Assessment of nest building and social interaction behavior in mice exposed to acute social defeat stress using a three-dimensional depth camera

Abstract

Nest building is an instinctive behavior toward protection from predators, body temperature regulation, and courtship. Previously, we discovered that acute and chronic social defeat stress suppresses the onset of nest-building behavior in male mice (C57BL/6J). Here, we analyzed nest building and other behavioral deficits induced by acute social defeat stress (ASDS). We utilized a customized cage and specifically developed observational programs for nest building, social avoidance, and other behaviors using an infrared depth camera to acquire three-dimensional (3D) data of animal behavior (Negura system). We determined the volume of nesting materials from these 3D depth images. Mice exposed to ASDS showed increased spontaneous activities, decreased rearing, and delayed nest building; however, nest-building activity was gradually recovered during the dark period of the 24 hr observation interval. At the endpoint following 24 hr, the ASDS and control groups showed no differences in nest volumes. Furthermore, we observed the time courses of both nest building and social avoidance behaviors and their relationship using the Negura system. Our data demonstrated a weak positive correlation between nest-building delay and social avoidance in ASDS mice. The Negura system can observe various behaviors that reflect the effects of social defeat stress.

Keywords: depth sensor; mouse; nesting behavior; social behavior; social defeat.