Neural circuitry of play fighting in golden hamsters
Abstract
In hamsters, play fighting matures gradually into adult aggression. As these two behaviors share many similarities in this species, we predicted that a single neural circuitry controls their offensive component. The goal of the present study was to identify neural systems associated with offensive play fighting in male juvenile golden hamsters. The neural circuitry related to this behavior was identified through quantification of c-Fos immunolabeling. We also looked for vasopressin cells possibly associated with play fighting. We found that areas previously associated with offensive aggression in adult hamsters, including the ventrolateral hypothalamus, the medial amygdala, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, also showed enhanced c-Fos expression after play fighting. In addition, vasopressin neurons in the nucleus circularis and the medial division of the supraoptic nucleus expressed enhanced c-Fos immunolabeling in juveniles after play fighting, as previously reported in adult hamsters after aggression. Finally, enhanced c-Fos expression associated with play fighting was also found in areas previously unexplored in adult hamsters, such as the prefrontal cortex. Together, our results support the hypothesis of a single core neural circuitry controlling the offensive components of play fighting and adult aggression throughout puberty in hamsters.
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AVP may act via other nuclei not considered in the present study that likely contribute to AVP's actions on play.
“AVP may act via other nuclei not considered in the present study that likely contribute to AVP’s actions on play, e.g., nucleus circularis, supraoptic nucleus, medial amygdaloid nucleus (Cheng et al., 2008; Kurian et al., 2008; Forbes-Lorman et al., 2012).”
From Sexually dimorphic role for vasopressin in the development of social play (2014) · cites this paper as Cheng et al., 2008
AVP cells in the nucleus circularis and the SON showed enhanced c-Fos immunolabeling after social play in juvenile male hamsters.
“In juvenile male hamsters, for example, AVP cells in the nucleus circularis and the SON showed enhanced c-Fos immunolabeling after social play, suggesting increased activity (Cheng et al., 2008).”
From Sex-specific modulation of juvenile social play by vasopressin (2013) · cites this paper as Cheng et al., 2008
V1aR blockade in the anterior hypothalamus decreased the number of attacks and bites during social play in juvenile male hamsters.
“Furthermore, V1aR blockade in the anterior hypothalamus (which is a possible projection site of AVP cells in the nucleus circularis and SON; Cheng et al., 2008) decreased the number of attacks and bites during social play in juvenile male hamsters (Cheng & Delville, 2009).”
From Sex-specific modulation of juvenile social play by vasopressin (2013) · cites this paper as Cheng et al., 2008
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References 69 · Cited by 59
- Authors
- Cheng, S.-Y., Taravosh-Lahn, K., & Delville, Y.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- ORCID
- Delville, Y.
- Venue
- Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-10
- Volume
- 156
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 247-256
- ISSN
- 0306-4522 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2036414479
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 4.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- play fighting, adult aggression, neural circuits, golden hamster, adolescent aggression, Fos expression, vasopressin neurons, ventrolateral hypothalamus, medial amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, prefrontal cortex, puberty, offensive behavior
- MeSH terms
- Agonistic Behavior, Animals, Animals, Newborn, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Cricetinae, Male, Mesocricetus, Nerve Net, Neurons, Social Behavior, Vasopressins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
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