Physiology & Behavior最新文献

{"title":"Alteration of brain endocannabinoids on restraint stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors in mice","authors":"Ryo Fukumori,&nbsp;Kanan Ueo,&nbsp;Ryosuke Nakashima,&nbsp;Taku Yamaguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115201","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115201","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endocannabinoid (eCB) systems have been implicated in the development of stress-induced anxiety. In this study, we investigated the changes in eCB levels in the mouse brain due to restraint stress. In addition, we examined the effects of eCB-degrading enzyme inhibitors on anxiety-like behavior in restraint-stressed mice. For restraint stress, the mice were immobilized in a 50 ml syringe with holes for airflow for 30 min. After restraint stress, the contents of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and <em>N</em>-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) were measured via UPLC‒MS/MS. Immediately after restraint stress, 2-AG content was significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC). Similarly, AEA content was decreased in the PFC and HC, although 2-AG and AEA contents did not change in the striatum, periamygdaloid cortex or medulla oblongata. On the other hand, at both 30 and 60 min after restraint stress, 2-AG content was significantly increased in the PFC and HC. However, AEA content remained reduced in the PFC for up to 30 min after stress exposure, but the significant reduction was no longer observed at 60 min. In the elevated plus-maze test, the time spent in the open arms decreased in restraint-stressed mice, which indicated the occurrence of anxiogenic behavior. This anxiogenic behavior was ameliorated by the administration of JZL184 (a monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor) or URB597. (a fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor) These results suggest that eCB levels are highly responsive to time-dependent and brain region-specific changes in response to acute stress stimuli. Furthermore, restraint stress induces anxiogenic behavior, which is ameliorated by inhibitors of eCB-degrading enzymes. These findings indicate that the reduction in eCB levels in the PFC and HC may be due to the development of stress-induced anxiety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115201"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145752025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anti-inflammatory role of methylprednisolone in the hippocampus prevents depressive-like behavior after spinal cord injury in rats","authors":"Fernando da Silva Fiorin ,&nbsp;Angela Patricia França ,&nbsp;Franciane Bobinski ,&nbsp;Caroline Cunha do Espírito-Santo","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that impairs locomotion and frequently leads to psychiatric complications, including anxiety and depression. Neuroinflammation is a central mechanism underlying these behavioral disturbances, as systemic inflammatory signals reach the hippocampus and disrupt neurogenesis. Methylprednisolone (MP), a corticosteroid with potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties, is clinically administered in acute SCI to reduce tissue damage. In this study, we examined the effects of acute high-dose MP (30 mg/kg at 30 min and 15 mg/kg at 24 h) on locomotor recovery, anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors, memory, and hippocampal inflammation in female Wistar rats subjected to clip-compression SCI. SCI produced subacute and chronic motor deficits and anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors without impairing exploratory behavior and memory. Acute MP administration prevented depression-like behavior in the sucrose preference test at 8 and 36 postoperative days (POD) and in the social interaction test at 35 POD. However, MP administration was not able to prevent anxiety-like behavior in the light-dark box task at 35 POD and in the elevated plus maze at 32 POD. Moreover, MP treatment reduced hippocampal levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. These findings demonstrate that MP exerts neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects that specifically improve psychosocial outcomes following SCI, underscoring its potential to prevent post-traumatic psychiatric sequelae even in the absence of locomotor recovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115213"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145834558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Continuous testosterone exposure alters body weight, lean mass, estrous cycling and lipid profile, but not wheel running in adolescent or adult female rats","authors":"Rebecca M. Craft,&nbsp;Alexa R. Calvert,&nbsp;Faith Spencer,&nbsp;Michael M. Morgan","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115206","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115206","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Health-related organizations have called for broadening biomedical research to include gender-diverse individuals. The present study tested the validity of an animal model of gender affirming testosterone therapy that may be useful for determining the impact of hormonal transition on a variety of health outcomes in both adolescents and adults. Blank or testosterone-filled capsules were implanted s.c. into gonadally intact adolescent (post-natal day 43) and adult (post-natal day 92) female rats. Body weight, estrous cycling, and home cage wheel running were recorded for 3 weeks; other physiological indices of defeminization and masculinization were assessed 29–30 days after capsule implantation. Testosterone treatment at male-typical levels suppressed estrous cycling and uterine weight, increased body weight and lean mass, and increased low density lipoprotein levels in both adolescents and adults. Testosterone increased clitoral gland size in adolescents. In contrast, wheel running was not significantly altered by testosterone. Results suggest that testosterone exposure at male-typical levels in gonadally intact female rats – whether adolescent or adult at the initiation of treatment – is a valid model of gender affirming testosterone therapy in terms of hormone impact on a variety of physiological measures. This model can thus provide a clinically relevant avenue for advancing transgender medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115206"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145763434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emotional eating and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): a pre-registered study in a clinical population","authors":"Marisol Vazquez ,&nbsp;Laura L. Wilkinson ,&nbsp;Tom Pembroke","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects 38 % of adults globally and has been identified as a significant and increasing contributor to global health and economic burdens. Obesity is significantly associated with MASLD. Eating behaviours may represent an underexplored shared risk factor for these adverse physiological outcomes. Here, we tested a novel mediation model and hypothesised that emotional and uncontrolled eating would be positively associated with liver fibrosis (kilopascals; kPa) and steatosis (controlled attenuation parameter; CAP) via body mass index (BMI). 129 UK clinical patients undergoing a fibroscan, completed validated questionnaires on eating behaviours, snack and alcohol consumption. We confirmed an indirect relationship between emotional eating and steatosis mediated by BMI (<em>P</em> = 0.002), but not for liver fibrosis (<em>P</em> = 0.1). A direct relationship between unhealthy snack consumption and steatosis (<em>P</em> = 0.04) was also shown. We failed to show any direct or indirect relationships between uncontrolled eating and either fibrosis or steatosis. In an exploratory analysis, we also used separate logistic regressions to examine whether emotional eating and BMI were predictive of MASLD, alcohol related liver disease (ArLD) and other causes of deranged liver function tests (binary status). MASLD status was significantly positively predicted by both emotional eating (<em>P</em> = 0.003) and BMI (<em>P</em> = 0.024). By contrast, lower emotional eating scores predicted a higher likelihood that someone would have ArLD (<em>P</em> = 0.035) and emotional eating scores were not a significant predictor of other causes of deranged liver function (‘other group’, <em>P</em> = 0.398). Our findings indicate that psychological therapy focusing on emotional eating may represent a fruitful intervention target for MASLD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145637866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The interplay of social isolation, sex, and hyperalgesic priming on behavior and hormone levels in a mouse model","authors":"Daniela Baptista-de-Souza ,&nbsp;Melissa Késsia Cavalcante Oliveira ,&nbsp;Ana Claudia Braga-Dias ,&nbsp;Silvia Jimena Cardenas Otero ,&nbsp;Natália Urel Carneiro ,&nbsp;Julian Humberto Avalo-Zuluaga ,&nbsp;Lucas Canto-de-Souza ,&nbsp;Carlos C. Crestani ,&nbsp;Ricardo Luiz Nunes-de-Souza","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115191","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115191","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic pain profoundly impacts mental health, and the social environment significantly modulates pain perception and emotional states. Recognizing the influence of biological sex on pain modulation, basic pain research increasingly investigates sex differences. The hyperalgesic priming protocol effectively models the neuroplastic mechanisms underlying the transition from acute to chronic pain in male and female rodents. Furthermore, accumulating evidence implicates specific hormones, including oxytocin, vasopressin, and corticosterone, in the pathophysiology of pain. This study aimed to determine the interactive influence of sex and social isolation on pain-related behaviors and plasma levels of oxytocin, vasopressin, and corticosterone in mice subjected to hyperalgesic priming. Two experiments were conducted using adult male and female mice (60–63 postnatal days). Experiment 1 assessed mechanical hypersensitivity, facial expression, and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. In Experiment 2, following a period of social isolation, mice were euthanized, and blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture for plasma hormone analysis. Our results revealed that social isolation impaired recovery from mechanical hypersensitivity and increased facial expressions of pain, specifically in female mice. Independent of sex and hyperalgesic priming, isolation produced heightened anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Hormonal analyses demonstrated sex-specific effects of isolation. Plasma oxytocin levels decreased upon isolation in both male and female mice. Curiously, primed isolated males showed a recovery of oxytocin levels similar to naïve mice, whereas primed isolated females maintained significantly lower oxytocin levels. Social isolation, coupled with hyperalgesic priming, also decreased vasopressin levels in females. While males displayed higher baseline vasopressin levels, isolation and/or hyperalgesic priming led to a reduction in their plasma vasopressin compared to naïve groups. Curiously, social isolation decreased of corticosterone levels in both males and females. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that social isolation differentially modulates behavioral and hormonal responses to hyperalgesic priming in a sex-dependent manner, highlighting the complex interplay between social environment, sex, and pain chronification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115191"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145649113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shaped from an early age: Hormonal and behavioural phenotypes in juvenile male guinea pigs living in distinct social environments","authors":"Melanie Gleske ,&nbsp;Carolin Mundinger ,&nbsp;S. Helene Richter ,&nbsp;Sylvia Kaiser","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115210","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Individuals can adjust to different social environments via shaping of endocrine and behavioural phenotypes. As the social environment can change at any time, individuals need to be able to adjust throughout their lives. Our goal was therefore to examine potential effects of different social environments on the endocrine and behavioural phenotype in male guinea pigs during juvenility, an important developmental phase characterized by prominent changes of the social environment. For this approach, twenty domestic juvenile male guinea pigs (<em>Cavia aperea</em> f. <em>porcellus)</em> were housed in two distinct social environments: while males of both groups lived in heterosexual pairs, males of one group were additionally socially stimulated (e.g., an unfamiliar individual is introduced into the focus males’ home enclosure for 10 min) regularly whereas males of the other group were not. This procedure increased the number of social interactions. We hypothesized males from the two social conditions to differ in their hormonal and behavioural phenotype. Indeed, only males with additional social stimulation displayed an initially increased stress responsiveness, enabling them to adequately react to the unpredictable social encounters. Over time, males then conformed to this challenging environment and displayed a decrease in stress responsiveness again. Moreover, only males with additional social stimulation showed a significant increase of courtship and sexual behaviour with age. Taken together, these findings suggest that already in juvenility the social environment induced hormonal adjustments and behavioural changes in male guinea pigs, thereby highlighting how juvenile social experiences can shape individuals’ phenotypes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115210"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145809862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic background and reversal learning: differences in behavioral flexibility between CD1 and C57BL/6 strains in the mid-session reversal task","authors":"Ana Patricia Orozco-Coles ,&nbsp;Tania Campos-Ordoñez ,&nbsp;Jonathan Buriticá","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reversal learning is the ability to modify responses based on changes in stimulus-outcome contingencies. Behavioral flexibility is crucial for adaptive behavior in dynamic environments, where organisms must suppress previously acquired responses and adopt new strategies to survive. In this study, we compared two mouse strains: C57BL/6 (inbred) mice, which offer genetic uniformity, and CD1 (outbred) mice, providing genetic diversity. Mice were tested in the mid-session reversal (MSR) task under three conditions: fixed reversal with 100% reinforcement (F100), variable reversal with 100% reinforcement (V100), and variable reversal with 50% reinforcement (V50). To account for prior experience, phases 1 and 2 were counterbalanced across subjects. Both strains completed the MSR task but showed distinct response profiles. CD1 mice showed consistent adaptation across reversal conditions (F100 and V100), maintaining high accuracy. Under reduced reinforcement predictability (V50), both strains showed increased variability, indicating diminished stimulus control. Individuals from both strains employ a mix of win-stay/lose-shift (WSLS) and temporal strategies; however, these do not always yield optimal results, indicating that their responses are driven by a blend of tactics rather than fixed rules. Notably, the order of conditions had a greater effect on C57BL/6 mice, suggesting increased sensitivity to task order. These findings highlight the influence of genetic background and reinforcement structure on reversal learning. Strain-specific profiles should be considered when selecting models for research on cognitive flexibility, reinforcement sensitivity, and translational studies related to decision-making under uncertainty.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115208"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145794647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of an acute bout of exercise on implicit sensorimotor adaptation","authors":"Zivar Beyraghi ,&nbsp;Ludovic Arsenault-Lévesque ,&nbsp;Jordan Desrosiers ,&nbsp;Jean-François Lepage ,&nbsp;Pierre-Michel Bernier","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent studies have found that aerobic exercise improves sensorimotor adaptation. For instance, adaptation to an abruptly-presented 45° visuomotor rotation is improved if preceded by an acute bout of exercise. Still, it is known that adaptation is driven both by an explicit (cognitive) process as well as an implicit process. Given that exercise is known to benefit cognitive function, it remains an open question whether exercise selectively improves implicit adaptation. Here we tested this hypothesis, using a paradigm known to isolate implicit adaptation. In a within-participant design, participants (<em>n</em> = 26) had to reach toward a target, while being pseudo randomly exposed to CW or CCW 30° visuomotor rotations. Implicit adaptation was assessed by the involuntary bias in hand direction that follows a rotated trial, called post rotation bias (PRB). On separate days, participants performed 180 trials before (PRE) and after (POST) a period of exercise, or a period of rest. The exercise bout consisted of 20 min of moderate intensity cycling, which has previously been shown to benefit performance in cognitive and adaptation tasks. Results revealed robust PRBs in both conditions and phases, but critically there was an interaction: the magnitude of PRBs was significantly attenuated following rest, but not following exercise. Further analyses revealed that movements were produced significantly faster following exercise, confirming that exercise impacted motor vigor. By showing that an acute bout of exercise prevents the attenuation of implicit adaptation that is observed following rest, these results indirectly suggest that exercise has a positive effect on implicit adaptation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115192"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145654830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transgenerational effects of sleep deprivation: Behavioral and epigenetic implications for maternal and offspring health","authors":"Harsha Satyapal ,&nbsp;Nitu Wankhede ,&nbsp;Akanksha Yadav ,&nbsp;Sandip Rahangdale ,&nbsp;Manish Aglawe ,&nbsp;Brijesh Taksande ,&nbsp;Samhith Koppula ,&nbsp;Milind Umekar ,&nbsp;Mayur Kale","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic sleep deprivation (CSD), particularly during pregnancy, profoundly impacts maternal and offspring health, driving cognitive, emotional, and physiological disturbances across generations. This review explores the behavioral, neurobiological, and epigenetic consequences of maternal sleep deprivation (MSD), highlighting its mechanisms and transgenerational effects. SD disrupts maternal hormonal balance, elevates stress responses, and compromises neurogenesis, leading to altered maternal behaviors and poor offspring outcomes. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, mediate the transference of SD effects, amplifying risks of anxiety, depression, and cognitive deficits in offspring. These changes impair hippocampal plasticity and immune regulation, exacerbating neuroinflammation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation. Male offspring show heightened sensitivity to metabolic and neurodevelopmental disruptions, indicating a gender-specific vulnerability. Therapeutic strategies such as melatonin supplementation, enriched environments, and nonpharmacological interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) demonstrate potential in mitigating these effects. Promoting maternal sleep hygiene and addressing socioeconomic disparities further protect against adverse outcomes. Emerging evidence underscores the importance of maternal health and lifestyle, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions during pregnancy. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies to elucidate the mechanisms linking maternal SD to offspring neurodevelopment, evaluate preventive strategies, and address existing gaps in understanding transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Enhancing maternal well-being through integrated care approaches is essential to improving long-term health outcomes for mothers and their children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115199"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145687851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of genetic polymorphisms with boldness, stress response, and route efficiency in homing pigeons (Columba livia)","authors":"Sherif I. Ramadan ,&nbsp;Tin Hang Hung ,&nbsp;Mathilde Delacoux ,&nbsp;Fumihiro Kano ,&nbsp;Miho Inoue-Murayama ,&nbsp;Dora Biro","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Animals vary consistently in traits such as boldness and stress reactivity, which influence fitness, movement, and social dynamics. Identifying genetic variants linked to these behaviours can clarify proximate mechanisms and evolutionary trade-offs. Dopaminergic (DRD4) and serotonergic (TPH2) pathways are known to modulate exploration and emotionality, while LDHA contributes to neuroenergetics and endurance, yet their combined role in shaping behavioural diversity remains unclear. Here we show, in 137 homing pigeons, that a SNP at position C382T in <em>DRD4</em> and T185A in <em>TPH2</em> are significantly associated with boldness. Birds with <em>DRD4</em> T/T and <em>TPH2</em> T/A genotypes emerged more quickly from the shelter. We also found that <em>DRD4</em> C/C and <em>TPH2</em> T/A genotypes were associated with slower recovery from acute social isolation stress, quantified by eye infrared thermography. In addition, a microsatellite polymorphism in <em>LDHA</em> intron 6 interacted with the presence of a mirror companion, suggesting a genotype-dependent effect of social buffering. These findings provide evidence that common genetic variants in neuromodulatory and metabolic genes contribute jointly to behavioural and physiological syndromes in birds, and social context can interact with genotype to influence stress resilience. We demonstrate how candidate markers are useful in exploring the ecological and evolutionary consequences of personality variation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"305 ","pages":"Article 115211"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145810950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}