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Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Poster
Degree Type
Graduate
Department
Biological Sciences
Mentor
Dr. Fernanda Duque
Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract
Animals must respond adaptively to social cues for survival. Stress, often triggered by environmental factors, can alter how animals perceive and respond to social stimuli. A stress hormone, corticosterone (CORT), prepares the body to respond to a stressor; thus, it is used as a measure of stress levels. In the brain, different types of stress, such as acute and chronic, can cause shifts in the expression of neuropeptides that modulate social behaviors and changes in behavior. By assessing female preference for a socially relevant stimulus under different stress conditions, we can understand how stress impacts social behavior and the perception of social signals. In our study, female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) will undergo different stress conditions (control, acute - AS, and chronic - CS). Then, using a three-chamber setup, females will be presented with a choice between a social stimulus consisting of a picture of a female zebra finch paired with contact calls or a control stimulus consisting of a scrambled zebra finch image and pink noise. Females will also have the option to remain in the neutral zone (no stimulus). We will assess social preference by comparing how long they spend near the control vs the social stimulus. We predict that there will be a negative correlation between preference for social stimulus and CORT levels so the control birds will have the lowest CORT levels and strongest preference, while the AS birds will have the highest CORT levels and weakest preference. This is consistent with research showing that chronic stress causes a dampened stress response while acute stress induces high CORT levels due to the novelty of the stressor. In the future, we will assess changes in the gene expression of social neuropeptides in sensory regions of the brain due to stress condition. This work will provide insights into how stress might change the perception of social signals, thus affecting future decision-making and social interactions.
Recommended Citation
Enevold, Alyssa and Duque, Fernanda, "The Effect of Stress on Female Preference and Perception of a Socially Relevant Stimulus" (2025). University Research Symposium. 488.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/rsp_urs/488
