LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – New research shows that hunger can drastically change the behavior of female mice. During certain hormonal phases they go from caring to aggressive towards young animals. This discovery could provide important insights into the neural mechanisms that control animal behavior.
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In a fascinating study, scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have found that hunger can significantly affect the behavior of female mice. What is particularly noteworthy is that this behavioral change only occurs in certain hormonal phases. The researchers discovered that neurons that control appetite interact with an area of the brain associated with parental care, the medial preoptic area (MPOA). These findings could have far-reaching implications for our understanding of behavioral changes in animals.
The study shows that starving virgin mice become aggressive toward young animals, but only in certain hormonal states. The AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus suppress activity in the MPOA, shifting behavior from caring to aggression. This neuronal interaction is determined by the ratio of the hormones estradiol and progesterone, which influences the mice’s sensitivity to hunger signals.
Interestingly, it was found that only about 60% of mice responded aggressively to pups, even when all mice were in the same starvation state. This suggests that reproductive status plays a crucial role. The researchers found that mice are more likely to become aggressive during certain phases of the reproductive cycle. These phases are characterized by the ratio of ovarian hormones, which determines the responsiveness of the MPOA neurons.
The results of this study illustrate how hunger and reproductive hormones work together in the brain to dynamically change behavior. While people don’t experience the same simple behavioral shifts, these findings highlight the importance of hormones in considering how different physical states interact in the brain. This research could help decipher the mechanisms underlying the integration of states, as brain architecture and hormones are very similar between species.
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