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Dryad

Data from: An evolutionary loss of parental care in stickleback is associated with differences in the activity, but not the number, of neuropeptidergic neurons in the preoptic area

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Apr 11, 2025 version files 41.62 KB

Abstract

How can extensive diversity in social behaviour arise when behaviours often depend on shared neural and hormonal mechanisms? In this study, we discriminated between two ways conserved neural mechanisms might evolve to generate differences in social behaviour: number or activity of neurons. We compared two recently diverged ecotypes of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in which males differ in the parental care they provide. We quantified the number and activation of two types of neuropeptidergic neurons in the preoptic area that affect parental care in other species, galanin and oxytocin. Ecotypes did not differ in the overall activation of the preoptic area or the number of galanin and oxytocin neurons. However, ecotypes did differ in the activation of galanin and oxytocin neurons. Activation of these neurons changed across reproductive stages in the caring but not the non-caring ecotype, suggesting that changes in the activation of these specific preoptic neurons are required to transition to parenting. Our study provides evidence that diversity in social behaviour can be generated via changes in the activation of specific preoptic neuropeptidergic neurons.