Reproductive state modulates testosterone-induced singing in adult female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). 2015

Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: mlrouse@ucsd.edu.

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) exhibit seasonal changes in singing and in the volumes of the neural substrate. Increases in song nuclei volume are mediated at least in part by increases in day length, which is also associated with increases in plasma testosterone (T), reproductive activity, and singing behavior in males. The correlations between photoperiod (i.e. daylength), T, reproductive state and singing hamper our ability to disentangle causal relationships. We investigated how photoperiodic-induced variation in reproductive state modulates the effects of T on singing behavior and song nuclei volumes in adult female starlings. Female starlings do not naturally produce measureable levels of circulating T but nevertheless respond to exogenous T, which induces male-like singing. We manipulated photoperiod by placing birds in a photosensitive or photorefractory state and then treated them with T-filled or empty silastic implants. We recorded morning singing behavior for 3 weeks, after which we assessed reproductive condition and measured song nuclei volumes. We found that T-treated photosensitive birds sang significantly more than all other groups including T-treated photorefractory birds. All T-treated birds had larger song nuclei volumes than with blank-treated birds (despite photorefractory T-treated birds not increasing song-rate). There was no effect of photoperiod on the song nuclei volumes of T-treated birds. These data show that the behavioral effects of exogenous T can be modulated by reproductive state in adult female songbirds. Furthermore, these data are consistent with other observations that increases in singing rate in response to T are not necessarily due to the direct effects of T on song nuclei volume.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D012098 Reproduction The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed) Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012621 Seasons Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal
D013739 Testosterone A potent androgenic steroid and major product secreted by the LEYDIG CELLS of the TESTIS. Its production is stimulated by LUTEINIZING HORMONE from the PITUITARY GLAND. In turn, testosterone exerts feedback control of the pituitary LH and FSH secretion. Depending on the tissues, testosterone can be further converted to DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE or ESTRADIOL. 17-beta-Hydroxy-4-Androsten-3-one,17-beta-Hydroxy-8 alpha-4-Androsten-3-one,8-Isotestosterone,AndroGel,Androderm,Andropatch,Androtop,Histerone,Sterotate,Sustanon,Testim,Testoderm,Testolin,Testopel,Testosterone Sulfate,17 beta Hydroxy 4 Androsten 3 one,17 beta Hydroxy 8 alpha 4 Androsten 3 one,8 Isotestosterone
D014828 Vocalization, Animal Sounds used in animal communication. Singing, Animal,Sound Communication, Animal,Vocal Communication, Animal,Animal Singing,Animal Singings,Animal Sound Communication,Animal Sound Communications,Animal Vocal Communication,Animal Vocal Communications,Animal Vocalization,Animal Vocalizations,Communication, Animal Sound,Communication, Animal Vocal,Communications, Animal Sound,Communications, Animal Vocal,Singings, Animal,Sound Communications, Animal,Vocal Communications, Animal,Vocalizations, Animal
D017440 Photoperiod The time period of daily exposure that an organism receives from daylight or artificial light. It is believed that photoperiodic responses may affect the control of energy balance and thermoregulation. Dark-Light Cycle,Daylight Cycle,Light Cycle,Light-Dark Cycle,Cycle, Dark-Light,Cycle, Daylight,Cycle, Light,Cycle, Light-Dark,Cycles, Dark-Light,Cycles, Daylight,Cycles, Light,Cycles, Light-Dark,Dark Light Cycle,Dark-Light Cycles,Daylight Cycles,Light Cycles,Light Dark Cycle,Light-Dark Cycles,Photoperiods
D046749 Starlings The family Sturnidae, in the order PASSERIFORMES. The starling family also includes mynahs and oxpeckers. Mynahs,Sturnidae,Oxpeckers,Mynah,Oxpecker,Starling

Related Publications

Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
April 2014, Hormones and behavior,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
May 2009, Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983),
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
February 2001, Biology of reproduction,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
April 1974, General and comparative endocrinology,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
February 1997, Behavioural processes,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
January 2012, PloS one,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
May 2019, Animal cognition,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
July 2003, Behavioural brain research,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
April 2002, Proceedings. Biological sciences,
Melvin L Rouse, and Tyler J Stevenson, and Eric S Fortune, and Gregory F Ball
February 2009, Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987),
Copied contents to your clipboard!