Data from: Pair bonding prevents reinforcing effects of testosterone in male California mice in an unfamiliar environment

Testosterone (T) can be released by stimuli such as social interactions, and thereby influence future social behaviors. Because the reinforcing effects of T can induce preferences for specific environmental locations, T has the potential to alter behavior through space use. In a monogamous species, this T pulse may contribute differently to space use in sexually naïve (SN) and pair-bonded (PB) males as SN males may be more likely to explore new areas to set up a territory than PB males that are more likely to defend an existing, established territory. In this study, we test for variation in T-driven space use by examining variation in the formation of conditioned place preferences (CPPs) in SN and PB male California mice. In the three-chambered CPP apparatus, subcutaneous administrations of physiological levels of T were used to repeatedly condition SN and PB males to a side chamber, which is an unfamiliar/neutral environment. The final tests revealed that T-induced CPPs in the side chamber are developed in SN, but not PB males. This study fills a gap in our knowledge about plasticity in the rewarding nature of T pulses, based on past social experience.

睾酮（Testosterone, T）可因社交互动等刺激释放，进而影响后续社交行为。由于睾酮的强化效应可诱发个体对特定环境位置的偏好，其有望通过空间利用模式调控行为。在一夫一妻制物种中，睾酮脉冲对性经验缺失（sexually naïve, SN）与已形成配偶关系（pair-bonded, PB）雄性的空间利用模式的影响存在差异：性经验缺失雄性更倾向于探索新区域以建立领地，而已形成配偶关系的雄性则更偏向保卫已确立的领地。本研究通过检测性经验缺失与已形成配偶关系的雄性加州小鼠的条件性位置偏爱（conditioned place preferences, CPPs）形成差异，探究睾酮驱动的空间利用模式变异。本研究采用三室式条件性位置偏爱装置，通过向性经验缺失与已形成配偶关系的雄性小鼠皮下注射生理剂量睾酮，反复将其与陌生/中性环境的侧隔间进行条件化训练。最终测试结果显示，仅性经验缺失雄性可形成睾酮诱导的侧隔间条件性位置偏爱，已形成配偶关系的雄性则无此现象。本研究填补了现有认知的空白：过往社交经历如何影响睾酮脉冲的奖赏特性可塑性。