Behavioral Neuroendocrinology of Reproductive Death Processes in Invertebrates

In much of neurobiological research, senescence and death are regarded as negative outcomes of aging. In the lives of animals, however, death may occur in many different ways, including as a natural result of reproduction, a common mode of death in invertebrates. This review examines the intersection of the nervous system, behavior, and reproductive death in three study systems that span the diversity of neural forms and life history strategies in invertebrates. In C. elegans, hermaphrodites experience a shortened lifespan as a result of extreme physiological changes caused by mating. In octopuses, signaling from the neuroendocrine center causes females to deteriorate over the duration of egg-brooding, dying before their offspring hatch. Lastly, in bumblebees, the entire colony perishes due to behavioral changes induced by the interplay of signaling between queens and her workers. Each model offers unique insights into the neuroendocrine control of reproductive death.