marinebrit@gmailcom) Sound travels much further than light in the marine environment As a result, marine mammals, especially cetaceans, rely heavily on sound for many important life functions, including breeding and foraging This reliance on sound means it is quite likely that exposure to noise will have some detrimental effects on these life functions However, there has been little application to marine mammals of the knowledge available in other species of stress responses to noise and other stressors In this paper we begin to integrate what is known about marine mammals with the current knowledge gained in terrestrial mammals about stress physiology, specifically considering physiological and psychological context and thus also cumulative and synergistic impacts We determined that it is reasonable to extrapolate information regarding stress responses in other species to marine mammals, because these responses are highly conserved among all species in which they have been examined to date As a result, we determined that noise acts as a stressor to marine mammals Furthermore, given that marine mammals will likely respond in a manner consistent with other species studied, repeated and prolonged exposures to stressors (including or induced by noise) will be problematic for marine mammals of all ages A range of issues may arise from the extended stress response including, but not limited to, suppression of reproduction (physiologically and behaviorally), accelerated aging and sickness-like symptoms We also determined that interpretation of a reduction in behavioral responses to noise as acclimation will be a mistake in many situations, as alternative reasons for the observed results are much more likely We recommend that research be conducted on both stress responses and life-history consequences of noise exposure in marine mammals, while emphasizing that very careful study designs will be required We also recommend that managers incorporate the findings presented here in decisions regarding activities that expose marine mammals to noise In particular, the effects of cumulative and synergistic responses to stressors can be very important and should not be dismissed lightly

Endocrinology of Stress

Abstract: When an animal detects a stressor, it initiates a stress response. The physiological aspects of this stress response are mediated through two endocrine systems. The catecholamine hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from the adrenal medulla very rapidly and have numerous effects on behavior, metabolism, and the cardiovascular system. This is commonly termed the Fight-or-Flight response. On a longer time scale, the glucocorticoid hormones are released from the adrenal cortex. They interact with intracellular receptors and initiate gene transcription. This production of new proteins means that glucocorticoids have a delayed, but more sustained, effect than the catecholamines. The glucocorticoids orchestrate a wide array of responses to the stressor. They have direct effects on behavior, metabolism and energy trafficking, reproduction, growth, and the immune system. The sum total of these responses is designed to help the animal survive a short-term stressful stimulus. However, under conditions of long-term stress, the glucocorticoid-mediated effects become maladaptive and can lead to disease. Stress, as originally coined by Selye (1946), has been the subject of study for decades. It became quickly apparent that the term “stress” actually encompasses three related topics: changes/stimuli from the environment that cause “stress” (subsequently called stressors); the physiological and psychological responses to those stimuli (subsequently called the stress response); and the diseases that result from an overstimulation of the physiological and psychological responses (subsequently called chronic stress effects). Research has focused on all three of these concepts. An enormous amount is now known about what stimuli elicit which physiological and psychological responses. We also know many of the mechanisms whereby various hormonal mediators compromise organ, tissue, and cellular function (Fink, 2007). This paper will provide a brief overview of what is known about the endocrine responses to stressors. The following general information is broadly known and widely presented. Most of the information comes from the following sources (McEwen & Goodman, 2001; Nelson, 2005; Norman & Litwack, 1997; Norris, 2007; Sapolsky, Romero, & Munck, 2000) and interested readers should consult them for more detail. Specific information and individual studies are cited independently. Although there are many hormones that have been identified as playing a role in the vertebrate stress response, two categories of hormones are thought to form the central components of the endocrine response. These are the catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine (also known as adrenalin and noradrenalin) and the glucocorticoids. Together, these hormones help to orchestrate the body’s stress response. How they do so is presented below.

Human-animal interactions, relationships and bonds: a review and analysis of the literature

Abstract: The study of human-animal interactions (HAI), and the resulting human-animal relationships (HARs) and bonds (HABs) which are set up as a consequence, is currently a topical issue in comparative psychology. Here we review the HAI/HAR/HAB literature to detect the main publication trends, and to identify the predominant research themes in this area. Research in HAI/HAR/HAB only really started in the 1980s, but since then there has been a growth in studies which is still continuing. Most of these studies have been in the contexts of companion animal or agricultural animal research, but there is now a growing literature on laboratory, zoo and wild animals too. In the companion animal HAI/HAB literature the greatest emphasis has been on Animal-assisted Interventions (AAI), and the benefits to people of pet ownership and interaction with pets. Agricultural HAI/HAR research, on the contrary, has been more concerned with the welfare consequences of HAI/HARs to the animals. This disjunction is reflected in the preference of companion animal researchers to use the term ‘bond’, but agricultural researchers to use ‘relationship’. Other themes prominent in the literature include methodological issues, the characteristics of caretakers, the role of veterinarians, sociological approaches, and theoretical aspects. It is concluded that currently HAI/HAR/HAB research does not constitute a unified field, and there is a need to: i) agree and define a standard terminology; ii) undertake more research on the effects of HAI on companion animals; iii) undertake more research on the form and frequency of interactions; and iv) increase research on HAI/HAR/HABs in laboratory, zoo and wild-living animals. This research is important to understand whether HAI has positive, neutral or negative consequences, both for humans and for animals.