Data for: Effects of reproductive status on behavioral and neural responses to isolated pup stimuli in female California mice
Data files
Dec 11, 2023 version files 31.09 KB
Abstract
The transition to motherhood in mammals is marked by changes in females’ perception of and responsiveness to sensory stimuli from infants. Our understanding of maternally induced sensory plasticity relies most heavily on studies in uniparental, promiscuous house mice and rats, which may not be representative of rodent species with different life histories. We exposed biparental, monogamous California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) mothers and ovariectomized virgin females to one of four acoustic and olfactory stimulus combinations (Control: clean cotton and white noise; Call: clean cotton and pup vocalizations; Odor: pup-scented cotton and white noise; Call + Odor: pup-scented cotton and pup vocalizations) and quantified females’ behavior and Fos expression in select brain regions. Behavior did not differ between mothers and ovariectomized virgins. Among mothers, however, those exposed to the Control condition took the longest to sniff the odor stimulus, and mothers exposed to the Odor condition were quicker to sniff the odor ball compared to those in the Call condition. Behavior did not differ among ovariectomized virgins exposed to the different conditions. Fos expression differed across conditions only in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN), which response to aversive stimuli: among mothers, the Control condition elicited the highest AHN Fos and Call + Odor elicited the lowest. Among ovariectomized virgin females, Call elicited the lowest Fos in the AHN. Thus, reproductive status in California mice alters females’ behavioral responses to stimuli from pups, especially odors, and results in the inhibition of defense circuitry in response to pup stimuli.
README: Data for: Effects of reproductive status on behavioral and neural responses to isolated pup stimuli in female California mice
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8gtht76vt
Also see Excel file for README
Description of the data and file structure
README for: Wilson KM, A Arquilla, M Hussein*, K Rosales-Torres*, MG Chan* & W Saltzman. 2023. Effects of reproductive status on behavioral and neural responses to isolated pup stimuli in female California mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 114727
Please see published manuscript for context and further details of these data.
Sheet 1- README: A copy of the below README information
Sheet 2- Fos expression and Fecal Boli: Data for fos expression in select brain regions, fecal boli, time since paring, number of pups born, pup age and stimulus pup age.
Sheet 3- Behavior data
| Corresponding tables & figures | Variable name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Mouse ID | Blinded identified assigned to each animal |
| N/A | Mother | Deonotes whether mouse was a new mother (1) or ovariectomized virgn (0) |
| N/A | Treatment | Description of the stimuli presented to each animal |
| Fig. 4, Table 3 | MOB fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the main olfactory bulb |
| Fig. 4, Table 3 | NAcc fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the nucleus accumbens |
| Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Table 3 | STMV fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis |
| Fig. 4, Table 3 | MPOA fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the medial preoptic area |
| Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Table 3 | AHN fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus |
| Fig. 4, Table 3 | BLA fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the basolateral amygdala |
| Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Table 3 | BMA fos (num) | The number of Fos-positive cells identified in the basomedial amygdala |
| Table 3 | Time since pairing (days) | The time between the first day of pairing and the day of testing |
| Table 3 | Num pups born | The number of pups born to each female (NA for virgins) |
| Table 3 | Pup age (days) | The age of of mother's pups on the day of testing (NA for virgins) |
| Table 3 | stim pup age (days) | The age of the pup used to collect olfactory stimulus (NA for control scent) |
| See Results text | Boli number | Number of fecal boli produced during and after stimuli presentation |
| Fig. 1, Table 1, Table 2 | Latency sniff (s) | Time taken to sniff odor ball for the first time |
| Table 1, Table 2 | Latency handle (s) | Time taken to handle the odor ball for the first time |
| Table 1, Table 2 | Latency listen (s) | Time taken to actively listen to acoustic stimuli for the first time |
| Fig. 5, Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Sniff (s) | Amount of time spent sniffing the odor ball during stimuli presentation |
| Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Handle (s) | Amount of time spent handling the odor ball during stimuli presentation |
| Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Listen (s) | Amount of time spent actively listening to acoustic stimuli l during stimuli presentation |
| Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Autogroom (s) | Amount of time spent autogrooming during stimuli presentation |
| Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Activity (s) | Amount of time spent on active behaviors not otherwise specified during stimuli presentation |
| Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Rest (s) | Amount of time spent restingl during stimuli presentation |
| Fig. 5, Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 | Backflip (s) | Amount of time spent backflipping during stimuli presentation |
| Table 1, Table 2 | Post Autogroom (count) | Number of times observed autogrooming after stimuli removal during behavior scan sampling |
| Table 1, Table 2 | Post Activity (count) | Number of times observed in active behaviors not otherwise specified after stimuli removal during behavior scan sampling |
| Table 1, Table 2 | Post Rest (count) | Number of times observed resting after stimuli removal during behavior scan sampling |
| Table 1, Table 2 | Post Backflip (count) | Number of times observed backflipping after stimuli removal during behavior scan sampling |
Methods
See publication for Methods