1
|
Choi TY, Jeong S, Koo JW. Mesocorticolimbic circuit mechanisms of social dominance behavior. Exp Mol Med 2024:10.1038/s12276-024-01299-8. [PMID: 39218974 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01299-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Social animals, including rodents, primates, and humans, partake in competition for finite resources, thereby establishing social hierarchies wherein an individual's social standing influences diverse behaviors. Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of social dominance is imperative, given its ramifications for health, survival, and reproduction. Social dominance behavior comprises several facets, including social recognition, social decision-making, and actions, indicating the concerted involvement of multiple brain regions in orchestrating this behavior. While extensive research has been dedicated to elucidating the neurobiology of social interaction, recent studies have increasingly delved into adverse social behaviors such as social competition and hierarchy. This review focuses on the latest advancements in comprehending the mechanisms of the mesocorticolimbic circuit governing social dominance, with a specific focus on rodent studies, elucidating the intricate dynamics of social hierarchies and their implications for individual well-being and adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Yong Choi
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sejin Jeong
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Choi J, Jung S, Kim J, So D, Kim A, Kim S, Choi S, Yoo E, Kim JY, Jang YC, Lee H, Kim J, Shin HS, Chae S, Keum S. ARNT2 controls prefrontal somatostatin interneurons mediating affective empathy. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114659. [PMID: 39180750 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114659] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Empathy, crucial for social interaction, is impaired across various neuropsychiatric conditions. However, the genetic and neural underpinnings of empathy variability remain elusive. By combining forward genetic mapping with transcriptome analysis, we discover that aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 2 (ARNT2) is a key driver modulating observational fear, a basic form of affective empathy. Disrupted ARNT2 expression in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) reduces affect sharing in mice. Specifically, selective ARNT2 ablation in somatostatin (SST)-expressing interneurons leads to decreased pyramidal cell excitability, increased spontaneous firing, aberrant Ca2+ dynamics, and disrupted theta oscillations in the ACC, resulting in reduced vicarious freezing. We further demonstrate that ARNT2-expressing SST interneurons govern affective state discrimination, uncovering a potential mechanism by which ARNT2 polymorphisms associate with emotion recognition in humans. Our findings advance our understanding of the molecular mechanism controlling empathic capacity and highlight the neural substrates underlying social affective dysfunctions in psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiye Choi
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Seungmoon Jung
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Jieun Kim
- Department of Bio-Health Technology, College of Biomedicine Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, South Korea; Multidimensional Genomics Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, South Korea
| | - Dahm So
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea; Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Arie Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Sowon Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Sungjoon Choi
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Eunsu Yoo
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Jee Yeon Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Yoon Cheol Jang
- Research Solution Center, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Hyoin Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Jeongyeon Kim
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, South Korea
| | - Hee-Sup Shin
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea
| | - Sehyun Chae
- Multidimensional Genomics Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, South Korea; Division of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, College of Art, Culture and Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, South Korea.
| | - Sehoon Keum
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Choi TY, Jeon H, Jeong S, Kim EJ, Kim J, Jeong YH, Kang B, Choi M, Koo JW. Distinct prefrontal projection activity and transcriptional state conversely orchestrate social competition and hierarchy. Neuron 2024; 112:611-627.e8. [PMID: 38086372 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Social animals compete for limited resources, resulting in a social hierarchy. Although different neuronal subpopulations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which has been mechanistically implicated in social dominance behavior, encode distinct social competition behaviors, their identities and associated molecular underpinnings have not yet been identified. In this study, we found that mPFC neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (mPFC-NAc) encode social winning behavior, whereas mPFC neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (mPFC-VTA) encode social losing behavior. High-throughput single-cell transcriptomic analysis and projection-specific genetic manipulation revealed that the expression level of POU domain, class 3, transcription factor 1 (Pou3f1) in mPFC-VTA neurons controls social hierarchy. Optogenetic activation of mPFC-VTA neurons increases Pou3f1 expression and lowers social rank. Together, these data demonstrate that discrete activity and gene expression in separate mPFC projections oppositely orchestrate social competition and hierarchy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Yong Choi
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoungseok Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sejin Jeong
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Eum Ji Kim
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongseop Kim
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 41988, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Ha Jeong
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungsoo Kang
- Sysoft R&D Center, Daegu 41065, Republic of Korea; Neurovascular Unit Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Murim Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 41988, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang Y, Zhang X, Yao Y, Hu S, Wang W, Wang D, Huang C, Liu H, Zhang Q, He T, Wang S, Wu Z, Jiang R, Yang C. Inferior social hierarchy is vulnerable to anxiety-like behavior in chronic pain mice: Potential role of gut microbiota and metabolites. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 191:106402. [PMID: 38184015 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106402] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Social dominance is a universal phenomenon among grouped animals that profoundly affects survival, health, and reproductive success by determining access to resources, and exerting a powerful influence on subsequent behavior. However, the understanding of pain and anxiety comorbidities in dominant or subordinate animals suffering from chronic pain is not well-defined. Here, we provide evidence that subordinate mice are more susceptible to pain-induced anxiety compared to dominant mice. We propose that the gut microbiota may play a mediating role in this mechanism. Our findings demonstrate that transplantation of fecal microbiota from subordinate mice with chronic inflammatory pain, but not dominant mice, into antibiotics-treated pseudo-germ-free mice significantly amplifies anxiety-like phenotypes, highlighting the critical involvement of gut microbiota in this behavioral response. Using chronic inflammatory pain model, we carried out 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomic analyses to explore the relationship between microbiota and metabolites in a stable social hierarchy of mice. Interestingly, anxiety-like behaviors were directly associated with some microbial genera and metabolites, especially bile acid metabolism. Overall, we have demonstrated a close relationship between social status and anxiety susceptibility, highlighting the contributions of gut microbiota and the associated metabolites in the high-anxiety state of subordinate mice with chronic inflammatory pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xinying Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yiting Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Suwan Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Wenli Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chaoli Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hanyu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Teng He
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Sen Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zifeng Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Riyue Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Chun Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kitamura T, Ramesh K, Terranova JI. Understanding Others' Distress Through Past Experiences: The Role of Memory Engram Cells in Observational Fear. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 38:215-234. [PMID: 39008018 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-62983-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
For individuals to survive and function in society, it is essential that they recognize, interact with, and learn from other conspecifics. Observational fear (OF) is the well-conserved empathic ability of individuals to understand the other's aversive situation. While it is widely known that factors such as prior similar aversive experience and social familiarity with the demonstrator facilitate OF, the neural circuit mechanisms that explicitly regulate experience-dependent OF (Exp OF) were unclear. In this review, we examine the neural circuit mechanisms that regulate OF, with an emphasis on rodent models, and then discuss emerging evidence for the role of fear memory engram cells in the regulation of Exp OF. First, we examine the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie Naive OF, which is when an observer lacks prior experiences relevant to OF. In particular, the anterior cingulate cortex to basolateral amygdala (BLA) neural circuit is essential for Naive OF. Next, we discuss a recent study that developed a behavioral paradigm in mice to examine the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie Exp OF. This study found that fear memory engram cells in the BLA of observers, which form during a prior similar aversive experience with shock, are reactivated by ventral hippocampal neurons in response to shock delivery to the familiar demonstrator to elicit Exp OF. Finally, we discuss the implications of fear memory engram cells in Exp OF and directions of future research that are of both translational and basic interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Kritika Ramesh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Song BL, Zhou J, Jiang Y, Li LF, Liu YJ. Dopamine D2 receptor within the intermediate region of the lateral septum modulate social hierarchy in male mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 241:109735. [PMID: 37788799 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109735] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine (DA) system has long been involved in social hierarchies; however, the specific mechanisms have not been elucidated. The lateral septum (LS) is a limbic brain structure that regulates various emotional, motivational, and social behaviors. DA receptors are abundantly expressed in the LS, modulating its functions. In this study, we evaluated the functions of DA receptors within different subregions of the LS in social dominance using a confrontation tube test in male mice. The results showed that mice living in social groups formed linear dominance hierarchies after a few days of cohousing, and the subordinates showed increased anxiety. Fos expressions was elevated in the entire LS after a confrontation tube test in the subordinates. However, DA neurons were more activated in the dominates within the ventral tegmental area and the dorsal raphe nucleus. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that D2 receptor (D2R) within the intermediate region of the LS (LSi) were elevated in the subordinate. In the following pharmacological studies, we found simultaneous D2R activation in the dominants and D2R inhibition in the subordinates switched the original dominant-subordinate relationship. The aforementioned results suggested that D2R within the LSi plays an important role in social dominance in male mice. These findings improve our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the social hierarchy, which is closely related to our social life and happiness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Lin Song
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Lai-Fu Li
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China.
| | - Ying-Juan Liu
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Altruism and social rewards. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1405-1406. [PMID: 36280800 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01190-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|
8
|
Ryabinin AE. From basic social neurobiology to better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12818. [PMID: 35689355 PMCID: PMC9744557 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrey E. Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandOregonUSA
| |
Collapse
|