title: Female stimuli trigger gene expression in male pigeons.
abstract: The immediate early gene zenk encodes transcriptional regulators and is believed to be one of the first steps in the formation of long-term memories associated with a given stimulus. In this study, we investigated the expression of ZENK protein product in brain regions that are likely involved in the processing of social stimuli, such as a potential mate. Male pigeons (Columba livia) were exposed to one of the following: (1) a live female pigeon, (2) a video playback of a female pigeon, (3) a video playback of a female cockatoo, or (4) an empty stimulus chamber. The brains were then processed immunohistochemically using an antibody against ZENK protein. When the stimulus was a live pigeon compared to all other stimuli, there were more numerous and more darkly-stained ZENK-positive cells in three "association" regions of the telencephalon: the hyperpallium apicale, the lateral portion of the intermediate nidopallium, and the medial nidopallium. There were no significant differences among the video-playback stimuli. The results suggest that the level of ZENK expression in these "association" regions was influenced not only by the visual presence of a potential mate, but by the presence of non-visual signals, the quality of the image, and the real-time interaction with the stimulus.
authors.affiliation: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-7200, USA.
authors.forename: Tadd B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Patton
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Husband
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation