Acute social isolation alters the genomic state of the songbird auditory forebrain

Neuronal Mechanism for Critical Period Unit (Yazaki-Sugiyama Unit) would like to invite you to a seminar by Dr. Zachary Bell from Queen Mary University of London.

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Date: Monday, July 3, 2017

Time: 10:00-11:00

Venue: C015, Level C, Lab 1

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Speaker:

Dr. Zachary Bell, Queen Mary University of London

Title:
Acute social isolation alters the genomic state of the songbird auditory forebrain

Abstract:
Zebra finches are a domesticated songbird species commonly used as a model organism in laboratory studies of the neural and molecular mechanisms underlying auditory perception and vocal learning. In the wild, they live in large colonial groups, but the baseline control condition in typical laboratory experiments involves placing a single bird into a sound attenuation chamber. An unpublished RNA sequencing analysis revealed that chamber housing itself alters the genomic state of the auditory forebrain. Using this preliminary analysis as a starting point, four putative "chamber-responsive" genes were selected for detailed study (UTS2B, FKBP5, EGR1, and BDNF). The first aim was to compare neuroanatomical expression patterns of these genes in birds taken immediately from a social aviary or from chamber housing, using in situ hybridisation. The results showed that each gene had a unique qualitative expression pattern in response to chamber housing, within and outside the auditory forebrain. The second aim was to test the hypothesis that gene responses in the auditory forebrain were direct effects of the change in social context (i.e. social isolation). For this, quantitative PCR was used to assess whether inclusion of a second bird ("partner"), could ameliorate the effect of chamber housing. The results showed that including a partner bird largely blocked the chamber housing response for EGR1 and BDNF, independent of effects from circulating glucocorticoids. Together, these findings reveal that chamber housing causes a complex set of genomic responses throughout the forebrain, some of which can be attributed to the psychosocial experience of social isolation.

Host:
Assistant Prof. Yazaki-Sugiyama

We hope to see many of you at the seminar.