The effect of taurine on animal behavior

Year 2020, Vetexpo-2019, KHVD-2019, 29 - 29, 31.03.2020

Ezgi Ergen İbrahim Akyazı

Abstract

Taurine (TAU) is an essential or semi-essential amino acid according to the animal species. It has many
basic physiological functions such as membrane stabilization, cell signaling, osmoregulation and bile acid
conjugation. This review focuses on the behavioral and cognitive effects of taurine in different animal
species. Taurine, found in various body tissues, is the most common amino acid after glutamate in the
mammalian nervous system. It is especially common in developing brain. It is distributed in the
cerebellum, cortex and hippocampus. Studies in rats and zebra fish have shown that taurine is effective in
stress-related mechanisms. These effects are induced by inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
(HPA) and activating the glycine receptor. Taurine prevents the reduction of serotonin, dopamine,
noradrenaline levels in rats under chronic stress, and prevents excessive release of glutamate and
corticosterone. Thus, it has anti-depressive and anxiolytic effects. A study on blue tits revealed that the
amount of taurine taken during the growth period shaped long-term adulthood behaviors. It has been
observed that offspring develop their spatial / spatial learning abilities and increase their risk-taking
potential, especially when researching new objects. A study of zebra fish indicated that taurine use reduces
the risk assessment behavior, which is a defense approach. Spatial learning ability and risk-taking
tendency are influential on an individual's competitiveness and prey success. As a result, taurine affects the
development of brain regions that control the HPA axis. Taurine supplementation enhances hippocampal
development and function, which affects stress response and spatial learning. Interacting with learning
mechanisms, taurine plays an important role in the formation of behavioral phenotypes of offspring. In the
light of all this information, there is almost no scientific study on how taurine, which is widely used as a
nutritional supplement in cat and dog nutrition, affects the behavior in these animals. Because of the
cognitive and behavioral effects mentioned above, taurine is thought to play an active role in cat and dog
breeding and training. Further research is needed to prevent depression and anxiety in pet animals.

Keywords

HPA axis, stress, early nutrition

References

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