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Phalip A, Netser S, Wagner S. Understanding the neurobiology of social behavior through exploring brain-wide dynamics of neural activity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 165:105856. [PMID: 39159735 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Social behavior is highly complex and adaptable. It can be divided into multiple temporal stages: detection, approach, and consummatory behavior. Each stage can be further divided into several cognitive and behavioral processes, such as perceiving social cues, evaluating the social and non-social contexts, and recognizing the internal/emotional state of others. Recent studies have identified numerous brain-wide circuits implicated in social behavior and suggested the existence of partially overlapping functional brain networks underlying various types of social and non-social behavior. However, understanding the brain-wide dynamics underlying social behavior remains challenging, and several brain-scale dynamics (macro-, meso-, and micro-scale levels) need to be integrated. Here, we suggest leveraging new tools and concepts to explore social brain networks and integrate those different levels. These include studying the expression of immediate-early genes throughout the entire brain to impartially define the structure of the neuronal networks involved in a given social behavior. Then, network dynamics could be investigated using electrode arrays or multi-channel fiber photometry. Finally, tools like high-density silicon probes and miniscopes can probe neural activity in specific areas and across neuronal populations at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adèle Phalip
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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2
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Chien PY, Su CL, Liu PH, Chang CH, Gean PW. The dorsal raphe-to-ventral hippocampal projection modulates reactive aggression through 5-HT 1B receptors. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 981:176918. [PMID: 39159717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Maladaptive reactive aggression is a core symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. While uncontrolled aggression dampens societal safety, there is a limited understanding of the neural regulation involved in reactive aggression and its treatment. High levels of aggression have been linked to low serotonin (5-HT) levels. Additionally, post-weaning socially isolated (SI) mice exhibit outbursts of aggression following encountering acute stress, and hyperactivated ventral hippocampus (vHip) involves this stress-provoked escalated aggression. Here, we investigated the potential role of the raphe nucleus projecting to the vHip in modulating aggressive behavior. Chemogenetically activating the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) soma projecting the vHip or DRN nerve terminals in the vHip reduced reactive aggression. The reduction of attack behavior was abolished by the pretreatment of 5-HT1B receptor antagonist SB-224289. However, activating the median raphe nucleus (MRN)-to-vHip pathway ameliorated depression-like behavior but did not affect reactive aggression. DRN→vHip activation suppressed the vHip downstream area, the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), which is a core aggression area. Intra-vHip infusion of 5-HT1B receptor agonists (anpirtoline, CP-93129) suppressed reactive aggression and decreased c-Fos levels in the vHip neurons projecting to the VMH, suggesting an inhibition mechanism. Our findings indicate that activating the DRN projecting to the vHip is sufficient to inhibit reactive aggression in a 5-HT1B receptor-dependent manner. Thus, targeting 5-HT1B receptor could serve as a promising therapeutic approach to ameliorate symptoms of reactive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yu Chien
- Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University Hospital, No. 2, Yude Rd., North Dist., Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Lin Su
- Division of Natural Sciences, Center for General Education, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hua Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hua Chang
- Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Wu Gean
- Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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3
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Shetty S, Duesman SJ, Patel S, Huynh P, Toh P, Shroff S, Das A, Chowhan D, Keller B, Alvarez J, Fisher-Foye R, Sebra R, Beaumont K, McAlpine CS, Rajbhandari P, Rajbhandari AK. Sex-specific role of high-fat diet and stress on behavior, energy metabolism, and the ventromedial hypothalamus. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:55. [PMID: 39010139 PMCID: PMC11247790 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00628-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scientific evidence highlights the influence of biological sex on the relationship between stress and metabolic dysfunctions. However, there is limited understanding of how diet and stress concurrently contribute to metabolic dysregulation in both males and females. Our study aimed to investigate the combined effects of high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and repeated stress on fear-related behaviors, metabolic, immune, and hypothalamic outcomes in male and female mice. METHODS To investigate this, we used a highly reliable rodent behavioral model that faithfully recapitulates key aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like fear. We subjected mice to footshock stressor followed by a weekly singular footshock stressor or no stressor for 14 weeks while on either an HFD or chow diet. At weeks 10 and 14 we conducted glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity measurements. Additionally, we placed the mice in metabolic chambers to perform indirect calorimetric measurements. Finally, we collected brain and peripheral tissues for cellular analysis. RESULTS We observed that HFD-induced obesity disrupted fear memory extinction, increased glucose intolerance, and affected energy expenditure specifically in male mice. Conversely, female mice on HFD exhibited reduced respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and a significant defect in glucose tolerance only when subjected to repeated stress. Furthermore, the combination of repeated stress and HFD led to sex-specific alterations in proinflammatory markers and hematopoietic stem cells across various peripheral metabolic tissues. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) analysis of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) revealed microglial activation in female mice on HFD, while male mice on HFD exhibited astrocytic activation under repeated stress. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings provide insights into complex interplay between repeated stress, high-fat diet regimen, and their cumulative effects on health, including their potential contribution to the development of PTSD-like stress and metabolic dysfunctions, emphasizing the need for further research to fully understand these interconnected pathways and their implications for health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanutha Shetty
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Samuel J Duesman
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sanil Patel
- Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Pacific Huynh
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Pamela Toh
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sanjana Shroff
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anika Das
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Center for Excellence in Youth Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Disha Chowhan
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Keller
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Johana Alvarez
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Rachel Fisher-Foye
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Robert Sebra
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristin Beaumont
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cameron S McAlpine
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Prashant Rajbhandari
- Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Disease Mechanism and Therapeutics Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Abha K Rajbhandari
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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Zhu Z, Miao L, Li K, Ma Q, Pan L, Shen C, Ge Q, Du Y, Yin L, Yang H, Xu X, Zeng LH, Liu Y, Xu H, Li XM, Sun L, Yu YQ, Duan S. A hypothalamic-amygdala circuit underlying sexually dimorphic aggression. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00457-4. [PMID: 39019042 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Male animals often display higher levels of aggression than females. However, the neural circuitry mechanisms underlying this sexually dimorphic aggression remain elusive. Here, we identify a hypothalamic-amygdala circuit that mediates male-biased aggression in mice. Specifically, the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl), a sexually dimorphic region associated with eliciting male-biased aggression, projects densely to the posterior substantia innominata (pSI), an area that promotes similar levels of attack in both sexes of mice. Although the VMHvl innervates the pSI unidirectionally through both excitatory and inhibitory connections, it is the excitatory VMHvl-pSI projections that are strengthened in males to promote aggression, whereas the inhibitory connections that reduce aggressive behavior are strengthened in females. Consequently, the convergent hypothalamic input onto the pSI leads to heightened pSI activity in males, resulting in male-biased aggression. Our findings reveal a sexually distinct excitation-inhibition balance of a hypothalamic-amygdala circuit that underlies sexually dimorphic aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenggang Zhu
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lu Miao
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kaiyuan Li
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qingqing Ma
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lina Pan
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chenjie Shen
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qianqian Ge
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yonglan Du
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Luping Yin
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Hongbin Yang
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaohong Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience and Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ling-Hui Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Yijun Liu
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Han Xu
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yan-Qin Yu
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China.
| | - Shumin Duan
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China; Research Units for Emotion and Emotion Disorders, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
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5
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Oliveira VEDM, Evrard F, Faure MC, Bakker J. Social isolation and aggression training lead to escalated aggression and hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis hyperfunction in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1266-1275. [PMID: 38337026 PMCID: PMC11224373 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01808-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Although the participation of sex hormones and sex hormone-responsive neurons in aggressive behavior has been extensively studied, the role of other systems within the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis remains elusive. Here we assessed how the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and kisspeptin systems are impacted by escalated aggression in male mice. We used a combination of social isolation and aggression training (IST) to exacerbate mice's aggressive behavior. Next, low-aggressive (group-housed, GH) and highly aggressive (IST) mice were compared regarding neuronal activity in the target populations and hormonal levels, using immunohistochemistry and ELISA, respectively. Finally, we used pharmacological and viral approaches to manipulate neuropeptide signaling and expression, subsequently evaluating its effects on behavior. IST mice exhibited enhanced aggressive behavior compared to GH controls, which was accompanied by elevated neuronal activity in GnRH neurons and arcuate nucleus kisspeptin neurons. Remarkably, IST mice presented an increased number of kisspeptin neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV). In addition, IST mice exhibited elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in serum. Accordingly, activation and blockade of GnRH receptors (GnRHR) exacerbated and reduced aggression, respectively. Surprisingly, kisspeptin had intricate effects on aggression, i.e., viral ablation of AVPV-kisspeptin neurons impaired the training-induced rise in aggressive behavior whereas kisspeptin itself strongly reduced aggression in IST mice. Our results indicate that IST enhances aggressive behavior in male mice by exacerbating HPG-axis activity. Particularly, increased GnRH neuron activity and GnRHR signaling were found to underlie aggression whereas the relationship with kisspeptin remains puzzling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinícius Elias de Moura Oliveira
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium.
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Florence Evrard
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Melanie C Faure
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Julie Bakker
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium.
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6
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Morozova MV, Boldyreva LV, Borisova MA, Kozhevnikova EN. Investigating social communication in mice: A two-intruders test approach. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25365. [PMID: 39031484 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the complex dynamics of social communication behaviors, such as exploration, communication, courtship, mating, and aggression in animal models, is crucial to reveal key neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying these behaviors. The two-intruders test is designed to investigate residents' behavior toward both male and female intruders within the home cage of the test male. During this test imitating natural conditions, several aspects of social interaction were investigated: Exploration, courtship, mating, and aggressive behavior. As mating and aggression involve overlapping neural circuits, the behavioral setup testing both behaviors is best at reflecting their competitive nature. Our findings demonstrate that resident male mice exhibit strong preference to communicate with a female intruder, which correlates with baseline testosterone levels of test males. Relevant female preference in the two-intruders test was also found in BALB/c males. Behavioral breakdown revealed the anogenital sniffing as a key behavioral feature that discriminates resident male behavior toward intruders of different sex. Furthermore, resident male interaction with female intruder was accompanied by neuronal activation in the ventromedial hypothalamus. We demonstrate that odor recognition underlies preference toward females in male residents, as experimental anosmia reduced communication with a female intruder. We conclude the two-intruders test setup to be a useful tool to study the neurological basis of social communication in animal models, which provides detailed analysis of various aspects of the laboratory animals' social behavior in the most natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryana V Morozova
- Scientific-Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Lidiya V Boldyreva
- Scientific-Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Maria A Borisova
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Elena N Kozhevnikova
- Scientific-Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Novosibirsk, Russia
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Torres T, Adam N, Mhaouty-Kodja S, Naulé L. Reproductive function and behaviors: an update on the role of neural estrogen receptors alpha and beta. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1408677. [PMID: 38978624 PMCID: PMC11228153 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1408677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Infertility is becoming a major public health problem, with increasing frequency due to medical, environmental and societal causes. The increasingly late age of childbearing, growing exposure to endocrine disruptors and other reprotoxic products, and increasing number of medical reproductive dysfunctions (endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, etc.) are among the most common causes. Fertility relies on fine-tuned control of both neuroendocrine function and reproductive behaviors, those are critically regulated by sex steroid hormones. Testosterone and estradiol exert organizational and activational effects throughout life to establish and activate the neural circuits underlying reproductive function. This regulation is mediated through estrogen receptors (ERs) and androgen receptor (AR). Estradiol acts mainly via nuclear estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ. The aim of this review is to summarize the genetic studies that have been undertaken to comprehend the specific contribution of ERα and ERβ in the neural circuits underlying the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the expression of reproductive behaviors, including sexual and parental behavior. Particular emphasis will be placed on the neural role of these receptors and the underlying sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lydie Naulé
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Paris, France
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Zhang L, Sun Y, Wang J, Zhang M, Wang Q, Xie B, Yu F, Wen D, Ma C. Dopaminergic dominance in the ventral medial hypothalamus: A pivotal regulator for methamphetamine-induced pathological aggression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 132:110971. [PMID: 38365104 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.110971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is associated with a spectrum of behavioral consequences, among which heightened aggression presents a significant challenge. However, the causal role of METH's impact in aggression and its target circuit mechanisms remains largely unknown. We established an acute METH exposure-aggression mouse model to investigate the role of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons and ventral medial hypothalamus VMH glutamatergic neuron. Our findings revealed that METH-induced VTA dopamine excitability activates the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) glutamatergic neurons, contributing to pathological aggression. Notably, we uncovered a dopaminergic transmission within the VTA-VMH circuit that exclusively functioned under METH influence. This dopaminergic pathway emerged as a potential key player in enabling dopamine-related pathological aggression, with heightened dopaminergic excitability implicated in various psychiatric symptoms. Also, the modulatory function of this pathway opens new possibilities for targeted therapeutic strategies for intervention to improve treatment in METH abuse and may have broader implications for addressing pathological aggression syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludi Zhang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Hebei Medical University Postdoctoral Research Station, 050017, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Yufei Sun
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Jian Wang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Minglong Zhang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Qingwu Wang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Bing Xie
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Feng Yu
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Di Wen
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China.
| | - Chunling Ma
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Identification Center of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, 050017 Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China.
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9
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Kim J, Tashjian SM, Mobbs D. The human hypothalamus coordinates switching between different survival actions. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002624. [PMID: 38941452 PMCID: PMC11213486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Comparative research suggests that the hypothalamus is critical in switching between survival behaviors, yet it is unclear if this is the case in humans. Here, we investigate the role of the human hypothalamus in survival switching by introducing a paradigm where volunteers switch between hunting and escape in response to encounters with a virtual predator or prey. Given the small size and low tissue contrast of the hypothalamus, we used deep learning-based segmentation to identify the individual-specific hypothalamus and its subnuclei as well as an imaging sequence optimized for hypothalamic signal acquisition. Across 2 experiments, we employed computational models with identical structures to explain internal movement generation processes associated with hunting and escaping. Despite the shared structure, the models exhibited significantly different parameter values where escaping or hunting were accurately decodable just by computing the parameters of internal movement generation processes. In experiment 2, multi-voxel pattern analyses (MVPA) showed that the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and periaqueductal gray encode switching of survival behaviors while not encoding simple motor switching outside of the survival context. Furthermore, multi-voxel connectivity analyses revealed a network including the hypothalamus as encoding survival switching and how the hypothalamus is connected to other regions in this network. Finally, model-based fMRI analyses showed that a strong hypothalamic multi-voxel pattern of switching is predictive of optimal behavioral coordination after switching, especially when this signal was synchronized with the multi-voxel pattern of switching in the amygdala. Our study is the first to identify the role of the human hypothalamus in switching between survival behaviors and action organization after switching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaejoong Kim
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Sarah M. Tashjian
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Dean Mobbs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- Neural Systems Program at the California, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
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10
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Stennette KA, Godwin JR. Estrogenic influences on agonistic behavior in teleost fishes. Horm Behav 2024; 161:105519. [PMID: 38452611 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Teleost fishes show an extraordinary diversity of sexual patterns, social structures, and sociosexual behaviors. Sex steroid hormones are key modulators of social behaviors in teleosts as in other vertebrates and act on sex steroid receptor-containing brain nuclei that form the evolutionarily conserved vertebrate social behavior network (SBN). Fishes also display important differences relative to tetrapod vertebrates that make them particularly well-suited to study the physiological mechanisms modulating social behavior. Specifically, fishes exhibit high levels of brain aromatization and have what has been proposed to be a lifelong, steroid hormone dependent plasticity in the neural substrates mediating sociosexual behavior. In this review, we examine how estrogenic signaling modulates sociosexual behaviors in teleosts with a particular focus on agonistic behavior. Estrogens have been shown to mediate agonistic behaviors in a broad range of fishes, from sexually monomorphic gonochoristic species to highly dimorphic sex changers with alternate reproductive phenotypes. These similarities across such diverse taxa contribute to a growing body of evidence that estrogens play a crucial role in the modulation of aggression in vertebrates. As analytical techniques and genomic tools rapidly advance, methods such as LC-MS/MS, snRNAseq, and CRISPR-based mutagenesis show great promise to further elucidate the mechanistic basis of estrogenic effects on social behavior in the diverse teleost lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Stennette
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - John R Godwin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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11
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Murata K, Itakura T, Touhara K. Neural basis for pheromone signal transduction in mice. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1409994. [PMID: 38742089 PMCID: PMC11089125 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1409994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are specialized chemical messengers used for inter-individual communication within the same species, playing crucial roles in modulating behaviors and physiological states. The detection mechanisms of these signals at the peripheral organ and their transduction to the brain have been unclear. However, recent identification of pheromone molecules, their corresponding receptors, and advancements in neuroscientific technology have started to elucidate these processes. In mammals, the detection and interpretation of pheromone signals are primarily attributed to the vomeronasal system, which is a specialized olfactory apparatus predominantly dedicated to decoding socio-chemical cues. In this mini-review, we aim to delineate the vomeronasal signal transduction pathway initiated by specific vomeronasal receptor-ligand interactions in mice. First, we catalog the previously identified pheromone ligands and their corresponding receptor pairs, providing a foundational understanding of the specificity inherent in pheromonal communication. Subsequently, we examine the neural circuits involved in processing each pheromone signal. We focus on the anatomical pathways, the sexually dimorphic and physiological state-dependent aspects of signal transduction, and the neural coding strategies underlying behavioral responses to pheromonal cues. These insights provide further critical questions regarding the development of innate circuit formation and plasticity within these circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Murata
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Itakura
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, TianQiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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12
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He ZX, Yue MH, Liu KJ, Wang Y, Qiao JY, Lv XY, Xi K, Zhang YX, Fan JN, Yu HL, He XX, Zhu XJ. Substance P in the medial amygdala regulates aggressive behaviors in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01863-w. [PMID: 38649427 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01863-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral and clinical studies have revealed a critical role of substance P (SP) in aggression; however, the neural circuit mechanisms underlying SP and aggression remain elusive. Here, we show that tachykinin-expressing neurons in the medial amygdala (MeATac1 neurons) are activated during aggressive behaviors in male mice. We identified MeATac1 neurons as a key mediator of aggression and found that MeATac1→ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMHvl) projections are critical to the regulation of aggression. Moreover, SP/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) signaling in the VMHvl modulates aggressive behaviors in male mice. SP/NK-1R signaling regulates aggression by influencing glutamate transmission in neurons in the VMHvl. In summary, these findings place SP as a key node in aggression circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Xuan He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Mei-Hui Yue
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Kai-Jie Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jiu-Ye Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xin-Yue Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ke Xi
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ya-Xin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jia-Ni Fan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Hua-Li Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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13
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Fisher DW, Dunn JT, Keszycki R, Rodriguez G, Bennett DA, Wilson RS, Dong H. Unique transcriptional signatures correlate with behavioral and psychological symptom domains in Alzheimer's disease. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:178. [PMID: 38575567 PMCID: PMC10995139 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the significant burden, cost, and worse prognosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), little is known about the molecular causes of these symptoms. Using antemortem assessments of BPSD in AD, we demonstrate that individual BPSD can be grouped into 4 domain factors in our cohort: affective, apathy, agitation, and psychosis. Then, we performed a transcriptome-wide analysis for each domain utilizing bulk RNA-seq of post-mortem anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) tissues. Though all 4 domains are associated with a predominantly downregulated pattern of hundreds of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), most DEGs are unique to each domain, with only 22 DEGs being common to all BPSD domains, including TIMP1. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) yielded multiple transcriptional modules that were shared between BPSD domains or unique to each domain, and NetDecoder was used to analyze context-dependent information flow through the biological network. For the agitation domain, we found that all DEGs and a highly associated transcriptional module were functionally enriched for ECM-related genes including TIMP1, TAGLN, and FLNA. Another unique transcriptional module also associated with the agitation domain was enriched with genes involved in post-synaptic signaling, including DRD1, PDE1B, CAMK4, and GABRA4. By comparing context-dependent changes in DEGs between cases and control networks, ESR1 and PARK2 were implicated as two high-impact genes associated with agitation that mediated significant information flow through the biological network. Overall, our work establishes unique targets for future study of the biological mechanisms of BPSD and resultant drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Fisher
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Dunn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Rachel Keszycki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Guadalupe Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Robert S Wilson
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Hongxin Dong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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14
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Minakuchi T, Guthman EM, Acharya P, Hinson J, Fleming W, Witten IB, Oline SN, Falkner AL. Independent inhibitory control mechanisms for aggressive motivation and action. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:702-715. [PMID: 38347201 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01563-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Social behaviors often consist of a motivational phase followed by action. Here we show that neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus ventrolateral area (VMHvl) of mice encode the temporal sequence of aggressive motivation to action. The VMHvl receives local inhibitory input (VMHvl shell) and long-range input from the medial preoptic area (MPO) with functional coupling to neurons with specific temporal profiles. Encoding models reveal that during aggression, VMHvl shellvgat+ activity peaks at the start of an attack, whereas activity from the MPO-VMHvlvgat+ input peaks at specific interaction endpoints. Activation of the MPO-VMHvlvgat+ input promotes and prolongs a low motivation state, whereas activation of VMHvl shellvgat+ results in action-related deficits, acutely terminating attack. Moreover, stimulation of MPO-VMHvlvgat+ input is positively valenced and anxiolytic. Together, these data demonstrate how distinct inhibitory inputs to the hypothalamus can independently gate the motivational and action phases of aggression through a single locus of control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Justin Hinson
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, USA
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15
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Stagkourakis S, Williams P, Spigolon G, Khanal S, Ziegler K, Heikkinen L, Fisone G, Broberger C. Maternal Aggression Driven by the Transient Mobilisation of a Dormant Hormone-Sensitive Circuit. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.02.526862. [PMID: 38585740 PMCID: PMC10996482 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Aggression, a sexually dimorphic behaviour, is prevalent in males and typically absent in virgin females. Following parturition, however, the transient expression of aggression in adult female mice protects pups from predators and infanticide by male conspecifics. While maternal hormones are known to elicit nursing, their potential role in maternal aggression remains elusive. Here, we show in mice that a molecularly defined subset of ventral premammillary (PMvDAT) neurons, instrumental for intermale aggression, switch from quiescence to a hyperexcitable state during lactation. We identify that the maternal hormones prolactin and oxytocin excite these cells through actions that include T-type Ca2+ channels. Optogenetic manipulation or genetic ablation of PMvDAT neurons profoundly affects maternal aggression, while activation of these neurons impairs the expression of non-aggression-related maternal behaviours. This work identifies a monomorphic neural substrate that can incorporate hormonal cues to enable the transient expression of a dormant behavioural program in lactating females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Stagkourakis
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul Williams
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Giada Spigolon
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shreya Khanal
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katharina Ziegler
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Heikkinen
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gilberto Fisone
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Broberger
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum B:4, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Peedikayil-Kurien S, Setty H, Oren-Suissa M. Environmental experiences shape sexually dimorphic neuronal circuits and behaviour. FEBS J 2024; 291:1080-1101. [PMID: 36582142 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Dimorphic traits, shaped by both natural and sexual selection, ensure optimal fitness and survival of the organism. This includes neuronal circuits that are largely affected by different experiences and environmental conditions. Recent evidence suggests that sexual dimorphism of neuronal circuits extends to different levels such as neuronal activity, connectivity and molecular topography that manifest in response to various experiences, including chemical exposures, starvation and stress. In this review, we propose some common principles that govern experience-dependent sexually dimorphic circuits in both vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. While sexually dimorphic neuronal circuits are predetermined, they have to maintain a certain level of fluidity to be adaptive to different experiences. The first layer of dimorphism is at the level of the neuronal circuit, which appears to be dictated by sex-biased transcription factors. This could subsequently lead to differences in the second layer of regulation namely connectivity and synaptic properties. The third regulator of experience-dependent responses is the receptor level, where dimorphic expression patterns determine the primary sensory encoding. We also highlight missing pieces in this field and propose future directions that can shed light onto novel aspects of sexual dimorphism with potential benefits to sex-specific therapeutic approaches. Thus, sexual identity and experience simultaneously determine behaviours that ultimately result in the maximal survival success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hagar Setty
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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17
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Tao L, Ayembem D, Barranca VJ, Bhandawat V. Neurons underlying aggressive actions that are shared by both males and females in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582148. [PMID: 38464020 PMCID: PMC10925114 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Aggression involves both sexually monomorphic and dimorphic actions. How the brain implements these two types of actions is poorly understood. We found that a set of neurons, which we call CL062, previously shown to mediate male aggression also mediate female aggression. These neurons elicit aggression acutely and without the presence of a target. Although the same set of actions is elicited in males and females, the overall behavior is sexually dimorphic. The CL062 neurons do not express fruitless , a gene required for sexual dimorphism in flies, and expressed by most other neurons important for controlling fly aggression. Connectomic analysis suggests that these neurons have limited connections with fruitless expressing neurons that have been shown to be important for aggression, and signal to different descending neurons. Thus, CL062 is part of a monomorphic circuit for aggression that functions parallel to the known dimorphic circuits.
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18
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Jackson LR, Dumitrascu M, Alward BA. Sex differences in aggression and its neural substrate in a cichlid fish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.18.562975. [PMID: 37905098 PMCID: PMC10614901 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.18.562975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Aggression is ubiquitous among social species and functions to maintains social dominance hierarchies. The African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni is an ideal study species for studying aggression due to their unique and flexible dominance hierarchy. However, female aggression in this species and the neural mechanisms of aggression in both sexes is not well understood. To further understand the potential sex differences in aggression in this species, we characterized aggression in male and female A. burtoni in a mirror assay. We then quantified neural activation patterns in brain regions of the social behavior network (SBN) to investigate if differences in behavior are reflected in the brain with immunohistochemistry by detecting the phosphorylated ribosome marker phospho-S6 ribosomal protein (pS6), a marker for neural activation. We found that A. burtoni perform both identical and sex-specific aggressive behaviors in response to a mirror assay. We observed sex differences in pS6 immunoreactivity in the Vv, a homolog of the lateral septum in mammals. Males but not females had higher ps6 immunoreactivity in the ATn after the aggression assay. The ATn is a homolog of the ventromedial hypothalamus in mammals, which is strongly implicated in the regulation of aggression in males. Several regions also have higher pS6 immunoreactivity in negative controls than fish exposed to a mirror, implicating a role for inhibitory neurons in suppressing aggression until a relevant stimulus is present. Male and female A. burtoni display both similar and sexually dimorphic behavioral patterns in aggression in response to a mirror assay. There are also sex differences in the corresponding neural activation patterns in the SBN. In mirror males but not females, the ATn clusters with the POA, revealing a functional connectivity of these regions that is triggered in an aggressive context in males. These findings suggest that distinct neural circuitry underlie aggressive behavior in male and female A. burtoni, serving as a foundation for future work investigating the molecular and neural underpinnings of sexually dimorphic behaviors in this species to reveal fundamental insights into understanding aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Beau A Alward
- University of Houston, Department of Psychology
- University of Houston, Department of Biology and Biochemistry
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19
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Palieri V, Paoli E, Wu YK, Haesemeyer M, Grunwald Kadow IC, Portugues R. The preoptic area and dorsal habenula jointly support homeostatic navigation in larval zebrafish. Curr Biol 2024; 34:489-504.e7. [PMID: 38211586 PMCID: PMC10849091 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Animals must maintain physiological processes within an optimal temperature range despite changes in their environment. Through behavioral assays, whole-brain functional imaging, and neural ablations, we show that larval zebrafish, an ectothermic vertebrate, achieves thermoregulation through homeostatic navigation-non-directional and directional movements toward the temperature closest to its physiological setpoint. A brain-wide circuit encompassing several brain regions enables this behavior. We identified the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (PoA) as a key brain structure in triggering non-directional reorientation when thermal conditions are worsening. This result shows an evolutionary conserved role of the PoA as principal thermoregulator of the brain also in ectotherms. We further show that the habenula (Hb)-interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) circuit retains a short-term memory of the sensory history to support the generation of coherent directed movements even in the absence of continuous sensory cues. We finally provide evidence that this circuit may not be exclusive for temperature but may convey a more abstract representation of relative valence of physiologically meaningful stimuli regardless of their specific identity to enable homeostatic navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Palieri
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany; School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Emanuele Paoli
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - You Kure Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Haesemeyer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ilona C Grunwald Kadow
- School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany; Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Medical Faculty (UKB), Nussallee 11, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Ruben Portugues
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Feodor-Lynen-Str. 17, 81377 Munich, Germany.
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20
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Osakada T, Yan R, Jiang Y, Wei D, Tabuchi R, Dai B, Wang X, Zhao G, Wang CX, Liu JJ, Tsien RW, Mar AC, Lin D. A dedicated hypothalamic oxytocin circuit controls aversive social learning. Nature 2024; 626:347-356. [PMID: 38267576 PMCID: PMC11102773 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06958-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
To survive in a complex social group, one needs to know who to approach and, more importantly, who to avoid. In mice, a single defeat causes the losing mouse to stay away from the winner for weeks1. Here through a series of functional manipulation and recording experiments, we identify oxytocin neurons in the retrochiasmatic supraoptic nucleus (SOROXT) and oxytocin-receptor-expressing cells in the anterior subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamus, ventrolateral part (aVMHvlOXTR) as a key circuit motif for defeat-induced social avoidance. Before defeat, aVMHvlOXTR cells minimally respond to aggressor cues. During defeat, aVMHvlOXTR cells are highly activated and, with the help of an exclusive oxytocin supply from the SOR, potentiate their responses to aggressor cues. After defeat, strong aggressor-induced aVMHvlOXTR cell activation drives the animal to avoid the aggressor and minimizes future defeat. Our study uncovers a neural process that supports rapid social learning caused by defeat and highlights the importance of the brain oxytocin system in social plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Osakada
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Rongzhen Yan
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yiwen Jiang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dongyu Wei
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rina Tabuchi
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bing Dai
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gavin Zhao
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clara Xi Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing-Jing Liu
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard W Tsien
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adam C Mar
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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21
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Lopez MS, Alward BA. Androgen receptor deficiency is associated with reduced aromatase expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus of male cichlids. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1532:73-82. [PMID: 38240562 PMCID: PMC10922992 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Social behaviors are regulated by sex steroid hormones, such as androgens and estrogens. However, the specific molecular and neural processes modulated by steroid hormones to generate social behaviors remain to be elucidated. We investigated whether some actions of androgen signaling in the control of social behavior may occur through the regulation of estradiol synthesis in the highly social cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni. Specifically, we examined the expression of cyp19a1, a brain-specific aromatase, in the brains of male A. burtoni lacking a functional ARα gene (ar1), which was recently found to be necessary for aggression in this species. We found that cyp19a1 expression is higher in wild-type males compared to ar1 mutant males in the anterior tuberal nucleus (ATn), the putative fish homolog of the mammalian ventromedial hypothalamus, a brain region that is critical for aggression across taxa. Using in situ hybridization chain reaction, we determined that cyp19a1+ cells coexpress ar1 throughout the brain, including in the ATn. We speculate that ARα may modulate cyp19a1 expression in the ATn to govern aggression in A. burtoni. These studies provide novel insights into the hormonal mechanisms of social behavior in teleosts and lay a foundation for future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana S. Lopez
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Beau A. Alward
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry. University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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22
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Altahini S, Arnoux I, Stroh A. Optogenetics 2.0: challenges and solutions towards a quantitative probing of neural circuits. Biol Chem 2024; 405:43-54. [PMID: 37650383 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
To exploit the full potential of optogenetics, we need to titrate and tailor optogenetic methods to emulate naturalistic circuit function. For that, the following prerequisites need to be met: first, we need to target opsin expression not only to genetically defined neurons per se, but to specifically target a functional node. Second, we need to assess the scope of optogenetic modulation, i.e. the fraction of optogenetically modulated neurons. Third, we need to integrate optogenetic control in a closed loop setting. Fourth, we need to further safe and stable gene expression and light delivery to bring optogenetics to the clinics. Here, we review these concepts for the human and rodent brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Altahini
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Isabelle Arnoux
- Cerebral Physiopathology Laboratory, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, College de France, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Université PSL, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Albrecht Stroh
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Mainz, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
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23
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Hasunuma K, Murakawa T, Takenawa S, Mitsui K, Hatsukano T, Sano K, Nakata M, Ogawa S. Estrogen Receptor β in the Lateral Septum Mediates Estrogen Regulation of Social Anxiety-like Behavior in Male Mice. Neuroscience 2024; 537:126-140. [PMID: 38042251 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
17β-estradiol (E2) regulates various forms of social behavior through the activation of two types of estrogen receptors, ERα and ERβ. The lateral septum (LS) is thought to be one of the potential target sites of E2, but the role played by ERα and ERβ in this brain area remains largely unknown. In the present study, we first analyzed the distribution of ERα and ERβ with double fluorescent immunohistochemistry in a transgenic mouse line in which red fluorescent protein (RFP) signal has been a reliable marker of ERβ expression. The overall number of ERβ-RFP-expressing cells was significantly higher (about 2.5 times) compared to ERα-expressing cells. The distribution of the two types of ERs was different, with co-expression only seen in about 1.2% of total ER-positive cells. Given these distinctive distribution patterns, we examined the behavioral effects of site-specific knockdown of each ER using viral vector-mediated small interference RNA (siRNA) techniques in male mice. We found ERβ-specific behavioral alterations during a social interaction test, suggesting involvement of ERβ-expressing LS neurons in the regulation of social anxiety and social interest. Further, we investigated the neuronal projections of ERα- and ERβ-expressing LS cells by injecting an anterograde viral tracer in ERα-Cre and ERβ-iCre mice. Dense expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) in synaptic terminals was observed in ERβ-iCre mice in areas known to be related to the modulation of anxiety. These findings collectively suggest that ERβ expressed in the LS plays a major role in the estrogenic control of social anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kansuke Hasunuma
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Murakawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Satoshi Takenawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Koshiro Mitsui
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Tetsu Hatsukano
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Sano
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Mariko Nakata
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Sonoko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan.
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24
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Stagkourakis S, Spigolon G, Marks M, Feyder M, Kim J, Perona P, Pachitariu M, Anderson DJ. Anatomically distributed neural representations of instincts in the hypothalamus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.21.568163. [PMID: 38045312 PMCID: PMC10690204 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Artificial activation of anatomically localized, genetically defined hypothalamic neuron populations is known to trigger distinct innate behaviors, suggesting a hypothalamic nucleus-centered organization of behavior control. To assess whether the encoding of behavior is similarly anatomically confined, we performed simultaneous neuron recordings across twenty hypothalamic regions in freely moving animals. Here we show that distinct but anatomically distributed neuron ensembles encode the social and fear behavior classes, primarily through mixed selectivity. While behavior class-encoding ensembles were spatially distributed, individual ensembles exhibited strong localization bias. Encoding models identified that behavior actions, but not motion-related variables, explained a large fraction of hypothalamic neuron activity variance. These results identify unexpected complexity in the hypothalamic encoding of instincts and provide a foundation for understanding the role of distributed neural representations in the expression of behaviors driven by hardwired circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Stagkourakis
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Giada Spigolon
- Biological Imaging Facility, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Markus Marks
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Michael Feyder
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305, USA
| | - Joseph Kim
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Pietro Perona
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Marius Pachitariu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - David J. Anderson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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25
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Lischinsky JE, Yin L, Shi C, Prakash N, Burke J, Shekaran G, Grba M, Corbin JG, Lin D. Transcriptionally defined amygdala subpopulations play distinct roles in innate social behaviors. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:2131-2146. [PMID: 37946049 PMCID: PMC10689240 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01475-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Social behaviors are innate and supported by dedicated neural circuits, but the molecular identities of these circuits and how they are established developmentally and shaped by experience remain unclear. Here we show that medial amygdala (MeA) cells originating from two embryonically parcellated developmental lineages have distinct response patterns and functions in social behavior in male mice. MeA cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp2 (MeAFoxp2) are specialized for processing male conspecific cues and are essential for adult inter-male aggression. By contrast, MeA cells derived from the Dbx1 lineage (MeADbx1) respond broadly to social cues, respond strongly during ejaculation and are not essential for male aggression. Furthermore, MeAFoxp2 and MeADbx1 cells show differential anatomical and functional connectivity. Altogether, our results suggest a developmentally hardwired aggression circuit at the MeA level and a lineage-based circuit organization by which a cell's embryonic transcription factor profile determines its social information representation and behavioral relevance during adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta E Lischinsky
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Luping Yin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chenxi Shi
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Hunter College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nandkishore Prakash
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jared Burke
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Govind Shekaran
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria Grba
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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26
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Davis D, Dovey J, Sagoshi S, Thaweepanyaporn K, Ogawa S, Vasudevan N. Steroid hormone-mediated regulation of sexual and aggressive behaviour by non-genomic signalling. Steroids 2023; 200:109324. [PMID: 37820890 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Sex and aggression are well studied examples of social behaviours that are common to most animals and are mediated by an evolutionary conserved group of interconnected nuclei in the brain called the social behaviour network. Though glucocorticoids and in particular estrogen regulate these social behaviours, their effects in the brain are generally thought to be mediated by genomic signalling, a slow transcriptional regulation mediated by nuclear hormone receptors. In the last decade or so, there has been renewed interest in understanding the physiological significance of rapid, non-genomic signalling mediated by steroids. Though the identity of the membrane hormone receptors that mediate this signalling is not clearly understood and appears to be different in different cell types, such signalling contributes to physiologically relevant behaviours such as sex and aggression. In this short review, we summarise the evidence for this phenomenon in the rodent, by focusing on estrogen and to some extent, glucocorticoid signalling. The use of these signals, in relation to genomic signalling is manifold and ranges from potentiation of transcription to the possible transduction of environmental signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeAsia Davis
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Janine Dovey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Shoko Sagoshi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, United States; Laboratory of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Sonoko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Nandini Vasudevan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, United Kingdom.
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27
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Ferrara NC, Che A, Briones B, Padilla-Coreano N, Lovett-Barron M, Opendak M. Neural Circuit Transitions Supporting Developmentally Specific Social Behavior. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7456-7462. [PMID: 37940586 PMCID: PMC10634550 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1377-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmentally appropriate social behavior is critical for survival across the lifespan. To support this flexible behavior, the brain must rapidly perform numerous computations taking into account sensation, memory, motor-control, and many other systems. Further complicating this process, individuals must perform distinct social behaviors adapted to the unique demands of each developmental stage; indeed, the social behaviors of the newborn would not be appropriate in adulthood and vice versa. However, our understanding of the neural circuit transitions supporting these behavioral transitions has been limited. Recent advances in neural circuit dissection tools, as well as adaptation of these tools for use at early time points, has helped uncover several novel mechanisms supporting developmentally appropriate social behavior. This review, and associated Minisymposium, bring together social neuroscience research across numerous model organisms and ages. Together, this work highlights developmentally regulated neural mechanisms and functional transitions in the roles of the sensory cortex, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, habenula, and the thalamus to support social interaction from infancy to adulthood. These studies underscore the need for synthesis across varied model organisms and across ages to advance our understanding of flexible social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C Ferrara
- Discipline of Physiology and Biophysics, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - Alicia Che
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Brandy Briones
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Nancy Padilla-Coreano
- Evelyn F. & William McKnight Brain Institute and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Matthew Lovett-Barron
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Maya Opendak
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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28
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Mountoufaris G, Nair A, Yang B, Kim DW, Anderson DJ. Neuropeptide Signaling is Required to Implement a Line Attractor Encoding a Persistent Internal Behavioral State. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.01.565073. [PMID: 37961374 PMCID: PMC10635056 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.01.565073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Internal states drive survival behaviors, but their neural implementation is not well understood. Recently we identified a line attractor in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) that represents an internal state of aggressiveness. Line attractors can be implemented by recurrent connectivity and/or neuromodulatory signaling, but evidence for the latter is scant. Here we show that neuropeptidergic signaling is necessary for line attractor dynamics in this system, using a novel approach that integrates cell type-specific, anatomically restricted CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing with microendoscopic calcium imaging. Co-disruption of receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin in adult VMH Esr1 + neurons that control aggression suppressed attack, reduced persistent neural activity and eliminated line attractor dynamics, while only modestly impacting neural activity and sex- or behavior-tuning. These data identify a requisite role for neuropeptidergic signaling in implementing a behaviorally relevant line attractor. Our approach should facilitate mechanistic studies in neuroscience that bridge different levels of biological function and abstraction.
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29
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Santin MDN, Tempier N, Belaid H, Zenoni M, Dumas S, Wallén-Mackenzie Å, Bardinet E, Destrieux C, François C, Karachi C. Anatomical characterisation of three different psychosurgical targets in the subthalamic area: from the basal ganglia to the limbic system. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:1977-1992. [PMID: 37668733 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02691-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Effective neural stimulation for the treatment of severe psychiatric disorders needs accurate characterisation of surgical targets. This is especially true for the medial subthalamic region (MSR) which contains three targets: the anteromedial STN for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) for depression and OCD, and the "Sano triangle" for pathological aggressiveness. Blocks containing the subthalamic area were obtained from two human brains. After obtaining 11.7-Tesla MRI, blocks were cut in regular sections for immunohistochemistry. Fluorescent in situ hybridisation was performed on the macaque MSR. Electron microscopic observation for synaptic specialisation was performed on human and macaque subthalamic fresh samples. Images of human brain sections were reconstructed in a cryoblock which was registered on the MRI and histological slices were then registered. The STN contains glutamatergic and fewer GABAergic neurons and has no strict boundary with the adjacent MSR. The anteromedial STN has abundant dopaminergic and serotoninergic innervation with very sparse dopaminergic neurons. The MFB is composed of dense anterior dopaminergic and posterior serotoninergic fibres, and fewer cholinergic and glutamatergic fibres. Medially, the Sano triangle presumably contains orexinergic terminals from the hypothalamus, and neurons with strong nuclear oestrogen receptor-alpha staining with a decreased anteroposterior and mediolateral gradient of staining. These findings provide new insight regarding MSR cells and their fibre specialisation, forming a transition zone between the basal ganglia and the limbic systems. Our 3D reconstruction enabled us to visualize the main histological features of the three targets which should enable better targeting and understanding of neuromodulatory stimulation results in severe psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie des Neiges Santin
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute- ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Tempier
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute- ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Hayat Belaid
- Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, 29 rue Manin, Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Zenoni
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute- ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France
| | | | - Åsa Wallén-Mackenzie
- Department of Organismal Biology, Unit of Comparative Physiology, Uppsala University, S-756 32, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eric Bardinet
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute- ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Destrieux
- UMR Inserm U1253, IBrain, Université de Tours, Tours, France
- Laboratoire d'Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Université François Rabelais, Tours, France
| | - Chantal François
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute- ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Carine Karachi
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute- ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France.
- AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Neurochirurgie, Paris, France.
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30
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Liu Z, Liu Z, Xu X, Zhou Y, Chen H, Zhou H, Li Z, Guo F, Zhou Z, Wang Y, Wang M, Wang Y, Zhou L, Jiang H, Yu L. Role of ventrolateral part of ventromedial hypothalamus in post-myocardial infarction cardiac dysfunction induced by sympathetic nervous system. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2023; 184:37-47. [PMID: 37783395 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2023.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Psychological stress has been recognized as a contributing factor to worsened prognosis in patients with cardiac failure following myocardial infarction (MI). Although the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHVL) has been implicated in emotional distress, its involvement in post-MI cardiac dysfunction remains largely unexplored. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the VMHVL activation in the MI rat model and its underlying mechanisms. Our findings demonstrate that activation of VMHVL neurons enhances the activity of the cardiac sympathetic nervous system through the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and superior cervical ganglion (SCG). This activation leads to an elevation in catecholamine levels, which subsequently modulates myosin function and triggers the release of anti-inflammatory factors, to exacerbate the post-MI cardiac prognosis. The denervation of the superior cervical ganglion (SGN) effectively blocked the cardiac sympathetic effects induced by the VMHVL activation, and ameliorated the cardia fibrosis and dysfunction. Therefore, our study identified the role of the "VMHVL-PVN-SCG" sympathetic pathway in the post-MI heart, and proposed SGN as a promising strategy in mitigating cardiac prognosis in stressful rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Yuyang Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Hu Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Huixin Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Zeyan Li
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Fuding Guo
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Zhen Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Yuhong Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Yueyi Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Liping Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China.
| | - Lilei Yu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Autonomic Nervous System Modulation, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Research Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Taikang center for life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, PR China.
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31
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Stuber GD. Neurocircuits for motivation. Science 2023; 382:394-398. [PMID: 37883553 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The nervous system coordinates various motivated behaviors such as feeding, drinking, and escape to promote survival and evolutionary fitness. Although the precise behavioral repertoires required for distinct motivated behaviors are diverse, common features such as approach or avoidance suggest that common brain substrates are required for a wide range of motivated behaviors. In this Review, I describe a framework by which neural circuits specified for some innate drives regulate the activity of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons to reinforce ongoing or planned actions to fulfill motivational demands. This framework may explain why signaling from VTA dopamine neurons is ubiquitously involved in many types of diverse volitional motivated actions, as well as how sensory and interoceptive cues can initiate specific goal-directed actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garret D Stuber
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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32
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Mei L, Osakada T, Lin D. Hypothalamic control of innate social behaviors. Science 2023; 382:399-404. [PMID: 37883550 PMCID: PMC11105421 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Sexual, parental, and aggressive behaviors are central to the reproductive success of individuals and species survival and thus are supported by hardwired neural circuits. The reproductive behavior control column (RBCC), which comprises the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl), and the ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv), is essential for all social behaviors. The RBCC integrates diverse hormonal and metabolic cues and adjusts an animal's physical activity, hence the chance of social encounters. The RBCC further engages the mesolimbic dopamine system to maintain social interest and reinforces cues and actions that are time-locked with social behaviors. We propose that the RBCC and brainstem form a dual-control system for generating moment-to-moment social actions. This Review summarizes recent progress regarding the identities of RBCC cells and their pathways that drive different aspects of social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Mei
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Takuya Osakada
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
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33
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Guo Z, Yin L, Diaz V, Dai B, Osakada T, Lischinsky JE, Chien J, Yamaguchi T, Urtecho A, Tong X, Chen ZS, Lin D. Neural dynamics in the limbic system during male social behaviors. Neuron 2023; 111:3288-3306.e4. [PMID: 37586365 PMCID: PMC10592239 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Sexual and aggressive behaviors are vital for species survival and individual reproductive success. Although many limbic regions have been found relevant to these behaviors, how social cues are represented across regions and how the network activity generates each behavior remains elusive. To answer these questions, we utilize multi-fiber photometry (MFP) to simultaneously record Ca2+ signals of estrogen receptor alpha (Esr1)-expressing cells from 13 limbic regions in male mice during mating and fighting. We find that conspecific sensory information and social action signals are widely distributed in the limbic system and can be decoded from the network activity. Cross-region correlation analysis reveals striking increases in the network functional connectivity during the social action initiation phase, whereas late copulation is accompanied by a "dissociated" network state. Based on the response patterns, we propose a mating-biased network (MBN) and an aggression-biased network (ABN) for mediating male sexual and aggressive behaviors, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Guo
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Luping Yin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Veronica Diaz
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Bing Dai
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Takuya Osakada
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Julieta E Lischinsky
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jonathan Chien
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Takashi Yamaguchi
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ashley Urtecho
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Tong
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Zhe S Chen
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, New York, NY 11201, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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34
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Pfau DR, Baribeau S, Brown F, Khetarpal N, Marc Breedlove S, Jordan CL. Loss of TRPC2 function in mice alters sex differences in brain regions regulating social behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1550-1561. [PMID: 37496437 PMCID: PMC10642801 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The transient receptor potential cation channel 2 (TRPC2) conveys pheromonal information from the vomeronasal organ (VNO) to the brain. Both male and female mice lacking this gene show altered sex-typical behavior as adults. We asked whether TRPC2, highly expressed in the VNO, normally participates in the development of VNO-recipient brain regions controlling mounting and aggression, two behaviors affected by TRPC2 loss. We now report significant effects of TRPC2 loss in both the posterodorsal aspect of the medial amygdala (MePD) and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) of male and female mice. In the MePD, a sex difference in neuron number was eliminated by the TRPC2 knockout (KO), but the effect was complex, with fewer neurons in the right MePD of females, and fewer neurons in the left MePD of males. In contrast, MePD astrocytes were unaffected by the KO. In the ventrolateral (vl) aspect of the VMH, KO females were like wildtype (WT) females, but TRPC2 loss had a dramatic effect in males, with fewer neurons than WT males and a smaller VMHvl overall. We also discovered a glial sex difference in VMHvl of WTs, with females having more astrocytes than males. Interestingly, TRPC2 loss increased astrocyte number in males in this region. We conclude that TRPC2 normally participates in the sexual differentiation of the mouse MePD and VMHvl. These changes in two key VNO-recipient regions may underlie the effects of the TRPC2 KO on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Pfau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah Baribeau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Felix Brown
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Niki Khetarpal
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Cynthia L Jordan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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35
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Bayless DW, Davis CHO, Yang R, Wei Y, de Andrade Carvalho VM, Knoedler JR, Yang T, Livingston O, Lomvardas A, Martins GJ, Vicente AM, Ding JB, Luo L, Shah NM. A neural circuit for male sexual behavior and reward. Cell 2023; 186:3862-3881.e28. [PMID: 37572660 PMCID: PMC10615179 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Male sexual behavior is innate and rewarding. Despite its centrality to reproduction, a molecularly specified neural circuit governing innate male sexual behavior and reward remains to be characterized. We have discovered a developmentally wired neural circuit necessary and sufficient for male mating. This circuit connects chemosensory input to BNSTprTac1 neurons, which innervate POATacr1 neurons that project to centers regulating motor output and reward. Epistasis studies demonstrate that BNSTprTac1 neurons are upstream of POATacr1 neurons, and BNSTprTac1-released substance P following mate recognition potentiates activation of POATacr1 neurons through Tacr1 to initiate mating. Experimental activation of POATacr1 neurons triggers mating, even in sexually satiated males, and it is rewarding, eliciting dopamine release and self-stimulation of these cells. Together, we have uncovered a neural circuit that governs the key aspects of innate male sexual behavior: motor displays, drive, and reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Bayless
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chung-Ha O Davis
- Stanford Neurosciences Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Renzhi Yang
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yichao Wei
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Joseph R Knoedler
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Taehong Yang
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Oscar Livingston
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Akira Lomvardas
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Ana Mafalda Vicente
- Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics, Seattle, WA 98109; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Jun B Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Departments of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liqun Luo
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nirao M Shah
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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36
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Zhou SF, Li SJ, Zhao TS, Liu Y, Li CQ, Cui YH, Li F. Female rats prefer to forage food from males, an effect that is not influenced by stress. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114597. [PMID: 37487838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
As social beings, animals and humans alike make real life decisions that are often influenced by other members. Most current research has focused on the influence of same-sex peers on individual decision-making, with potential opposite sex effect scarcely explored. Here, we developed a behavioral model to observe food foraging decision-making in female rats under various social situations. We found that female rats preferred to forage food from male over female rats or from the no-rat storage side. Female rats were more likely to forage food from familiar males than from unfamiliar. This opposite-sex preference was not altered by the lure of sweet food, or with estrous cycle, nor under stress conditions. These results suggest that the opposite sex influences food foraging decision-making in female rats. The behavioral model established could facilitate future investigation into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Fen Zhou
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Song-Ji Li
- The International-Joint Lab for Non-invasive Neural Modulation/Key Laboratory for the Brain Research of Henan Province, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
| | - Tian-Shu Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Chang-Qi Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yan-Hui Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
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37
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Bowers JM, Li CY, Parker CG, Westbrook ME, Juntti SA. Pheromone Perception in Fish: Mechanisms and Modulation by Internal Status. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:407-427. [PMID: 37263784 PMCID: PMC10445421 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are chemical signals that facilitate communication between animals, and most animals use pheromones for reproduction and other forms of social behavior. The identification of key ligands and olfactory receptors used for pheromonal communication provides insight into the sensory processing of these important cues. An individual's responses to pheromones can be plastic, as physiological status modulates behavioral outputs. In this review, we outline the mechanisms for pheromone sensation and highlight physiological mechanisms that modify pheromone-guided behavior. We focus on hormones, which regulate pheromonal communication across vertebrates including fish, amphibians, and rodents. This regulation may occur in peripheral olfactory organs and the brain, but the mechanisms remain unclear. While this review centers on research in fish, we will discuss other systems to provide insight into how hormonal mechanisms function across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Bowers
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Cheng-Yu Li
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Coltan G Parker
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Molly E Westbrook
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Scott A Juntti
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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38
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Jackson LR, Lopez MS, Alward B. Breaking Through the Bottleneck: Krogh's Principle in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology and the Potential of Gene Editing. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:428-443. [PMID: 37312279 PMCID: PMC10445420 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In 1929, August Krogh wrote that for every question in biology, there is a species or collection of species in which pursuing such questions is the most appropriate for achieving the deepest insights. Referred to as "Krogh's Principle," these words are a guiding force for many biologists. In practice, Krogh's principle might guide a biologist interested in studying bi-parental care to choose not to use lab mice, in which the female does most of the parenting, but instead study species in which bi-parental care is present and clearly observable, such as in certain poison dart frogs. This approach to pursuing biological questions has been fruitful, with more in-depth insights achievable with new technologies. However, up until recently, an important limitation of Krogh's principle for biologists interested in the functions of certain genes, was certain techniques were only available for a few traditional model organisms such as lab mice, fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), zebrafish (Danio rerio) and C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegans), in which testing the functions of molecular systems on biological processes can be achieved using genetic knockout (KO) and transgenic technology. These methods are typically more precise than other approaches (e.g., pharmacology) commonly used in nontraditional model organisms to address similar questions. Therefore, some of the most in-depth insights into our understanding of the molecular control of these mechanisms have come from a small number of genetically tractable species. Recent advances in gene editing technology such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats)/Cas9 gene editing as a laboratory tool has changed the insights achievable for biologists applying Krogh's principle. In this review, we will provide a brief summary on how some researchers of nontraditional model organisms have been able to achieve different levels of experimental precision with limited genetic tractability in their non-traditional model organism in the field of behavioral neuroendocrinology, a field in which understanding tissue and brain-region specific actions of molecules of interest has been a major goal. Then, we will highlight the exciting potential of Krogh's principle using discoveries made in a popular model species of social behavior, the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Specifically, we will focus on insights gained from studies of the control of social status by sex steroid hormones (androgens and estrogens) in A. burtoni that originated during field observations during the 1970s, and have recently culminated in novel insights from CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in laboratory studies. Our review highlighting discoveries in A. burtoni may function as a roadmap for others using Krogh's principle aiming to incorporate gene editing into their research program. Gene editing is thus a powerful complimentary laboratory tool researchers can use to yield novel insights into understanding the molecular mechanisms of physiology and behavior in non-traditional model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian R Jackson
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204USA
| | - Mariana S Lopez
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204USA
| | - Beau Alward
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204USA
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004USA
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39
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Laing BT, Anderson MS, Bonaventura J, Jayan A, Sarsfield S, Gajendiran A, Michaelides M, Aponte Y. Anterior hypothalamic parvalbumin neurons are glutamatergic and promote escape behavior. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3215-3228.e7. [PMID: 37490921 PMCID: PMC10529150 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) is a critical structure for defensive responding. Here, we identified a cluster of parvalbumin-expressing neurons in the AHA (AHAPV) that are glutamatergic with fast-spiking properties and send axonal projections to the dorsal premammillary nucleus (PMD). Using in vivo functional imaging, optogenetics, and behavioral assays, we determined the role of these AHAPV neurons in regulating behaviors essential for survival. We observed that AHAPV neuronal activity significantly increases when mice are exposed to a predator, and in a real-time place preference assay, we found that AHAPV neuron photoactivation is aversive. Moreover, activation of both AHAPV neurons and the AHAPV → PMD pathway triggers escape responding during a predator-looming test. Furthermore, escape responding is impaired after AHAPV neuron ablation, and anxiety-like behavior as measured by the open field and elevated plus maze assays does not seem to be affected by AHAPV neuron ablation. Finally, whole-brain metabolic mapping using positron emission tomography combined with AHAPV neuron photoactivation revealed discrete activation of downstream areas involved in arousal, affective, and defensive behaviors including the amygdala and the substantia nigra. Our results indicate that AHAPV neurons are a functional glutamatergic circuit element mediating defensive behaviors, thus expanding the identity of genetically defined neurons orchestrating fight-or-flight responses. Together, our work will serve as a foundation for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders triggered by escape such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenton T Laing
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA
| | - Megan S Anderson
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA
| | - Jordi Bonaventura
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA
| | - Aishwarya Jayan
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA
| | - Sarah Sarsfield
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA
| | - Anjali Gajendiran
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA
| | - Michael Michaelides
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yeka Aponte
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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40
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Li WL, Liu YH, Li JX, Ding MT, Adeola AC, Isakova J, Aldashev AA, Peng MS, Huang X, Xie G, Chen X, Yang WK, Zhou WW, Ghanatsaman ZA, Olaogun SC, Sanke OJ, Dawuda PM, Hytönen MK, Lohi H, Esmailizadeh A, Poyarkov AD, Savolainen P, Wang GD, Zhang YP. Multiple Origins and Genomic Basis of Complex Traits in Sighthounds. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad158. [PMID: 37433053 PMCID: PMC10401622 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Sighthounds, a distinctive group of hounds comprising numerous breeds, have their origins rooted in ancient artificial selection of dogs. In this study, we performed genome sequencing for 123 sighthounds, including one breed from Africa, six breeds from Europe, two breeds from Russia, and four breeds and 12 village dogs from the Middle East. We gathered public genome data of five sighthounds and 98 other dogs as well as 31 gray wolves to pinpoint the origin and genes influencing the morphology of the sighthound genome. Population genomic analysis suggested that sighthounds originated from native dogs independently and were comprehensively admixed among breeds, supporting the multiple origins hypothesis of sighthounds. An additional 67 published ancient wolf genomes were added for gene flow detection. Results showed dramatic admixture of ancient wolves in African sighthounds, even more than with modern wolves. Whole-genome scan analysis identified 17 positively selected genes (PSGs) in the African population, 27 PSGs in the European population, and 54 PSGs in the Middle Eastern population. None of the PSGs overlapped in the three populations. Pooled PSGs of the three populations were significantly enriched in "regulation of release of sequestered calcium ion into cytosol" (gene ontology: 0051279), which is related to blood circulation and heart contraction. In addition, ESR1, JAK2, ADRB1, PRKCE, and CAMK2D were under positive selection in all three selected groups. This suggests that different PSGs in the same pathway contributed to the similar phenotype of sighthounds. We identified an ESR1 mutation (chr1: g.42,177,149 T > C) in the transcription factor (TF) binding site of Stat5a and a JAK2 mutation (chr1: g.93,277,007 T > A) in the TF binding site of Sox5. Functional experiments confirmed that the ESR1 and JAK2 mutation reduced their expression. Our results provide new insights into the domestication history and genomic basis of sighthounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Lue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yan-Hu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jin-Xiu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Meng-Ting Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Adeniyi C Adeola
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jainagul Isakova
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Almaz A Aldashev
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Min-Sheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Xuezhen Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Guoli Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wei-Kang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wei-Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Zeinab Amiri Ghanatsaman
- Animal Science Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sunday C Olaogun
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oscar J Sanke
- Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Taraba State Government, Jalingo, Nigeria
| | - Philip M Dawuda
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Lesotho, Roma, Southern Africa
| | - Marjo K Hytönen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannes Lohi
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ali Esmailizadeh
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
| | - Andrey D Poyarkov
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia
| | - Peter Savolainen
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Gene Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Solna, Sweden
| | - Guo-Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Ya-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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41
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Munley KM, Sinkiewicz DM, Szwed SM, Demas GE. Sex and seasonal differences in neural steroid sensitivity predict territorial aggression in Siberian hamsters. Horm Behav 2023; 154:105390. [PMID: 37354601 PMCID: PMC10527453 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Many animals display marked changes in physiology and behavior on a seasonal timescale, including non-reproductive social behaviors (e.g., aggression). Previous studies from our lab suggest that the pineal hormone melatonin acts via steroid hormones to regulate seasonal aggression in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus), a species in which both males and females display increased non-breeding aggression. The neural actions of melatonin on steroids and aggressive behavior, however, are relatively unexplored. Here, we housed male and female hamsters in long-day photoperiods (LDs, characteristic of breeding season) or short-day photoperiods (SDs, characteristic of non-breeding season) and administered timed melatonin (M) or control injections. Following 10 weeks of treatment, we quantified aggressive behavior and neural steroid sensitivity by measuring the relative mRNA expression of two steroidogenic enzymes (aromatase and 5α-reductase 3) and estrogen receptor 1 in brain regions associated with aggression or reproduction [medial preoptic area (MPOA), anterior hypothalamus (AH), arcuate nucleus (ARC), and periaqueductal gray (PAG)] via quantitative PCR. Although LD-M and SD males and females displayed increased aggression and similar changes in gene expression in the ARC, there were sex-specific effects of treatment with melatonin and SDs on gene expression in the MPOA, AH, and PAG. Furthermore, males and females exhibited different relationships between neural gene expression and aggression in response to melatonin and SDs. Collectively, these findings support a role for melatonin in regulating seasonal variation in neural steroid sensitivity and aggression and reveal how distinct neuroendocrine responses may modulate a similar behavioral phenotype in male and female hamsters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Munley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
| | - David M Sinkiewicz
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Sydney M Szwed
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Gregory E Demas
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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42
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Yu ZX, Zha X, Xu XH. Estrogen-responsive neural circuits governing male and female mating behavior in mice. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 81:102749. [PMID: 37421660 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Decades of knockout analyses have highlighted the crucial involvement of estrogen receptors and downstream genes in controlling mating behaviors. More recently, advancements in neural circuit research have unveiled a distributed subcortical network comprising estrogen-receptor or estrogen-synthesis-enzyme-expressing cells that transforms sensory inputs into sex-specific mating actions. This review provides an overview of the latest discoveries on estrogen-responsive neurons in various brain regions and the associated neural circuits that govern different aspects of male and female mating actions in mice. By contextualizing these findings within previous knockout studies of estrogen receptors, we emphasize the emerging field of "circuit genetics", where identifying mating behavior-related neural circuits may allow for a more precise evaluation of gene functions within these circuits. Such investigations will enable a deeper understanding of how hormone fluctuation, acting through estrogen receptors and downstream genes, influences the connectivity and activity of neural circuits, ultimately impacting the manifestation of innate mating actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Xian Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xi Zha
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China.
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43
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Makrygianni EA, Chrousos GP. Neural Progenitor Cells and the Hypothalamus. Cells 2023; 12:1822. [PMID: 37508487 PMCID: PMC10378393 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) capable of self-renewing and differentiating into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. In the postnatal/adult brain, NPCs are primarily located in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles (LVs) and subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). There is evidence that NPCs are also present in the postnatal/adult hypothalamus, a highly conserved brain region involved in the regulation of core homeostatic processes, such as feeding, metabolism, reproduction, neuroendocrine integration and autonomic output. In the rodent postnatal/adult hypothalamus, NPCs mainly comprise different subtypes of tanycytes lining the wall of the 3rd ventricle. In the postnatal/adult human hypothalamus, the neurogenic niche is constituted by tanycytes at the floor of the 3rd ventricle, ependymal cells and ribbon cells (showing a gap-and-ribbon organization similar to that in the SVZ), as well as suprachiasmatic cells. We speculate that in the postnatal/adult human hypothalamus, neurogenesis occurs in a highly complex, exquisitely sophisticated neurogenic niche consisting of at least four subniches; this structure has a key role in the regulation of extrahypothalamic neurogenesis, and hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic neural circuits, partly through the release of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, extracellular vesicles (EVs) and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Evanthia A Makrygianni
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - George P Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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44
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Scott R, Aubry A, Cuttoli RDD, Rachel FF, Lyonna P, Cathomas F, Burnett C, Yang Y, Yuan C, Lablanca A, Chan K, Lin HY, Froemke R, Li L. A critical role for cortical amygdala circuitry in shaping social encounters. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3015820. [PMID: 37461537 PMCID: PMC10350173 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3015820/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Aggression is an evolutionarily conserved behavior that controls social hierarchies and protects valuable resources like mates, food, and territory. In mice, aggressive behaviour can be broken down into an appetitive phase, which involves approach and investigation, and a consummatory phase, which involves biting, kicking, and wrestling. By performing an unsupervised weighted correlation network analysis on whole-brain c-Fos expression, we identified a cluster of brain regions including hypothalamic and amygdalar sub-regions and olfactory cortical regions highly co-activated in male, but not female aggressors (AGG). The posterolateral cortical amygdala (COApl), an extended olfactory structure, was found to be a hub region based on the number and strength of correlations with other regions in the cluster. Our data further show that estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1)-expressing cells in the COApl exhibit increased activity during attack behaviour, and during bouts of investigation which precede an attack, in male mice only. Chemogenetic or optogenetic inhibition of COApl ESR1 cells in AGG males reduces aggression and increases pro-social investigation without affecting social reward/reinforcement behavior. We further confirmed that COApl ESR1 projections to the ventrolateral portion of the ventromedial hypothalamus and central amygdala are necessary for these behaviours. Collectively, these data suggest that in aggressive males, COApl ESR1 cells respond specifically to social stimuli, thereby enhancing their salience and promoting attack behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - C Burnett
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Long Li
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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45
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Wang Z, Yueh H, Chau M, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, O'Reilly KC. Circuits underlying social function and dysfunction. Autism Res 2023; 16:1268-1288. [PMID: 37458578 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Substantial advances have been made toward understanding the genetic and environmental risk factors for autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder with social impairment as a core feature. In combination with optogenetic and chemogenetic tools to manipulate neural circuits in vivo, it is now possible to use model systems to test how specific neural circuits underlie social function and dysfunction. Here, we review the literature that has identified circuits associated with social interest (sociability), social reward, social memory, dominance, and aggression, and we outline a preliminary roadmap of the neural circuits driving these social behaviors. We highlight the neural circuitry underlying each behavioral domain, as well as develop an interactive map of how these circuits overlap across domains. We find that some of the circuits underlying social behavior are general and are involved in the control of multiple behavioral aspects, whereas other circuits appear to be specialized for specific aspects of social behavior. Our overlapping circuit map therefore helps to delineate the circuits involved in the various domains of social behavior and to identify gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah Yueh
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mirabella Chau
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kally C O'Reilly
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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46
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Fu CW, Huang CH, Tong SK, Chu CY, Chou MY. Nicotine reduces social dominance and neutralizes experience-dependent effects during social conflicts in zebrafish (Danio rerio). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 894:164876. [PMID: 37343866 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine, a psychoactive pollutant, binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and disrupts the cholinergic modulation and reward systems of the brain, leading to attention deficit, memory loss, and addiction. However, whether nicotine affects social behaviors remains unknown. We assessed the effects of nicotine on the fighting behavior of zebrafish. Adult zebrafish treated with 5 μM nicotine were used in dyadic fighting tests with size-matched control siblings. The results indicate that nicotine treatment not only significantly reduced the likelihood of winning but also impaired the winner-loser effects (winner and loser fish did not show higher winning and losing tendencies in the second fight, respectively, after treatment.) Nicotine led to a considerable increase in c-fos-positive signals in the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) of the brain, indicating that nicotine induces neural activity in the habenula (Hb)-IPN circuit. We used transgenic fish in which the Hb-IPN circuit was silenced to verify whether nicotine impaired the winner-loser effect through the Hb-IPN pathway. Nicotine-treated fish in which the medial part of the dorsal Hb was silenced did not have a higher winning rate, and nicotine-treated fish in which the lateral part of the dorsal Hb was silenced did not have a higher loss rate. This finding suggests that nicotine impairs the winner-loser effect by modulating the Hb-IPN circuit. Therefore, in these zebrafish, nicotine exposure impaired social dominance and neutralized experience-dependent effects in social conflicts, and it may thereby disturb the social hierarchy and population stability of such fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Wei Fu
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | | | - Sok-Keng Tong
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ying Chu
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yi Chou
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
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47
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Vega-Zelaya L, Pastor J. The Network Systems Underlying Emotions: The Rational Foundation of Deep Brain Stimulation Psychosurgery. Brain Sci 2023; 13:943. [PMID: 37371421 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Science and philosophy have tried to understand the origin of emotions for centuries. However, only in the last 150 years have we started to try to understand them in a neuroscientific scope. Emotions include physiological changes involving different systems, such as the endocrine or the musculoskeletal, but they also cause a conscious experience of those changes that are embedded in memory. In addition to the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit, which is the most important of the basal ganglia, the limbic system and prefrontal circuit are primarily involved in the process of emotion perceptions, thoughts, and memories. The purpose of this review is to describe the anatomy and physiology of the different brain structures involved in circuits that underlie emotions and behaviour, underlying the symptoms of certain psychiatric pathologies. These circuits are targeted during deep brain stimulation (DBS) and knowledge of them is mandatory to understand the clinical-physiological implications for the treatment. We summarize the main outcomes of DBS treatment in several psychiatric illness such as obsessive compulsive disorder, refractory depression, erethism and other conditions, aiming to understand the rationale for selecting these neural systems as targets for DBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Vega-Zelaya
- Clinical Neurophysiology, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Hospital, Universitario de La Princesa, C/Diego de León 62, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Pastor
- Clinical Neurophysiology, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Hospital, Universitario de La Princesa, C/Diego de León 62, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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48
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Mei L, Yan R, Yin L, Sullivan RM, Lin D. Antagonistic circuits mediating infanticide and maternal care in female mice. Nature 2023; 618:1006-1016. [PMID: 37286598 PMCID: PMC10648307 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06147-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In many species, including mice, female animals show markedly different pup-directed behaviours based on their reproductive state1,2. Naive wild female mice often kill pups, while lactating female mice are dedicated to pup caring3,4. The neural mechanisms that mediate infanticide and its switch to maternal behaviours during motherhood remain unclear. Here, on the basis of the hypothesis that maternal and infanticidal behaviours are supported by distinct and competing neural circuits5,6, we use the medial preoptic area (MPOA), a key site for maternal behaviours7-11, as a starting point and identify three MPOA-connected brain regions that drive differential negative pup-directed behaviours. Functional manipulation and in vivo recording reveal that oestrogen receptor α (ESR1)-expressing cells in the principal nucleus of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNSTprESR1) are necessary, sufficient and naturally activated during infanticide in female mice. MPOAESR1 and BNSTprESR1 neurons form reciprocal inhibition to control the balance between positive and negative infant-directed behaviours. During motherhood, MPOAESR1 and BNSTprESR1 cells change their excitability in opposite directions, supporting a marked switch of female behaviours towards the young.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Mei
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Rongzhen Yan
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Luping Yin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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49
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Deanhardt B, Duan Q, Du C, Soeder C, Morlote A, Garg D, Saha A, Jones CD, Volkan PC. Social experience and pheromone receptor activity reprogram gene expression in sensory neurons. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad072. [PMID: 36972331 PMCID: PMC10234412 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Social experience and pheromone signaling in olfactory neurons affect neuronal responses and male courtship behaviors in Drosophila. We previously showed that social experience and pheromone signaling modulate chromatin around behavioral switch gene fruitless, which encodes a transcription factor necessary and sufficient for male sexual behaviors. Fruitless drives social experience-dependent modulation of courtship behaviors and physiological sensory neuron responses to pheromone; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this modulation of neural responses remain less clear. To identify the molecular mechanisms driving social experience-dependent changes in neuronal responses, we performed RNA-seq from antennal samples of mutants in pheromone receptors and fruitless, as well as grouped or isolated wild-type males. Genes affecting neuronal physiology and function, such as neurotransmitter receptors, ion channels, ion and membrane transporters, and odorant binding proteins are differentially regulated by social context and pheromone signaling. While we found that loss of pheromone detection only has small effects on differential promoter and exon usage within fruitless gene, many of the differentially regulated genes have Fruitless-binding sites or are bound by Fruitless in the nervous system. Recent studies showed that social experience and juvenile hormone signaling co-regulate fruitless chromatin to modify pheromone responses in olfactory neurons. Interestingly, genes involved in juvenile hormone metabolism are also misregulated in different social contexts and mutant backgrounds. Our results suggest that modulation of neuronal activity and behaviors in response to social experience and pheromone signaling likely arise due to large-scale changes in transcriptional programs for neuronal function downstream of behavioral switch gene function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryson Deanhardt
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Qichen Duan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Chengcheng Du
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Charles Soeder
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Alec Morlote
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Deeya Garg
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Aishani Saha
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Corbin D Jones
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Pelin Cayirlioglu Volkan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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50
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Phillips-Farfán BV, Quintanar BG, Reyes R, Fernández-Guasti A. Distribution of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in the brain of male rats with same-sex preference. Physiol Behav 2023; 268:114237. [PMID: 37192686 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Two distinct estrogen receptors (ERs) exist, ERα and ERβ. Both receptors participate in the sexual differentiation of the rat brain and likely participate in the regulation of adult sexual orientation (i.e. partner preference). This last idea was investigated herein by examining males treated with the aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, administered prenatally (0.56 μg/kg G10-22). This treatment usually provokes same-sex preference in 1-2 males per litter. Vehicle-treated males (with female preference) and females in spontaneous proestrus (with male preference) were included as controls. ERα and ERβ expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in brain areas known to control masculine sexual behavior and partner preference, like the medial preoptic area (MPOA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), medial amygdala (MeA) and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), as well as other brain regions suspected to participate in these processes. In addition, serum levels of estradiol were determined in all male groups. Letrozole-treated male rats that preferred sexually experienced males (LPM) showed over-expressed ERα in the hippocampal cornu Ammonis (CA 1, 3, 4) and dentate gyrus. The LPM group showed up-regulated ERβ expression in the CA2 and reticular thalamic nucleus. The levels of estradiol did not differ between the groups. The higher expression of ERs in these males was different than their expression in females, with male sex-preference. This suggests that males with same-sex preference showed a unique brain, this sui generis steroid receptor expression probably participates in the biological underpinnings of sexual preference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rebeca Reyes
- Departament of Pharmacobiology, Cinvestav, Unidad Coapa
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