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In many animal species, individuals have different personalities. For example, some people are always more daring than others.
"But in biology, we still do not fully understand what is behind the fact that people or animals present different personalities.In humans, people with different levels of signal substances in the brain, such as serotonin or dopamine, tend to behave differently, but we do not know whether variations in these signaling substances may explain differences in personality in other species, and whether the signaling substances cause the observed differences. or if the differences in behavior and levels of signaling substances depend on another underlying factor, says Robin Abbey-Lee, a postdoctoral fellow at the department of physics, chemistry and biology at the IFM, the 39, one of the researchers who led the study.
Gave medicine to the man for the cricket
The researchers therefore wanted to actively modify the levels of serotonin and dopamine signaling agents to study this issue and used crickets for the study. They did it by giving the crickets drugs that affect the serotonin and dopamine systems, and used to treat people with depression or Parkinson's disease. Since the serotonin and dopamine systems of different animals are similar, the researchers expected the drugs to affect crickets as well.
"In this study, we wanted to fill a large knowledge gap by experimentally altering the levels of these signaling substances and determining if this could result in a change in cyst behavior," said Hanne Løvlie, assistant professor at the University of Toronto. IFM, who studied the study.
Then measured cricket behavior
The researchers measured three different behaviors in the cysts.
"We measured the level of activity of crickets in a familiar environment, which is the number of people traveling to their homes.We also studied the exploratory behavior of cricket in a new environment, similar to how a No one can behave during a visit to a new city.Finally, we have studied the behavior of crickets in combat situations to measure the aggressiveness of individuals, says Robin Abbey-Lee.
The researchers found that changes in serotonin levels made crickets less active and less aggressive. Modified dopamine levels, on the other hand, were not associated with changes in cyst behavior.
"This indicates that serotonin has a clearer underlying role in these behaviors," said Hanne Løvlie.
The results help us better understand why animals have personality. They also raise the question of how drugs that infiltrate into nature through our sewage affect wildlife.
L & # 39; section:
"Experimental Manipulation of Monoamine Levels Alters Personality in Crickets", RN Abbey-Lee, Uhrig EJ, Garnham L, Lundgren K, Child S, LøvlieH, (2018), Scientific Reports, published online November 1, 2018
Contact:
Hanne Løvlie, Assistant Professor, [email protected]
Robin Abbey-Lee, postdoctoral fellow, [email protected]
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