Guadagno, Angelo; Triki, Zegni (2024). Executive functions and brain morphology of male and female dominant and subordinate cichlid fish. Brain and Behavior, 14(5) Wiley 10.1002/brb3.3484
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Brain_and_Behavior_-_2024_-_Guadagno_-_Executive_functions_and_brain_morphology_of_male_and_female_dominant_and_subordinate.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY). Download (1MB) | Preview |
BACKGROUND
Living in a social dominance hierarchy presents different benefits and challenges for dominant and subordinate males and females, which might in turn affect their cognitive needs. Despite the extensive research on social dominance in group-living species, there is still a knowledge gap regarding how social status impacts brain morphology and cognitive abilities.
METHODS
Here, we tested male and female dominants and subordinates of Neolamprologus pulcher, a social cichlid fish species with size-based hierarchy. We ran three executive cognitive function tests for cognitive flexibility (reversal learning test), self-control (detour test), and working memory (object permanence test), followed by brain and brain region size measurements.
RESULTS
Performance was not influenced by social status or sex. However, dominants exhibited a brain-body slope that was relatively steeper than that of subordinates. Furthermore, individual performance in reversal learning and detour tests correlated with brain morphology, with some trade-offs among major brain regions like telencephalon, cerebellum, and optic tectum.
CONCLUSION
As individuals' brain growth strategies varied depending on social status without affecting executive functions, the different associated challenges might yield a potential effect on social cognition instead. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of studying the individual and not just species to understand better how the individual's ecology might shape its brain and cognition.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Behavioural Ecology 08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Guadagno, Angelo, Triki, Zegni |
Subjects: |
500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology 500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology) |
ISSN: |
2162-3279 |
Publisher: |
Wiley |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Pubmed Import |
Date Deposited: |
29 Apr 2024 15:50 |
Last Modified: |
30 Apr 2024 09:21 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1002/brb3.3484 |
PubMed ID: |
38680075 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
associative learning cognitive flexibility inhibitory control object permanence size‐based hierarchy social pressures working memory |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/196372 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/196372 |
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