Evolutionarily conserved role of oxytocin in social fear contagion in zebrafish.
Science
; 379(6638): 1232-1237, 2023 03 24.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36952426
ABSTRACT
Emotional contagion is the most ancestral form of empathy. We tested to what extent the proximate mechanisms of emotional contagion are evolutionarily conserved by assessing the role of oxytocin, known to regulate empathic behaviors in mammals, in social fear contagion in zebrafish. Using oxytocin and oxytocin receptor mutants, we show that oxytocin is both necessary and sufficient for observer zebrafish to imitate the distressed behavior of conspecific demonstrators. The brain regions associated with emotional contagion in zebrafish are homologous to those involved in the same process in rodents (e.g., striatum, lateral septum), receiving direct projections from oxytocinergic neurons located in the pre-optic area. Together, our results support an evolutionary conserved role for oxytocin as a key regulator of basic empathic behaviors across vertebrates.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Comportamento Social
/
Comportamento Animal
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Peixe-Zebra
/
Ocitocina
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Empatia
/
Medo
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Portugal