The antidepressant-like effects of an n-butanol fraction of Ocimum sanctum Linn. extract in unpredictable chronic mild stress-induced depression in mice

We previously reported that Ocimum sanctum Linn. (OS) ethanolic extract and its n-butanol fraction (OS-B) could improve depression-like behaviour in olfactory bulbectomized mice. The present study aims to clarify the antidepressant-like effects of OS-B and the possible mechanism of its action using mice subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). UCMS mice were administered daily with OS-B (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, p.o.) or imipramine (IMP, 8 mg/kg, i.p.), a reference drug. The UCMS-induced anhedonia in mice was analysed by the sucrose preference test, while behavioural despair was assessed using the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). Locomotor activities and grooming behaviour of mice were elucidated using the open-field test (OFT). The UCMS procedure for 5 weeks induced anhedonia, and this symptom was significantly ameliorated by the administration of OS-B (100 mg/kg) as well as IMP during the UCMS period. Moreover, the OS-B and IMP treatment attenuated the UCMS-induced enhancement of behavioural despair in the TST and FST. In OFT, mice subjected to UCMS showed a decrease in grooming behaviour, and the effect of UCMS was reversed by OS-B and IMP administrations. No significant difference in locomotor activities between each animal group was observed. The amelioration effects of OS-B and IMP on UCMS-induced behavioural despair in the TST were abolished by administrating of ρ-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 80 mg/kg, i.p), a tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, and α-methyl-ρ-tyrosine (AMPT, 100 mg/kg), a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor. The present results suggest that OS-B attenuates UCMS-induced depression-like symptoms via monoaminergic systems including in the noradrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic system

The influence of the stereotypic forms of activity in mice behaviour in standard behavioural tests

Laboratory animals often develop abnormal repetitive (stereotypic) behaviour that can influence both physiology and behavioural test results. Such abnormal behaviours usually develop in suboptimal environment and increase over time. To explore the development of stereotypic forms of activity night home-cage behaviour of laboratory mice was analysed and collated with the behaviour in open field (OFT), hole-board (HBT) and tail suspension (TST) tests twice within 16 weeks. Mice expressed few stereotypies and their duration lessened over time from median 8.2 to 1.0 %. In contrast, grooming behaviour increased significantly from 29.5 to 49.6 %. Home-cage grooming correlated with the latency of locomotion start in OFT and with the immobility time in TST. Intensity and stability of stereotypic activity and grooming inf­luenced the duration of grooming in OFT: the mice with unstable stereotypies groomed more than others, and mice with the lowes home-cage grooming level also groomed in OFT the most. Intensity and stability of night grooming influenced the behaviour in TST: the mice with unstable level of grooming were the most mobile in this test. Abnormal home-cage activity may indicate impaired welfare, and that, in turn, may affect test activity, so researchers need to keep it in mind when planning animal behaviour experiments.

Computer vision application in tracking grooming behaviour in arthropods

Computer vision application is a broad-spectrum sophisticated technique of high accuracy, which can be used efficiently to detect objects from a video footage. The principle of feature detection is being implemented through this technique for the recognition of desired behavioural patterns. Our results demonstrate a competent function of SURF (Speeded Up Robust Features), a computer vision algorithm in assessing animal behaviour from a recorded video. In the present study, we have applied this algorithm for accurate quantification of grooming behaviour in aquatic arthropods, using a semi-transparent freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei as a model organism. Grooming behaviour is considered as an index of neuronal stress in several animals. We predict the effective application of this method in the area of behavioural ecology and neuroethological research in diverse group of animals.

Ticks, Hair Loss, and Non-Clinging Babies: A Novel Tick-Based Hypothesis for the Evolutionary Divergence of Humans and Chimpanzees

Human straight-legged bipedalism represents one of the earliest events in the evolutionary split between humans (Homo spp.) and chimpanzees (Pan spp.), although its selective basis is a mystery. A carrying-related hypothesis has recently been proposed in which hair loss within the hominin lineage resulted in the inability of babies to cling to their mothers, requiring mothers to walk upright to carry their babies. However, a question remains for this model: what drove the hair loss that resulted in upright walking? Observers since Darwin have suggested that hair loss in humans may represent an evolutionary strategy for defence against ticks. The aim of this review is to propose and evaluate a novel tick-based evolutionary hypothesis wherein forest fragmentation in hominin paleoenvironments created conditions that were favourable for tick proliferation, selecting for hair loss in hominins and grooming behaviour in chimpanzees as divergent anti-tick strategies. It is argued that these divergent anti-tick strategies resulted in different methods for carrying babies, driving the locomotor divergence of humans and chimpanzees.

Arsenic Induced Patterns of Auto-Grooming Response Over Time in Macrobrachium lamarrei: A Study on Behavioural Plasticity

Behavioural toxicity is a very applicable area in the vast field of ecotoxicology where, assessment of the alteration of behaviour is an effective tool to evaluate neural activity in an organism. In our present study, we have shown that arsenic trioxide exposure can stimulate repetitive grooming activity in a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei; however, over time the organism can modulate the grooming performances to less. We predict that repetition in the grooming behaviour is a case of neurotoxicity by arsenic and induction of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within a short period of exposure time.

Simple approaches for environmental and mechanical management of the Varroa mite, Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Parasitiformes: Varroidae), on the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Egypt

Background Varroa mite, Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Parasitiformes: Varroidae), is an ectoparasitic mite of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), with a great economic importance. It is the major deadlock of apiculture development all over the world. Results This work aimed to assess the effect of bee house and dark bee house on numbers of Varroa mite on white card board sheets, worker broods, and alive bees during spring and autumn of 2018 and 2019. Two types of card board for sticking the fallen Varroa mite were evaluated through winter of 2019. Keeping honey bee hives in a dark room during March and September of 2018 and 2019 for a successive 3 days resulted in a great reduction in the number of Varroa inner bee hive, i.e., on the white card board sheets, area of broods, and alive honey bee. Highest number of fallen Varroa mite on the white card board sheets was obtained in the case of using the dark bee house during March and September in 2018 and 2019, followed by keeping in a normal bee house then those fallen in the case of the open apiary. Conclusion The dark bee house grooming behaviour increased through 3 days of dark. Environmental management of bee house and dark bee house can be promising in colony collapse disorder. Modified adhesive sheets were more efficient in this regard than the normal ones.

Social contagion of affiliation in female macaques

Social contagion of non-interactive behaviour is widespread among animals including humans. It is thought to facilitate behavioural synchronization and consequently group cohesion, coordination and opportunities for social learning. Contagion of interactive behaviour—particularly affiliation—has received much less attention. Here, we investigated in female rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) the effect of observing group members groom on a subject's subsequent grooming behaviour and the potential modulation of contagion by relationship quality and social status. We recorded behaviour after subjects witnessed a grooming event and compared it to behaviour in a control condition with the same individuals in proximity but in the absence of a stimulus grooming event. Compared to the control condition, after observing others groom, females engaged in a grooming interaction sooner, and were more likely to be the initiator and to take on the active groomer role. Dominance rank of the focal individual and more weakly also of the stimulus individuals affected the latency to the next grooming interaction of the focal subject. Latency to the next grooming interaction decreased with increasing rank of the subject potentially reflecting lower social constraints faced by high ranking individuals in this highly despotic species. Relationship quality between the subject and the stimulus individuals had no effect on latency to grooming. Collectively, our findings provide evidence for visual contagion of affiliation in rhesus macaques. Future studies should explore the systematic variation in contagion of interactive behaviour in relation to a gradient of social tolerance.

The Effectiveness of Scutellaria baicalensis on Migraine: Implications from Clinical Use and Experimental Proof

Background. Scutellaria baicalensis (SB), a traditional Chinese medicine, is commonly used for the treatment of inflammatory and painful conditions. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of SB on migraine. Materials and Methods. We examined the clinical applications of SB based on the data obtained from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database and confirmed that it was frequently used in Taiwan for the treatment of headaches. An experimental migraine model was established in rats by an intraperitoneal injection of nitroglycerin (NTG, 10 mg/kg). Pretreatment with SB was given orally 30 min before NTG administration. The rats were subjected to migraine-related behaviour tests that were video-recorded and analysed using EthoVision XT 12.0 software. Results. The frequency of exploratory and locomotor behaviour was comparatively lower in the NTG group than that in the control group, while the frequency of resting and grooming behaviour increased. These phenomena were ameliorated by pretreatment with 1.0 g/kg SB. The total time spent on the smooth surface was longer in the NTG group than that in the control group, but the time was shortened by pretreatment with 1.0 g/kg SB. Conclusions. Pretreatment with 1.0 g/kg SB relieved migraine-related behaviours in the experimental NTG-induced migraine model. The outcome therefore demonstrated that pretreatment with 1.0 g/kg SB is beneficial for migraine treatment.

Arsenic induced patterns of auto-grooming response over time in Macrobrachium lamarrei: a study on behavioural plasticity

Behavioural toxicity is a very applicable area in the vast field of ecotoxicology where,assessment of the alteration of behaviour is an effective tool to evaluate neural activity in an organism. In our present study, we have shown that arsenic trioxide exposure can stimulate repetitive grooming activity in a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei; however, over time the organism can modulate the grooming performances to less. We predict that repetition in the grooming behaviour is a case of neurotoxicity by arsenic and induction of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within a short period of exposure time.

The effect of social odour context on the amount of time male meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, self-groom

Communicational behaviours by individuals provide information for not only the intended target(s) of the signal but any non-target individual(s) that may be nearby. For terrestrial mammals a major form of communication and social information is through odours via scent marking and self-grooming. Self-grooming is a ubiquitous behaviour in mammals with the function thought to primarily be centred on personal care. But it has been found in rodents that self-grooming will occur in the presence of social odours thus potentially serving a communicative role. For example, male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) self-groom in the presence of a female conspecific odour but not a male conspecific odour. Most studies examining self-grooming as a form of olfactory communication have used single odour donors but in a natural environment individuals will come across complex social odour situations. Therefore, we examined how male meadow voles respond to complex social odours with regards to their self-grooming behaviour. We tested the hypothesis that self-grooming can act as a form of olfactory communication and that male meadow voles will control this behaviour measured by differences in self-grooming rates based on social contexts. Male meadow voles did not show differences in the amount of time spent self-grooming to social odours that contained a female and varying number of rival males (0, 1, 3, or 5) or if the social odour contained an acquainted or novel male. Male meadow voles did self-groom more to a social odour that contained a female and a younger male compared to when the social odour contained a female and older male. Male meadow voles appear to adjust their self-grooming behaviour based on the context of the social information. This may be a strategy that can maximize that individual’s fitness by adjusting how much information is provided to potential rivals and mates.