Neuroendocrinology of coping styles: Towards understanding the biology of individual variation

Abstract Individual variation in behavior and physiology is a widespread and ecologically functional phenomenon in nature in virtually all vertebrate species. Due to domestication of laboratory animals, studies may suffer from a strong selection bias. This paper summarizes behavioral, neuroendocrine...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in neuroendocrinology 2010-07, Vol.31 (3), p.307-321
Main Authors: Koolhaas, J.M, de Boer, S.F, Coppens, C.M, Buwalda, B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological - physiology
Animal personality
Animals
Catecholamines
Coping style
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Gonadal steroids
HPA-axis
Humans
Individual difference
Individuality
Mice
Models, Biological
Neurobiology
Neuroendocrinology
Neurosecretory Systems - physiology
Rats
Serotonin
Vasopressin
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Summary:Abstract Individual variation in behavior and physiology is a widespread and ecologically functional phenomenon in nature in virtually all vertebrate species. Due to domestication of laboratory animals, studies may suffer from a strong selection bias. This paper summarizes behavioral, neuroendocrine and neurobiological studies using the natural individual variation in rats and mice. Individual behavioral characteristics appear to be consistent over time and across situations. The individual variation has at least two dimensions in which the quality of the response to a challenging condition (coping style) is independent from the quantity of that response (stress reactivity). The neurobiology reveals important differences in the homeostatic control of the serotonergic neuron and the neuropeptides vasopressin and oxytocin in relation to coping style. It is argued that a careful exploitation of the broad natural and biologically functional individual variation in behavior and physiology may help in developing better animal models for understanding individual disease vulnerability.
ISSN:0091-3022
1095-6808
DOI:10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.04.001