Hunger alters approach-avoidance behaviours differently in male and female mice

Abstract

Background: The decision about whether to approach or avoid a reward while under threat requires balancing competing demands. Sex-specific prioritisations (e.g. mating, maternal care), or generalised prioritisations (e.g. feeding, drinking, sleeping) may differently influence approach-avoidance behaviours based on the level of “risk” and homeostatic need state of the organism. However, given known sex differences in key aspects that may influence this behaviour, direct comparison of how male and female mice make decisions to approach or avoid a dangerous area while in a fasted state have yet to be conducted. Methods: We conducted several approach-avoidance tasks with varied levels of risk an..