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Dryad

Recovery from social isolation requires dopamine in males, but not the autism-related gene nlg3 in either sex

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Dec 26, 2023 version files 102.76 KB

Abstract

Social isolation causes profound changes in social behaviour in a variety of species. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms modulating behavioural responses to social isolation and social recovery remain to be elucidated. Here, we quantified the behavioural response of vinegar flies to social isolation using two distinct protocols (social space preference and spontaneous tendencies to form groups). We found that social isolation increased social space and reduced sociability. These effects of social isolation were reversible and could be reduced after 3 days of group housing. Flies with a loss of function of neuroligin3 (ortholog of autism-related neuroligin genes) with known increased social space in a socially enriched environment, were still able to recover from social isolation. We also show that dopamine is needed for a response to social isolation and recovery in males but not in females. Furthermore, only in males, dopamine levels are reduced after isolation and are not recovered after group housing. Finally, in socially enriched flies mutant for neuroligin3, dopamine levels are reduced in males, but not in females. We propose a model to explain how dopamine and neuroligin3 are involved in the behavioural response to social isolation and its recovery in a dynamic and sex-specific manner.