Effects of elevated carbon dioxide on male and female behavioural lateralization in a temperate goby

Behavioural abnormality in fishes has been proposed as a significant consequence of the increasing levels of carbon dioxide occurring in the oceans. Negative effects of elevated CO 2 have been reported for behaviours such as predator–prey interactions, foraging, hearing and behavioural lateralization. Importantly, the effects vary greatly both within and between species, and some recent studies have shown minimal effects of CO 2 on behaviour. Whether the effect of CO 2 also varies between males and females is, however, virtually unexplored. According to resource allocation theory, females are expected to be more sensitive to elevated CO 2 , meaning that non-sex-specific studies may overlook ecologically important differences between the sexes. In this study, we investigated the possible differences between males and females in their response to elevated CO 2 by performing behavioural lateralization tests in adult temperate two-spotted gobies, Gobiusculus flavescens . We found that the strength of the side bias (absolute lateralization) was unaffected by the CO 2 treatment, and there was no difference between males and females. The control fish were slightly right-biased in their behavioural asymmetry (mean relative lateralization of 14). Exposure to high CO 2 affected this pattern, such that treated fish were slightly left-biased (mean relative lateralization of −10), regardless of their sex. The same results were obtained yet again when the study was repeated during a second year. We discuss our results in light of the great variation in lateralization that has been reported to depend on variables such as species, ecological settings and environmental factors.

Flank sucking in a Doberman pincher

Flank sucking is a behavioural abnormality of compulsive nature that occurs almost exclusively in Doberman pinchers and is frequently accompanied by other abnormal behaviours, such as aerai lick dermatitis, blanket sucking and pica. A 2.5-year old, intact male, Doberman pinscher was presented because of a two-month long history of persistent right flank sucking. The dog was up-to-date with vaccinations and lived exclusively outdoors with his mother. The onset of the problem coincided with a period of crate restraining, where a short chain was used to avoid copulation with his mother, when she was in oestrus. Since then, the abnormal behaviour occurred on a daily basis and was not associated with neurological signs. In addition, the dog presented blanket sucking and pica that had first appeared during puppy hood. No clinical abnormalities were detected and the dog did not show signs of anxiety, aggression or fear during physical examination and blood sampling. Later-on and while remaining calm in the waiting room of the Clinic, the dog started chasing, chewing and sucking his right flank for over three minutes, but stopped immediately after his owner's verbal intervention. Primary diagnosis was compulsive flank sucking; differential diagnosis included Trichuris vulpis infestation, allergic dermatitis and psychomotor seizures. Results of haematological and serum biochemical examinations were unremarkable, whereas serological examination for Leishmania and faecal parasitological examination did not reveal significant results. Suggested treatment included administration of an anthelminthic combination (praziquantel, pyrantel and febantel), orally, for 4 consecutive days and clomipramine, at the dose of 1 mg/kg of body weight, every 12 hours, orally, for a long period of time, along with instructions to avoid the causative and triggering factors. Two months later, the owner reported that, although clomipramine had not been administered, the abnormal behaviour disappeared when the dog had been relocated to a new environment with no other animals and was free to roam. However, flank sucking reappeared after the dog had been moved back to the initial environment and chained.

Mechanisms underlying the role of glucocorticoids in the early life programming of adult disease

Compelling epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to an adverse intrauterine environment, manifested by low-birth weight, is associated with cardiometabolic and behavioural disorders in adulthood. These observations have led to the concept of ‘fetal programming’. The molecular mechanisms that underlie this relationship remain unclear, but are being extensively investigated using a number of experimental models. One major hypothesis for early life physiological programming implicates fetal overexposure to stress (glucocorticoid) hormones. Several animal studies have shown that prenatal glucocorticoid excess, either from endogenous overproduction with maternal stress or through exogenous administration to the mother or fetus, reduces birth weight and causes lifelong hypertension, hyperglycaemia and behavioural abnormality in the offspring. Intriguingly, these effects are transmitted across generations without further exposure to glucocorticoids, which suggests an epigenetic mechanism. These animal observations could have huge implications if extrapolated to humans, where glucocorticoids have extensive therapeutic use in obstetric and neonatal practice.

Dancing with Myths: The Misogynist Construction of Dancing Mania

The European ‘dancing manias’ represent the first recorded episodes of ‘epidemic hysteria’. These behaviours are typified within the psychiatric literature as spontaneous, stress-induced outbursts of psychological disturbance that primarily affected females. This depiction is typically founded on secondary sources or the selective use of period quotations by medical historians George Rosen and Henry Sigerist. However, based on a series of translations of medieval European chronicles describing these events, typically firsthand, it is evident that contemporary depictions of ‘dancing manias’ have been misrepresented by these misogynist scholars. Contrary to popular psychiatric portrayals, females were not overrepresented among participants, episodes were not spontaneous but highly structured, and involved unfamiliar religious sects engaging in strange or unfamiliar customs that were redefined as a behavioural abnormality.

Hereditary compulsive self-mutilating behaviour in laboratory rabbits

During the last few years an increasing number of cases of extensive automutilation has been observed in a rabbit breeding colony of Checkered crosses. Digits and pads of the front feet were traumatized. No other behavioural abnormalities or signs of disease were evident. Self-mutilation was seen both in stock, breeding and experimental animals, in rabbits kept singly in cages and in those housed in groups on the ground, in rabbits kept in different buildings and under the care of different staff members. This behavioural abnormality of Checkered crosses has also been observed in animals after being placed into other institutions or private homes. No evidence of an agent responsible for the occurrence of self-injury could be found with parasitological, mycological, histological, clinical or haematological examination. Twelve to 16 animals are affected yearly in a colony varying in size between 130 and 230 rabbits. Following complete healing, relapses occurred up to 3 times per year, on either the same or the opposite front foot. In the last 21 cases episodes of automutilation could be regularly interrupted with the dopamine antagonist, haloperidol. Similar signs of automutilation were never seen in animals of another breeding line kept in the same building and under the same conditions nor in animals brought in from other breeding colonies. A relatively high coefficient of inbreeding can be presupposed in this 15-year-old breeding colony of Checkered crosses. A genetic predisposition for the behavioural anomaly described appears very likely.

The use of electroencephalography in an in-patient mental handicap population

The use of electroencephalography over a three year period in a large mental handicap hospital was studied. There were no significant differences in its use according to sex or intelligence. The majority of requests were made following seizures and in the investigation of behavioural abnormality. In over a quarter of cases the EEG requests appeared to be inappropriate. It is suggested that a more cost-effective use would result if EEGs were requested only in those cases in which the result will lead to a change in the management of the patient.

Chlorpromazine and Trifluoperazine in the Treatment of Behavioural Abnormalities in the Severely Subnormal Child

A prime obstacle in the training and socialization of the severely subnormal child is behavioural abnormality; drug therapy is most widely used in its control. Until the introduction of tranquillizers, sedatives were normally used. Unfortunately these caused not only motor, but mental retardation. The advent of phenothiazines appeared to offer a solution to this problem.