Hormones And Behavior[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Adjustment of paternal care in response to experimental variation in extra-pair mating opportunity in male zebra finches.
Liebermann-Lilie ND, Schniedermeyer B, Kröhnert A … +4 more , Riyahi S, Kaiser S, Schmoll T, Korsten P
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41077017 · Publisher ↗
Extra-pair paternity is prevalent in socially monogamous bird species with biparental care. Male extra-pair matings may coincide with paternal care provisioned to within-pair offspring. This may lead to a trade-off betwe...
Extra-pair paternity is prevalent in socially monogamous bird species with biparental care. Male extra-pair matings may coincide with paternal care provisioned to within-pair offspring. This may lead to a trade-off between obtaining additional fertilizations and securing offspring growth and survival through paternal care. In this pre-registered study, we manipulated the social environment of zebra finches to investigate how males trade off extra-pair mating versus providing paternal care. We compared paternal care provision between a social environment where two pairs bred together in a cage-resulting in an opportunity for extra-pair mating (Double-pair group)-to one with single breeding pairs (Single-pair group). We additionally measured plasma testosterone and corticosterone to identify hormonal correlates of male behavioral responses. To further increase the opportunity for extra-pair mating for the focal males from the Double-pair group we removed the male of the non-focal pair during chick rearing by the focal males. Contrary to our predictions, Double-pair males incubated more than Single-pair males. While we found substantial extra-pair paternity in the Double-pair group after removal of the non-focal males, male brood provisioning, chick growth and survival, and testosterone levels were not affected by the experimental increase in male extra-pair mating opportunity. Corticosterone levels were higher in Single-pair males between the first and replacement clutch. Refuting common assumptions, our findings provide no experimental evidence for a trade-off between extra-pair mating and paternal care. Males were able to pursue extra-pair fertilizations while they simultaneously secured the growth and survival of their within-pair offspring.
Endocrine and behavioral responses to ecological and social challenges in wild Geoffroy's spider monkeys.
Damm J, Dias PAD, Rangel-Negrín A … +3 more , Schaffner CM, Dell'Anna F, Aureli F
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41075565 · Publisher ↗
To maintain homeostasis during external and internal challenges, vertebrates activate allostatic systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Additionally, animals can use behavioral responses to addre...
To maintain homeostasis during external and internal challenges, vertebrates activate allostatic systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Additionally, animals can use behavioral responses to address such challenges, which may result in the reduction of allostatic processes. We assessed whether HPA activation is influenced by subgroup formation patterns during ecological and social challenges. We selected Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) as study subjects, because they are characterized by a high degree of fission-fusion dynamics. We expected spider monkeys to address challenges by being in smaller subgroups when food availability is lower, in larger subgroups when perceived predation risk is higher, and either in larger subgroups or in proximity of more individuals when the likelihood of between-group encounters is higher. For 20 months, we collected behavioral data and fecal samples from 30 wild adult and subadult spider monkeys at the Otoch Ma'ax Yetel Kooh reserve in the Yucatán peninsula, Mexico, and assessed food availability in their home range. In support of our predictions, fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations were negatively associated with food availability, and they were lower when in smaller subgroups than in larger subgroups during low food availability. Fecal GCM concentrations were positively associated with alarm call rates and were lower when in larger subgroups than when in smaller subgroups during high perceived predation risk. We found no evidence for an association between fGCM concentrations and the likelihood of between-group encounters. Overall, subgroup formation patterns interact with HPA activity to successfully address ecological challenges in wild Geoffroy's spider monkeys. Our study highlights the importance of assessing ecological challenges and behavioral responses when interpreting HPA activation in the wild.
Chronic social isolation, crowding, and instability distinctly impact reproductive function in adult female Wistar rats.
Poitras M, Labonté A, Qureshi AF … +4 more , Blackburn C, Gracovetsky ZMI, Fasih R, Plamondon H
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41075564 · Publisher ↗
Social stressors represent highly relevant stress models which remain understudied in females. Concordantly, little is known of the impact of different types of social stress on female reproductive functioning, despite c...
Social stressors represent highly relevant stress models which remain understudied in females. Concordantly, little is known of the impact of different types of social stress on female reproductive functioning, despite close interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of reproductive functioning in female rats following exposure to three social stress paradigms. 112 regularly cycling adult female Wistar rats were exposed to 21 days of isolation, crowding, social instability, control housing (daily cage changes) or regular housing. Rats were then euthanized (in proestrus or diestrus) or underwent paced-mating and fertility assessments. Estrous cyclicity, uterine horn weight, hypothalamic expression of kisspeptin (Kiss1), gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), estrogen receptors alpha (ERα), and glucocorticoid receptors (GR), serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and corticosterone (CORT), as well as ovarian follicle counts were assessed. Findings show isolation to increase hopping behaviors, decrease early follicle counts, uterine weight, and GnIH, as well as increase FSH levels. In crowded rats, expression of GnIH and ERα were reduced, paralleled by fewer days spent in proestrus and increased hopping behaviors. Following instability, rats presented decreased estrous cyclicity, reduced uterine weight, and diminished ovarian reserve, despite minimal changes at the hypothalamic level. Paced mating exposure increased CORT in all groups except instability and crowding. Overall, social stressors presented distinct consequences on reproduction, highlighting their relevance as stress models and the importance of gaining a better understanding of social stress-induced reproductive dysfunction in females.
Hormonal lockdown: How mole-rat societies enforce infertility in helpers.
van Vuuren AKJ, Süess T, Finn K … +4 more , Hagenah N, Ganswindt A, Hart DW, Bennett NC
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41037925 · Publisher ↗
Reproductive suppression is a defining feature of cooperative breeding, yet the hormonal mechanisms regulating infertility in non-breeding individuals remain poorly understood. This study examines associations between ci...
Reproductive suppression is a defining feature of cooperative breeding, yet the hormonal mechanisms regulating infertility in non-breeding individuals remain poorly understood. This study examines associations between circulating prolactin (PRL) and faecal metabolites of androgens (fAM), glucocorticoids (fGCM), and progesterone (fPM) in relation to socially induced infertility in two closely related cooperatively breeding mole-rat subspecies: the highveld (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae) and Natal mole-rat (C. hottentotus natalensis). Our results reveal a fundamental dichotomy in reproductive suppression strategies. Highveld mole-rats exhibited seasonally elevated circulating PRL in non-breeders during the dry season, coinciding with reduced pituitary responsiveness to exogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and lower gonadal steroid metabolites. These associations are consistent with PRL involvement in physiological suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, but causality cannot currently be inferred. In stark contrast, Natal mole-rats showed relatively low and stable PRL levels across reproductive groups and seasons, with breeders exhibiting higher androgen and progesterone metabolites compared to non-breeders, a pattern consistent with behavioural suppression through incest avoidance, aggression or social dominance. These findings highlight the adaptive flexibility of cooperatively breeding systems and provide new insights into the hormonal architecture of reproductive suppression. Although the present findings do not establish causality, they delineate key hormonal and behavioural pathways that warrant future investigation.
Stranger-directed consolation-like behavior in mice in a test of social decision making.
Blumenthal SA, Kietzman HW, Cobb KE … +1 more , Gourley SL
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41033024 · Full text
In the past decade, investigations into the neurobiology of empathy have been propelled by evidence that rodents are capable of more complex and nuanced social behaviors than previously believed. Several teams have repor...
In the past decade, investigations into the neurobiology of empathy have been propelled by evidence that rodents are capable of more complex and nuanced social behaviors than previously believed. Several teams have reported that rodents will direct allogrooming and other consolation-like behaviors towards distressed conspecifics, including in situations in which consolation-like behavior was not the explicit focus of a given study. As a case in point, we unexpectedly found in a test of decision making incentivized by social experience that mice display consolation-like allogrooming towards distressed strangers. This observation was somewhat surprising because consolation-like behavior in rodents is often believed to be reserved for familiar conspecifics. Here in this brief report, we reveal that the allogrooming and close social proximity with a distressed stranger that we previously reported was accompanied by elevated sniffing and autogrooming in close proximity to the conspecific - a social contagion-like behavior. Also, these behaviors were not obviously attributable to general hyper-activity. We then describe the conditions in which this constellation of stranger-directed consolation-related behavior was observed, should this information support new research concerning stranger-directed consolation-like behavior.
Examining androgen and estrogen profiles during pubertal development in autistic and neurotypical girls.
Corbett BA, Calvosa R, Tamaroff J … +3 more , Muscatello RA, McGonigle T, Vandekar S
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41027170 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Puberty is a normative albeit complex developmental period marked by significant changes in hormonal, physical, and socioemotional functioning. Research has theorized an important role for sex hormones in the...
BACKGROUND: Puberty is a normative albeit complex developmental period marked by significant changes in hormonal, physical, and socioemotional functioning. Research has theorized an important role for sex hormones in the etiology and profile of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially during developmental periods including puberty. Differences in pubertal onset in autistic compared to neurotypical girls have been reported. Aims examined female participants based on diagnostic (autistic, neurotypical) and hormonal expression (dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA-S), estradiol, testosterone) in the context of development (puberty, age). Hypotheses included: Hyp 1: autistic compared to neurotypical girls would demonstrate earlier pubertal onset. Hyp 2: DHEA-S and estradiol would be higher in older, more physically mature girls. Hyp 3: Testosterone would be stable. METHODS: Participants included females between 6-to-12 years with ASD (N = 112) or typical development (TD, N = 96). Morning salivary samples were collected for hormone assays. Nonlinear least squares and ordinary linear regression models were used. RESULTS: Autistic girls did not show significant evidence of earlier pubertal onset in pubertal stage (p = 0.692). There were no observed diagnostic differences in hormone changes through the pubertal or age range (p = 0.8367, p = 0.0694, p = 0.6812, p = 0.8418, p = 0.7358, & p = 0.1438) sampled. All hormones showed significant changes with puberty and age (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study examined profiles of females based on diagnostic group and hormonal expression in the context of development. Although group differences were not observed in this cross-sectional study, hormonal differences may emerge as girls progress through puberty. It is vital to track and support autistic girls through this time of change and vulnerability.
Within-litter variation in maternal care is a key contributor to individual differences in offspring behavior and monoamine neurochemistry in female Long-Evans rats.
Whitman QA, Mirzaei A, Lauby SC … +3 more , Chatterjee D, Fleming A, McGowan PO
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 41004891 · Publisher ↗
The care that a mother rat provides is essential for the ability of her pups to survive and thrive. Maternal care naturally varies between litters, including among animals with close genetic relatedness. There are also s...
The care that a mother rat provides is essential for the ability of her pups to survive and thrive. Maternal care naturally varies between litters, including among animals with close genetic relatedness. There are also significant differences in behavior even among offspring reared together. Our lab and others have documented stable, naturally occurring individual differences in maternal care received by individual pups within the litter that persist throughout at least the first ten days of postnatal life. In this study, we hypothesized that within-litter variation in maternal care received constitutes a significant source of variation in offspring behavior and neurochemistry in Long-Evans rats. We analyzed measures related to maternal care behavior, offspring anxiety-like and social behaviors, and neurotransmitter levels in specific brain regions after the offspring became mothers themselves. For statistical modeling, we used the coefficient of variation (CV) to standardize and directly compare between- and within-litter variation across a range of behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes. Several variables analyzed showed greater within-litter CVs than between-litter CVs, especially for offspring behavior and levels of the monoamines dopamine, serotonin, and their primary metabolites DOPAC (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) and 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) in the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, medial preoptic area, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Our findings suggest that within-litter variation in maternal care plays a prominent role in behavioral and physiological outcomes. This study provides a methodological advance by demonstrating that within-litter variability often exceeds between-litter variability across maternal, behavioral, and neurochemical domains, challenging a key assumption in experimental designs using littermate controls.
Hormonal contraceptives modulate resilience to psychiatric and neurodegenerative disease.
Schuh KM, Conrad LM, Tronson NC
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 40987016 · Publisher ↗
Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are one of the most widely used classes of drug worldwide and are a critical part of women's health. Beyond their primary use for birth control, HCs exert many health benefits, including tre...
Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are one of the most widely used classes of drug worldwide and are a critical part of women's health. Beyond their primary use for birth control, HCs exert many health benefits, including treatment of menstrual-related symptoms and reduced risk of certain types of cancers. Here, we focus on the role of HCs in promoting resilience to depression and Alzheimer's disease. Although risks for depression with HC use have been widely stated, HCs only increase risk for up to 10 % of users, and conversely improve mood and protect against depression for many others. Emerging evidence also suggests that HC use protects against age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, even decades after HC use. We propose that these effects are due to modulatory effects of HCs on stress-related signaling and neuroimmune function. In this paper, we discuss how HCs interact with stress responsivity, neuroimmune signaling, and other individual differences to promote resilience or susceptibility to psychiatric and neurological disorders.
Central thyroid hormone receptor-beta: Sensitivity to alcohol and a role in regulating alcohol drinking.
Johnson MC, Nipper MA, Abshire KM … +8 more , Rehmann JE, Zweig JA, Vu TN, Bell MA, Banerji T, Scanlan TS, Ryabinin AE, Walker DM
Horm Behav · 2025 Nov · PMID 40967037 · Full text
Clinical and preclinical evidence indicate that both peripheral and central elements of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis are dysregulated in alcohol use disorder, and that thyroid hormone system dysregulatio...
Clinical and preclinical evidence indicate that both peripheral and central elements of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis are dysregulated in alcohol use disorder, and that thyroid hormone system dysregulation is associated alcohol craving and co-morbid mood and depression-related disorders. Yet, no study has investigated if central nervous system (CNS) thyroid hormone receptors, primary targets of thyroid hormone and major regulators of the HPT axis are involved in alcohol consumption. We utilized a 24-h access two-bottle choice (2BC) voluntary ethanol (EtOH) drinking paradigm to assess if the expression of CNS thyroid hormone receptors is sensitive to voluntary alcohol consumption in C57BL/6 J mice. We found that thyroid hormone receptor-beta (Thrb/THRβ) mRNA expression was significantly reduced in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of EtOH drinking mice compared to water controls. In addition, EtOH drinking mice exhibited peripheral elevation of serum triiodothyronine. Next, we utilized the CNS selective THRβ agonist, Sob-AM2, to determine if central activation of THRβ would influence voluntary alcohol drinking in mice in the same EtOH 2BC drinking paradigm. We found that repeated treatment with Sob-AM2 significantly reduced daily EtOH intake and preference, while in conjunction increasing water intake. In summary, we found that hypothalamic Thrb expression is sensitive to voluntary alcohol drinking, and that CNS THRβ activity regulates alcohol consumption in mice. Taken together, our results highlight an important role of central thyroid hormone receptor signalling in alcohol drinking and indicate therapeutic potential of CNS selective thyromimetics in treatment of alcohol use disorder.
A systematic review and experimental study of micro/nanoplastic-induced endocrine disruption in rodents: Potential links to autism spectrum disorder.
Fowler LF, Burry TN, Maekawa AS … +1 more , Cahill LS
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40957188 · Publisher ↗
Recent research shows that microplastic (diameter < 5 mm) and nanoplastic (diameter < 1 μm) exposures can have endocrine-disrupting effects and lead to autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like behaviours in rodent models. We...
Recent research shows that microplastic (diameter < 5 mm) and nanoplastic (diameter < 1 μm) exposures can have endocrine-disrupting effects and lead to autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like behaviours in rodent models. We combine both a (i) systematic literature review and (ii) experimental study to synthesize the potential mechanisms underlying the link between micro-/nanoplastic (MNP) exposure and ASD, focusing on endocrine disruption and articles utilizing rodent models. First, we identify and discuss trends in the literature, outline research gaps, and suggest future directions. Most articles measured gonadal hormones in male adult rodents and consistently reported decreased testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) with MNP exposure. Females were understudied, with no trends emerging in exposure-induced hormone disruption. Second, we present experimental data demonstrating direct effects of maternal polystyrene NP exposure on neuroendocrine systems and inflammatory markers in the fetal brain. Cytokines, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and triiodothyronine (T3) were significantly altered in the fetal brain following prenatal exposure to NPs, and thyroxine (T4) and T were significantly suppressed in female NP-exposed fetuses but not in males. Together, these findings demonstrate that MNP exposure during adulthood and early development affect multiple endocrine systems, including those implicated in autism spectrum disorder, in a sex-dependent manner. We synthesize how such results are important to motivate exposure studies in animals and humans and future regulatory guidelines on MNPs.
Oxytocin dynamics in interpersonal sensorimotor synchrony: Controlled experiments in humans.
Tsigeman E, Mararitsa L, Gorina Y … +4 more , Avliyakulyeva A, Kindyakova E, Koltsova O, Lopatina O
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40946427 · Publisher ↗
Interpersonal sensorimotor synchronisation is the coordination of movement between individuals that underlies successful interpersonal communication. Previous research has indicated the potential involvement of oxytocin...
Interpersonal sensorimotor synchronisation is the coordination of movement between individuals that underlies successful interpersonal communication. Previous research has indicated the potential involvement of oxytocin (OXT) in the process of synchronisation. We conducted 2 randomised controlled experiments to test the effect of synchronisation on salivary OXT concentrations. In Experiment 1, 90 volunteers (65 women) performed either synchronous or asynchronous a 5-min hand gesture task with an unfamiliar partner. In Experiment 2, 67 familiar dyads of volunteers (47 female dyads) performed the same task. Salivary OXT concentrations were measured before and after the gesture task (Experiment 1) or before, after and 10 min after the gesture task (Experiment 2). Saliva samples were analysed using the ELISA method to estimate OXT concentrations. In Experiment 1, we found no significant differences between salivary OXT levels at baseline and after the 5-min task in either synchronous or asynchronous conditions. We also found no evidence for increased liking of a stranger after sensorimotor synchrony. In Experiment 2, the asynchronous condition led to a decrease in OXT levels over time, whereas synchronous interactions led to stable OXT levels over time. The effect of condition on OXT was not moderated by closeness or attachment style. The results are discussed in relation to research methodology used to study interpersonal synchrony.
Changes in steroid hormone levels based on a plastic behavioral role in two biparental cichlids, Julidochromis transcriptus and Julidochromis marlieri: A test of the Ancestral Modulation Hypothesis.
Anderson AP, Noble F, Cantlon W … +1 more , Renn SCP
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40934724 · Publisher ↗
Cross-sexual transfer describes the situation when one sex takes on the phenotypic values of the other sex, either plastically or over evolutionary time. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of this process have been gen...
Cross-sexual transfer describes the situation when one sex takes on the phenotypic values of the other sex, either plastically or over evolutionary time. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of this process have been generally assumed to be related to sex-biased hormonal regulation, but explicit empirical tests have not been conducted. More recently, the Ancestral Modulation Hypothesis (AMH) has been proposed as a framework to understand the hormonal regulation that underlies cross-sexual transfer. We leverage the behavioral changes in two species of biparental cichlid, Julidochromis transcriptus and Julidochromis marlieri, to test hormonal changes when cross-sexual transfer occurs and provide an empirical test of the AMH. One species, J. transcriptus, typically forms male-larger pairs, which is generally considered to be the ancestral condition; yet females take on male behaviors when they are the larger individual in the pair. The other species, J. marlieri, typically forms female-larger pairs, a cross-sexual transfer, but can likewise shift behaviors when paired atypically. We established pairs by giving males and females of both species both larger and smaller partners and measured behavioral and hormonal changes. We found J. transcriptus females increased 11-ketotestorerone (11-KT) when becoming the larger partner and 11-KT and estradiol (E2) correlated with behaviors associated with the larger partner. We did not find any changes in hormone levels based on size or sex in J. marlieri, though behaviors did correlate with testosterone (T). These results provide qualified support for the tested prediction from the AMH framework that cross-sexual transfer can occur by coopting hormonal signaling by adjusting circulating hormones.
The role of oxytocin in enhancing group-based guilt and promoting intergroup reconciliation in a collectivist context.
Li Z, Xu M, Huang S … +1 more , Yang A
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40934723 · Publisher ↗
Group-based guilt, arising from the awareness of harmful or immoral actions committed by fellow group members, is a powerful negative emotion. It motivates various forms of reparative behavior which mitigates the intergr...
Group-based guilt, arising from the awareness of harmful or immoral actions committed by fellow group members, is a powerful negative emotion. It motivates various forms of reparative behavior which mitigates the intergroup conflicts. However, the widespread expression of group-based guilt remains relatively infrequent. Therefore, how to enhance the utility of group-based guilt remains a paramount issue in the field of intergroup conflict. Oxytocin is widely recognized for its pivotal role in positively influencing social cognition and behavior. Consequently, our research aimed to investigate the potential modulation of oxytocin on group-based guilt by examining whether oxytocin enhances group-based responsibility, guilt and compensation within a collectivist cultural context. To achieve this, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental design: 2 (Treatment: Placebo vs. Oxytocin) × 2 (Group membership: In-group vs. Out-group). The results showed that the administration of oxytocin could enhance group-based responsibility, guilt, and compensation. In conclusion, the study of oxytocin and group-based guilt highlights the potential role of biological processes in shaping social emotions and cognition, then enhancing altruistic behavior toward the victimized group and moderating intergroup relations.
Hormonal contraceptive use in relation to basal and reactive testosterone, DHEAS, and cortisol.
Casto KV, Farah S, Castro A … +2 more , Akinola M, Mehta PH
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40884995 · Publisher ↗
A burgeoning area of research has begun to uncover a wide range of potential neurological and psychological correlates of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use. Yet there remains a limited understanding of the underlying mecha...
A burgeoning area of research has begun to uncover a wide range of potential neurological and psychological correlates of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use. Yet there remains a limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms for how HC use alters aspects of neurobiology and related behavioral outcomes. Uncovering these processes has the potential for new discovery in the field of behavioral neuroendocrinology, particularly in the complex interplay between steroid hormone subclasses. Although prior research has often focused on the effects of HC use on progestogen and estrogen disruption, basal and reactive androgens and cortisol may also be significantly impacted by HC use and serve critical functions throughout the brain and body. We discuss important background information on the synthesis and function of three steroid hormones - testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), and cortisol, review prior research showing how HC use is related to circulating (basal) and reactive levels, and provide sample data on salivary levels from our own research. The combined evidence shows that HC use, specifically of the OC pill, is associated with significantly reduced total, free, and salivary androgens, increased total cortisol in blood but not saliva, and a blunted salivary cortisol response to social stressors. Limited evidence provides initial indication that the specific estrogen and progestin compounds in HC formulas may differentially impact steroid hormone levels. Finally, we discuss the mechanisms by which HCs alter steroid hormone levels, the potential implications of these effects on brain and behavior outcomes, and considerations for future research.
Intergenerational effects of maternal androgens on vocal ontogeny and developmental plasticity in a cooperatively breeding mammal.
Walkenhorst B, Braga Goncalves I, Drea CM … +1 more , Manser MB
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40840040 · Publisher ↗
Developmental plasticity, the ability to adapt one's phenotype to environmental cues, is crucial during early-life stages and can affect fitness. Despite significant androgenic variation between females of select species...
Developmental plasticity, the ability to adapt one's phenotype to environmental cues, is crucial during early-life stages and can affect fitness. Despite significant androgenic variation between females of select species, the impact of maternal hormones on offspring ontogeny in wild mammals has been rarely investigated. Here, we rely on natural and experimentally induced variation in androgen action between dominant and subordinate female meerkats, Suricata suricatta, to examine plasticity of vocal development in their offspring. Meerkats are cooperatively breeding mongooses that have a rich vocal repertoire. We recorded calls produced at distinct developmental stages by offspring from dominant and subordinate control mothers that naturally differ in absolute androgen concentrations and from dominant treated mothers that had received an androgen-receptor blocker in late gestation. Using call types as indicators, we found that the offspring of dominant control mothers had a robust vocal trajectory, even under adverse environmental conditions; following full nutritional dependence, their vocal development was accelerated relative to that of other offspring. Conversely, offspring from both subordinate control and dominant antiandrogen treated mothers suffered ontogenetic delays; they showed distinct sex differences in trajectory and a greater sensitivity to socio-ecological influences. Antiandrogen-exposed offspring also showed atypical early call usage. These findings provide rare evidence of the potential for maternal androgens to mediate mammalian offspring development in accordance with demands of the socio-ecological environment.
Hormonal intrauterine device use is related to mental rotations but not verbal memory skills.
Yan R, Portengen C, Yang TA … +4 more , Reece G, Dunnum Z, Hidalgo-Lopez E, Beltz AM
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40829209 · Publisher ↗
There is perennial public and scientific interest in the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the large gender difference in three-dimensional (3D) mental rotation skills (favoring men) and small-to-moderate difference i...
There is perennial public and scientific interest in the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the large gender difference in three-dimensional (3D) mental rotation skills (favoring men) and small-to-moderate difference in verbal memory (favoring women). Past research has linked androgenic progestins in oral contraceptives to enhanced spatial skills, particularly 3D mental rotations, and estradiol to enhanced verbal memory skills. Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) contain an androgenic progestin (i.e., levonorgestrel) without synthetic estradiol, but there is little-to-no systematic research on the cognitive impacts of use. The current study filled this knowledge gap in a sample of 343 participants (M = 21.75, SD = 4.52; 57.0 % White; 84.8 % non-Latine), comparing 50 hormonal IUD users to 135 naturally cycling (NC) females who were not menstruating and to 158 males. Compared to NC females, IUD users had better 3D mental rotation performance, but similar verbal memory. Compared to males, IUD users had similar 3D mental rotations performance, but better verbal memory. Group differences were generally moderate in size, and the pattern of results persisted when both age and general cognitive ability were covaried. Findings in IUD users are consistent with hypotheses, evidencing a potential and selective impact of exogenous androgenic progestin exposure on spatial cognition, and no effects on verbal memory, as expected given the preservation of endogenous ovarian hormone function that is not suppressed as it is in other hormonal contraceptives (e.g., oral).
What do we measure when we measure pubertal development? Conceptual challenges in measuring and interpreting pubertal effects on brain and behavior.
França TFA, Cogo-Moreira H, Pompeia S
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40816025 · Publisher ↗
Pubertal development is believed to influence cognitive and behavioral development during adolescence, but measuring puberty is challenging. Difficulties stem not only from practical issues, which have been extensively d...
Pubertal development is believed to influence cognitive and behavioral development during adolescence, but measuring puberty is challenging. Difficulties stem not only from practical issues, which have been extensively discussed in the literature, but also from the inherent complexity of pubertal development from a physiological perspective. Here we discuss conceptual issues related to measuring and interpreting pubertal effects on brain, cognitive, and behavioral development. Our analysis shows that all currently used measures, both those based on the assessment of external physical characteristics and those based on measuring relevant hormones form biological samples, share significant limitations that hinder their interpretation. These limitations arise from the fact that puberty is not a unitary phenomenon, cannot be measured directly nor be defined by individual makers, and its different markers are often discordant. Moreover, its effects on brain development, cognition, and behavior are bound to involve a complex causal thicket, requiring an integrative assessment of pubertal development. We argue that a possible compromise between practical issues (building feasible/reliable measures) and theoretical ones (building conceptually sound and interpretable measures) is to treat puberty as the variance shared among multiple pubertal indicators, combining physical markers and hormonal measures.
Emotion regulation strategies differentially impact memory in hormonal contraceptive users.
Brandao BM, Castro M, Buergler JB … +3 more , Clark KR, Denny BT, Leal SL
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40816024 · Publisher ↗
Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are widely used, yet their effects on emotional and cognitive processes remain poorly understood. This study examined how HC use may influence emotional reactivity, emotion regulation, and e...
Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are widely used, yet their effects on emotional and cognitive processes remain poorly understood. This study examined how HC use may influence emotional reactivity, emotion regulation, and emotional memory. Female participants (N = 179), either using HCs (N = 87) or naturally cycling (NC; N = 92), were randomly assigned to one of three groups: no emotion regulation (control), distancing and immersion, or reinterpretation and immersion. The emotion regulation groups completed emotion regulation training in which they viewed emotional images while applying different emotion regulation strategies, followed by a surprise memory test. Overall, HC users showed greater emotional reactivity to emotional images compared to NC participants. Both HC and NC groups successfully applied emotion regulation strategies as measured by changes in emotional affect; however, distancing led to a greater reduction in negative emotions compared to reinterpretation, particularly among HC users. Both HC and NC groups showed better memory for positive images after applying immersion. For negative images, HC users showed reduced memory performance when applying either distancing or reinterpretation, an effect not observed in NC participants. These findings suggest that HC use may influence specific aspects of emotional processing and memory, highlighting the need for more nuanced research on the cognitive and emotional effects of hormonal contraceptives.
Pregnancy modulates responses to male odors in house mice.
Miller CH, Reichard TM, Yang J … +4 more , Carlson-Clarke B, Vogt CC, Warden MR, Sheehan MJ
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40782468 · Publisher ↗
Pregnancy induces widespread physiological and behavioral changes, yet its impact on social decision-making remains poorly understood. Here, we show that reproductive status modulates female responses to male odors in ho...
Pregnancy induces widespread physiological and behavioral changes, yet its impact on social decision-making remains poorly understood. Here, we show that reproductive status modulates female responses to male odors in house mice, revealing striking status-specific behavioral patterns. Estrous females displayed attraction to novel male odors, consistent with a motivation to mate. In contrast, pregnant females exhibited strong aversion - an anticipatory shift likely aimed at avoiding future infanticidal males. This status-dependent approach-avoidance response was recapitulated to the male urinary pheromone darcin, highlighting its robustness as a male signal. These findings suggest that reproductive status modulates odor-driven decision-making, balancing mating opportunities with offspring protection. This shift is likely mediated by hormonal fluctuations such as rising progesterone and estrogen, that act on neural circuits involved in olfaction, threat detection, and social motivation. Behavioral responses were further shaped by the richness and context of social odors, supporting combinatorial processing of urinary pheromones. This aligns with mechanisms such as stud odor imprinting and self-referential matching for inbreeding avoidance. Overall, our results point to anticipatory behavioral adaptations during pregnancy that prepare females for the challenges of motherhood.
Tectal CRF receptors modulate the behavioral response of Xenopus laevis to live prey but not visual prey cues.
Harris BN, Prater CM, Lockwood R … +3 more , Kennedy A, Murtuza MG, Carr JA
Horm Behav · 2025 Oct · PMID 40774138 · Publisher ↗
Tradeoffs between feeding and defensive behaviors are critical for survival, but their physiological underpinnings are not well known. Here, we investigate how a satiety peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), act...
Tradeoffs between feeding and defensive behaviors are critical for survival, but their physiological underpinnings are not well known. Here, we investigate how a satiety peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), acts within a novel location, the visual system (the optic tectum, OT), to modulate multisensory prey detection and the microstructure of feeding behavior. The OT has CRF-producing interneurons and CRF receptors, threat exposure increases OT CRF concentrations, and that CRF acts on receptors in the OT to decrease feeding behavior. We hypothesized that CRF in the OT may impact visual, lateral line, and/or multiple sensory processing to alter feeding. We predicted that OT CRF decreases responses to 1) a purely visual prey cue and 2) a live, multisensory prey item. We microinjected one of four doses of CRF bilaterally into the tecta of newly metamorphosed Xenopus laevis. We then exposed frogs to visual prey cues and then to live, multi-sensory prey (worms). We repeated the behavioral assays after 72 h to determine if any effects were long-lasting. Overall, frogs robustly responded to live and visual prey cues. CRF did not alter behavioral responses to the visual prey cues but did decrease select prey-capture behaviors and increase select avoidance-like behaviors following exposure to live prey. Our results suggest visual processing is not the primary sensory modality impacted by tectal CRF. These data provide a novel (i.e., extrahypothalamic) location for satiety peptide action and link neuroendocrine responses to ecological context of feed/flee tradeoffs.
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