Biology subjects

Matas, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Matas, D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Who takes the risk to forage? Testing consistent inter-individual behavioural variation in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)

Risk-taking behaviour permeates daily decision-making across many taxa and has significant impact on fitness outcomes. Previous research finds that individuals display consistent tendencies in their propensity to take risks, often labelled as a "Boldness-Shyness" personality trait. In this experimental study, we investigated repeatability in risk-taking behaviour in 241 wild vervet monkeys by measuring their responses to capture threat (via human-initiated darting procedure) and predation threat (via two predator models). We further examined the influence of socio-demographic, group identity and hormonal factors on risk-taking behaviour. We found that multiple behavioural responses, including the likelihood of approaching a food source under threat, were consistent across contexts. Risk-taking behaviour was influenced by age, sex, dominance rank, and hormonal profiles: juveniles, males, and higher-ranking individuals were more likely to approach food under (perceived) predation risk. Additionally, we observed significant among-group differences, suggesting that individuals within the same social group exhibit similar risk sensitivities, potentially due to social facilitation or shared environmental effects. The findings contribute to our understanding of animal personality and the ecological and social drivers underlying variation in risk-related behaviours.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2023

Sex-specific relationship between maternal and neonate cortisol in a free-ranging large mammal

Maternal phenotypes can have long-term effects on offspring phenotypes. These maternal effects may begin during gestation, when maternal glucocorticoid (GC) levels may affect foetal GC levels, thereby having an organizational effect on the offspring phenotype. Recent studies have showed that maternal effects may be different between the sexes. However, how maternal GC levels relate to foetal levels is still not completely understood. Here we related, for the first time in a free-ranging large mammal, the fallow deer (Dama dama), maternal GC levels with foetal in utero GC levels. We did this in a non-invasive way by quantifying cortisol metabolites from faecal samples collected from pregnant does during late gestation, as proxy for maternal GC level. These were then related to GC levels from hair of their neonate offspring (n = 40). We have shown that maternal GC levels were positively associated with foetal GC levels, but only in female offspring. These findings highlight sex differences, which may have evolved to optimize male growth at the cost of survival.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Attentional Networks during the Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is characterized partially by fluctuations of the ovarian hormones estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), which are implicated in the regulation of cognition. Research on attention in the different stages of the menstrual cycle is sparse, and the three attentional networks (alerting, orienting and executive) and their interaction were not explored during the menstrual cycle. In the current study, we used the ANT-I (attentional network test - interactions) to examine two groups of women: naturally cycling (NC) - those with a regular menstrual cycle, and oral contraceptives (OC) - those using OC and characterized with low and steady ovarian hormone levels. We tested their performance at two time points that fit, in natural cycles, the early follicular phase and the early luteal phase. We found no differences in performance between NC and OC in low ovarian hormone states (Both phases for the OC group and early follicular phase for the NC group). However, the NC group in the early luteal phase exhibited the same pattern of responses for alerting and no-alerting conditions, resulting in a better conflict resolution (executive) when attention is oriented to the target. Results-driven exploratory regression analysis of E2 and P4 suggested that change in P4 from early follicular to early luteal phases was a mediator for the alerting effect found. In conclusion, the alerting state found with or without alertness manipulation suggests that there is a progesterone mediated activation of the alerting system during the mid-luteal phase.

animal behavior and cognition↗