Biology subjects

Winberg, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Winberg, S..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Locomotory activity is more consistent over time than thigmotaxis and aggressive behavior in sea-ranched Baltic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

The behavioral differences, individually but also on group level has been evaluated in Baltic salmon parr in a repeated test combining open field and mirror test with focus on aggressive, bold and active behavior. The 164 salmon parr was tested twice and distance moved in arena, activity, was the variable which had the highest correlation between the trials. No correlation was found between aggression and activity or between boldness and activity. The groups which expressed lower aggression had a larger variance in their behavior compared to the highly aggressive groups which had a very strict behavioral repertoire.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2025

Effects of stress coping styles and social defeat on zebrafish behaviour and brain transcriptomics

Individuals with divergent personality traits corresponding to stress coping styles have been suggested to differ in behavioural and neural plasticity. To assess the effects of social experience on the coping ability of wild zebrafish selectively bred for boldness/shyness, we used a model of social defeat stress. Behavioural tests were performed to assess parameters such as boldness/exploration, aggressiveness, and displaced behaviour. Gene expression changes in the brain were assessed via RNA sequencing. The main results suggest a strong effect of shyness and boldness phenotype on behaviour and brain transcriptome. Fish of the shy line displayed significant behavioural changes, while the number of differentially expressed genes remained low. In contrast, fish of the bold line exhibited a small effect on behaviour and pronounced changes in brain gene expression. This study highlights the importance of boldness phenotype and its influence on the response to social challenges at the behavioural and transcriptomic levels.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2021

Brain monoaminergic activity during predator inspection in the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

To understand the processes underpinning social decision-making, we need to determine how internal states respond to information gathered from the social environment. Brain monoamine neurotransmitters are key in the appraisal of the social environment and can reflect the internal state underlying behavioural responses to social stimuli. Here we determined the effects of conspecific partner cooperativeness during predator inspection on brain monoamine metabolic activity in Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). We quantified the concentration of dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites across brain sections sampled immediately after ostensibly experiencing cooperation or defection from social partners whilst inspecting a predator model. Our results indicate dopaminergic and serotonergic activity differs with the cooperativeness experienced; these different neurotransmission profiles are likely to affect the expression and regulation of downstream behaviours that ultimately contribute to the patterning of cooperative interactions among individuals in the population. List of abbreviations used

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2018

Profiles of cooperative brains: A discriminant analysis of cleaner and client fish monoaminergic responses to different social contexts

Vertebrate cognitive function requires a dynamic coordination of multiple specialized areas of the brain. The challenge here is to understand how these brain areas respond in dependence to the neurophysiological mechanisms in place, as to enable the successful processing of information. For instance, social and cooperative behaviour has been linked to the activation of some specific brain areas, mostly associated with reward processing. Here we evaluated a classic model system of cooperation between species of fish and compared datasets of brain monoaminergic response. We analysed by using multivariate discriminant analysis the exposure of cleaners, Labroides dimidiatus, to several social-related conditions, as well as the response of one client species, Naso elegans, to similar contexts. We demonstrate that the variable appraisal of each social challenge contributes to brain dopaminergic and serotonergic changes, in cleaners and clients, with both showing the diencephalon and optic tectum as main areas of metabolite response. The role of the serotoninergic system activation was mostly demonstrated at the diencephalon and cerebellum of cleaners, a response that was driven by mutualistic interaction, contact with client. Our current evidence is the first to jointly demonstrate the level of selective similarity in brain monoaminergic mechanisms that underlie fish mutualistic and social engagement, for both sides of these partnerships.

neuroscience↗