Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Paternal Behavior”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 667 records · Page 37Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Infanticide by virgin CF-1 and wild male house mice (Mus musculus): effects of age, prolonged isolation, and testing procedure.

The frequency of infanticide by juvenile, young-adult, and adult male house mice (Mus musculus) was compared in CF-1 albino mice and the F1-F4 male offspring of wild mice trapped in Missouri. When tested in their home cages for their behavior toward a single 2-day-old pup after being individually housed for 5 days, juvenile CF-1 and wild males were equally likely to exhibit infanticide (about 35%). But, adult wild males were significantly more likely to exhibit infanticide (about 90%) than were adult CF-1 males (about 45%). We propose that differences in exposure to testosterone during fetal life may contribute to the difference in the incidence of infanticide between CF-1 and wild males. Prolonged isolation (45 days) significantly reduced the proportion of wild male mice that exhibited infanticide when the males were tested in their home cages, but not when the males were tested by being placed into the cage of lactating females and their 2-day-old young. Virtually all adult wild males exhibited infanticide when they were tested in their home cages (with either a 2-day-old or 7-day-old pup) or when they were placed into the cages of lactating wild female mice and their 2-day-old young. But, when adult wild males were placed with lactating wild females on Day 7 postpartum, the females attacked the males and most males were prevented from exhibiting infanticide.

Aging↗
PubMed1999

Aspects of social life in the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius): inferences from body weights and trapping data.

Body weight is an important attribute of any animal and influences its biology in many ways. In the case of the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius), this is of special interest because animals of this species store fat to survive extended torpor phases during the austral winter and, as a result, show extreme seasonal variation in body weight. In this paper, I present field data from a 20-month study at the Forestry Station of Ampijoroa in northwestern Madagascar on body weights of repeatedly trapped individuals combined with trapping results to investigate the general biology and notably the social life of C. medius. The most remarkable physical characteristic of wild C. medius is a dramatic weight-loss in males in September following emergence from torpor. Trapping results showed that adult males emerge from torpor earlier than females and offspring, even though food is still scarce. Early emergence from torpor puts males at an energetic disadvantage and confers no advantage in terms of access to females. Observation data from nightly follows indicate that males patrol their home range, probably to guarantee its integrity for the coming active season and to secure the food supply for their families. The high energetic costs of this strategy is argued to represent a form of paternal investment. Body weight data of repeatedly captured individuals showed that they may reach adult size and sexual maturity at 2 years of age but are not socially mature before the age of 3 years. The data presented may serve as a guide for keeping C. medius at a suitable weight in captivity.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Age-related changes in paternal responses of gerbils parallel changes in their testosterone concentrations.

Results of previous studies in our laboratory have shown that testosterone (T) inhibits parental response in adult male Mongolian gerbils. Here, we examined developmental changes in parental responses of male gerbils before, during, and after a naturally occurring surge in T that peaks on Day 75 postpartum. On the hypothesis that T inhibits parental response in male gerbils, we predicted that (a) 75-day-old male gerbils would be less responsive to neonates than would either younger or older male gerbils, and (b) young male gerbils whose T titers were rising as the litters that they were helping to rear matured would show a decrease over days in parental effort relative to older male gerbils whose T titers were falling as the litters that they were helping to rear matured. Both predictions were confirmed, providing evidence consistent with the view that naturally occurring, developmental changes in circulating concentrations of T play a role in age-related changes in the level of parental response of male Mongolian gerbils.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

Responses of infant mice to odors of urine from infanticidal, noninfanticidal, and paternal male mice.

Infant mice responded differently to the odors of urine from isolated-infanticidal, isolated-noninfanticidal, and parental males. More ultrasonic vocalizations were produced in response to urine odors of parental males than to those of isolated-infanticidal males and more to infanticidal than to noninfanticidal males. Infants became agitated in the presence of urine odors of infanticidal males and moved away from the odor source whereas they tended to remain stationary in response to urine odors of parental males. The response to urine odors of noninfanticidal males was intermediate. These data support the hypothesis that infanticidal and parental states have different physiological bases and that this physiological difference results in different chemical composition of urine. The data failed to support the hypothesis that infants will attempt to conceal themselves from infanticidal males by remaining quiet.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

The effects of castration on song development in zebra finches (Poephila guttata).

It has been suggested that the learning processes which occur during the critical period for bird song development are dependent on adrogens. Castration of male zebra finches (Poephila guttata, Estrildidae) at ages 9-17 days did not prevent song development, and normal learning occurred after the time of castration. Thus the learning processes of song development occur in the absence of gonadal androgens. Castrates tended to develop song more slowly than normals, which is potentially attributable to a decreased rate of singing in the castrates, or to a direct effect of androgen on the learning processes.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

From sneaker to parental male: change of reproductive traits in the black goby, Gobius niger (Teleostei, Gobiidae).

This study focuses on the consequences of the switch of tactic from parasitic to parental male in the black goby, Gobius niger (Teleostei: Gobiidae), a species showing two alternative male mating tactics. Older and larger males defend nests, court, and perform parental care on eggs, while younger and smaller ones behave as parasites, sneaking into nests while spawning occurs. Males adopting different tactics are known to present differences in primary and secondary sex traits. The social context of sneaker males was manipulated to induce a tactic switch. Sneakers were kept under two different experimental treatments with or without a female, and under exclusion of male-male competition. Males changed tactics, courting females, spawning, and performing parental care. All males showed substantial changes in primary sexual traits, such as a reduction in gonadal development and an increase in the investment in accessory structures. The experimental groups differed in the functionality of gonads and accessory organs and in the development of the secondary sex traits. These results demonstrate that the moment of switching is not genetically fixed in the black goby. Sneaker males are able to quickly reallocate energy in primary and secondary sex traits, in accordance with the adopted tactic. Several aspects of this flexible reproductive pattern resemble the socially controlled sex change found in sequential hermaphrodites.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Paternal mouthbrooding in the black-chinned tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron (Pisces: cichlidae): changes in gonadal steroids and potential for vitellogenin transfer to larvae.

The black-chinned tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) is a paternal mouthbrooder. Pairs of adult black-chinned tilapia were raised in freshwater and the males were sampled during the mouthbrooding cycle. Sampling also occurred 10 days after release of the free-swimming fry for comparison. During the first week of incubation of the eggs, total androgens and estradiol were low (<5 and <0.3 ng/ml, respectively). During the second week of brooding, when the eggs have hatched and they are called newly hatched embryos, plasma levels of gonadal steroids increased (13-38 ng androgen/ml and >0.6 ng estradiol/ml). The plasma concentrations of vitellogenin (VTG) in male parents changed during mouthbrooding, with decreases occurring between egg pickup and hatching of the embryo (Day 6 of mouthbrooding). The pattern of change in concentrations of VTG in surface mucus of male parents differed from the pattern in plasma, with peak concentrations occurring at the time of hatching. The amount of VTG in mucus was similar to that measured in the female Oreochromis mossambicus during mouthbrooding of embryos. The appearance of peak VTG levels in the mucus at the time of hatching when plasma levels have declined and the availability of comparable amounts of mucus VTG in both maternal and paternal mouthbrooding tilapia, despite unequivalent plasma levels, support the possibility that parental provisioning of the young occurs during mouthbrooding in tilapia.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Preparental hormone levels and parenting experience in male cotton-top tamarins, Saguinus oedipus.

Male cotton-top tamarins, Saguinus oedipus, display hormonal changes associated with parenting prior to the birth of their infants. Here we examined the hormonal changes that occurred in experienced and inexperienced fathers during the postconception period, prior to the birth of infants. Noninvasive techniques were used to collect urine from 10 male cotton-top tamarins (5 experienced and 5 inexperienced breeders) three times weekly during the 6-month gestation period. Samples were analyzed for prolactin, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and cortisol, averaged by gestational month. Experienced males showed elevated prolactin during the mate's 3rd gestational month, and the elevation correlated with the number of infants surviving from the previous birth (0, 1, and 2) but not with outcome of the current pregnancy. However, an experienced male with no infants present still showed elevated prolactin and some inexperienced males showed elevated prolactin just before parturition, suggesting noninfant cues are also important. While prolactin levels were influenced by the male's prior infant experience, testosterone levels did not differ between experienced and inexperienced males. Testosterone levels were significantly elevated for all males during the 3rd, 4th and 5th months but had no relationship with number of infants present or with outcome of current pregnancy. DHT decreased during the second half of pregnancy compared with testosterone but this finding was not consistent for every male. No significant changes occurred in cortisol levels. These results suggest that infant-rearing experience affected the hormonal responsitivty of the male to his mate's current pregnancy.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Testosterone and prolactin are associated with emotional responses to infant cries in new fathers.

To determine the responsiveness of new fathers and non-fathers toward infant cues, we exposed fathers and non-fathers to infant cries and to control stimuli and we measured affective, heart-rate, and endocrine responses, including salivary testosterone and cortisol and plasma prolactin concentrations prior to and after cry presentations. We found that (1) fathers hearing the cry stimuli felt more sympathetic and more alert compared to groups who did not hear the cries or to non-fathers who heard the cries; (2) fathers and non-fathers with lower testosterone levels had higher sympathy and/or need to respond to the infant cries than fathers with higher testosterone levels; (3) fathers with higher, as opposed to lower, prolactin levels were also more alert and more positive in response to the cries; (4) fathers hearing the cry stimuli showed greater percentage increase in testosterone than fathers not hearing the cry stimuli; (5) experienced fathers hearing the cries showed a greater percentage increase in prolactin levels compared to first-time fathers or to any group of fathers hearing control stimuli; finally, (6) partial correlations with parity and experience entered as a covariates indicated that both experience and testosterone contributed to the variance in fathers' affective responses to infant cries. Taken together, these results indicate that, as with a number of other biparental species, human fathers are more responsive to infant cues than are non-fathers and fathers' responses to infant cues are related to both hormones and to caregiving experience.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The effect of paternal social support on maternal disruption caused by childhood asthma.

Baseline data obtained from a study of 228 low-income Black and Hispanic mothers of children with asthma were analyzed to test the hypothesis that the presence of adults in the household, and paternal involvement in asthma care would be associated with less disruption of mothers' daily activities due to the child's asthma. The data were analyzed using multiple regression techniques. We controlled for other variables that might affect the amount of disruption that mothers reported, including the child's age and severity of asthma. The mere presence of other adults in the household, including the father, was not significantly associated with disruption. The frequency of the father's involvement in the care of the child's asthma was inversely associated with disruption regardless of his presence in the household. Hispanic ethnicity and severity of the child's asthma were directly associated with disruption while the age of the child was inversely associated with disruption. We conclude that it is a specific type of assistance (sharing asthma tasks) rendered by fathers living within or outside of the household that reduces disruption reported by mothers. The study suggests that health care providers can improve education and counseling for families who have a child with asthma by emphasizing to fathers their importance in the care of asthma, and by helping them identify specific actions they can take to manage the child's disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

A feasibility study on recruiting fathers of young children to examine the impact of paternal depression on child development.

Fathers are underrepresented in research on mental health and child outcome. We tested a range of methods of recruitment of fathers to establish feasibility and recruitment rates to obtain a sample for a study on paternal depression and child development. The study took place in North London. Fathers of children aged 6 years and under were approached via: general practice surgeries by post and by face-to-face contact with attendees; child health surveillance clinics face-to-face or via their partners and via hospital postnatal wards face-to-face or by post. Researcher time and associated costs were monitored for each method, and symptoms of depression and anxiety measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Face-to-face recruitment of fathers on the postnatal ward generated the highest return rate of HADS (28/37; 76%), followed by postal recruitment through general practice (41%;124/303). Lower response rates were observed with postal recruitment via postnatal wards (31%), recruitment in child health surveillance clinics (20%) and approaching attendees in general practice (16%). Twelve percent (23/194) and 30% (58/194) of fathers respectively reported depression and anxiety above the cut-off for case-definition. Costs were calculated on pro-rata researcher time. Costs of recruiting one participant ranged from 3 pounds sterling (general practice postal) to 11.75 pounds sterling (child health surveillance clinics), however the general practice attender method was disproportionately expensive (52.50 pounds sterling). This feasibility study shows that it is possible to recruit fathers to mental health studies and provides clear guidance on planning, costing and the expected levels of recruitment for future studies on fathers of young children.

Adult↗
PubMed2007

Patterns of psychopathology in the families of children with conduct problems, depression, and both psychiatric conditions.

Comorbid conduct problems (CPs) and depression are observed far more often than expected by chance, which is perplexing given minimal symptom overlap. In this study, relations between parental psychopathology and children's diagnostic status were evaluated to test competing theories of comorbidity. Participants included 180 families with an 8-12-year-old child diagnosed with CPs, depression, both conditions, or neither condition. Although no single theory of comorbidity was supported fully, evidence suggested that CPs and depression may be inherited separately. Paternal antisocial characteristics and maternal depression provided independent prediction of both child depression and CPs. However, paternal antisocial behavior moderated the effect of maternal depression on CPs. For children with antisocial fathers, CPs were observed regardless of maternal depression levels. In contrast, a strong relation was observed between CPs and maternal depression for children without antisocial fathers.

Antisocial Personality Disorder↗