High interindividual and intraindividual variation of oxytocin secretion in estrous mares exposed to stallions, but no significant link to mate preferences.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_EDC457EFE8C0
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
High interindividual and intraindividual variation of oxytocin secretion in estrous mares exposed to stallions, but no significant link to mate preferences.
Journal
Theriogenology
Author(s)
Käser R., Bruckmaier R.M., Thomas S., Sieme H., Wedekind C., Burger D.
ISSN
1879-3231 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0093-691X
Publication state
Published
Issued date
12/2016
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
86
Number
9
Pages
2222-2229
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Clinical Trial ; Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Oxytocin is a hormone that may not only influence reproductive mechanisms in mammals but also their social behavior, including pair bonding. We therefore tested if the concentrations of oxytocin and other hormones reveal mate preferences of 13 mares in estrus. Each mare was first exposed to two stallions (haphazardly selected out of seven) and her behavior recorded. The mare was then returned to her box (i.e., no contact to stallions during that time). Approximately 4.5 hours later, venous blood samples were collected every minute during 30 minutes preceding exposure to one of the two previously used stallions, 6 minutes during exposure, and 30 minutes after exposure back in the mare's box. The procedure was repeated in the consecutive estrus cycle, with the difference that the mare was each exposed to the other of the two stallions during oxytocin measurements. In 20 of the 26 trials, oxytocin concentrations were significantly elevated during exposure to the stallion, without significant associations to cortisol and estradiol concentrations. We found no significant association between oxytocin secretion and preferences in the previous choice situation. While estradiol concentration showed a high repeatability over the two cycles, we found considerable intraindividual differences in oxytocin and cortisol plasma concentration among the two cycles. Partially, the variation in oxytocin concentrations could be linked to the time of ovulation, with lower oxytocin plasma concentrations in mares which ovulated later than expected. In conclusion, when teasing under experimental conditions, we found high interindividual and intraindividual variation among mares in the increase of oxytocin plasma concentrations, depending on the timing of ovulation. However, oxytocin levels seemed to be no predictor of mare preference.

Keywords
Animals, Estradiol/blood, Estrus/physiology, Female, Horses/blood, Horses/physiology, Hydrocortisone/blood, Male, Oxytocin/metabolism, Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology
Pubmed
Create date
16/09/2016 20:42
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:15
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