Mouse Social Network Dynamics and Community Structure are Associated with Plasticity-Related Brain Gene Expression.

ABSTRACT: Laboratory studies of social behavior have typically focused on dyadic interactions occurring within a limited spatiotemporal context. However, this strategy prevents analyses of the dynamics of group social behavior and constrains identification of the biological pathways mediating individual differences in behavior. In the current study, we aimed to identify the spatiotemporal dynamics and hierarchical organization of a large social network of male mice. We also sought to determine if standard assays of social and exploratory behavior are predictive of social behavior in this social network and whether individual network position was associated with the mRNA expression of two plasticity-related genes, DNA methyltransferase 1 and 3a. Mice were observed to form a hierarchically organized s

SUBMITTER: Williamson CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4972826 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature