Emotional contagion and prosocial behavior in rodents

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 26(8), P. 688 - 706

Published: June 3, 2022

Empathy is critical to adjusting our behavior the state of others. The past decade dramatically deepened understanding biological origin this capacity. We now understand that rodents robustly show emotional contagion for distress others via neural structures homologous those involved in human empathy. Their propensity approach strengthens effect. Although can also learn favor behaviors benefit overlapping with contagion, they do so less reliably and more selectively. Together, suggests evolution selected mechanisms prepare animals dangers by using as sentinels. Such shared emotions additionally can, under certain circumstances, promote prosocial behavior.

Language: Английский

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Hypothalamic control of innate social behaviors

Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 382(6669), P. 399 - 404

Published: Oct. 26, 2023

Sexual, parental, and aggressive behaviors are central to the reproductive success of individuals species survival thus supported by hardwired neural circuits. The behavior control column (RBCC), which comprises medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), ventrolateral part ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl), ventral premammillary (PMv), is essential for all social behaviors. RBCC integrates diverse hormonal metabolic cues adjusts an animal's physical activity, hence chance encounters. further engages mesolimbic dopamine system maintain interest reinforces actions that time-locked with We propose brainstem form a dual-control generating moment-to-moment actions. This Review summarizes recent progress regarding identities cells their pathways drive different aspects

Language: Английский

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An ACC–VTA–ACC positive-feedback loop mediates the persistence of neuropathic pain and emotional consequences

Nature Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(2), P. 272 - 285

Published: Jan. 3, 2024

Language: Английский

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Explaining dopamine through prediction errors and beyond

Nature Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(9), P. 1645 - 1655

Published: July 25, 2024

Language: Английский

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Sexually dimorphic dopaminergic circuits determine sex preference

Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387(6730)

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Sociosexual preference is critical for reproduction and survival. However, neural mechanisms encoding social decisions on sex remain unclear. In this study, we show that both male female mice exhibit but shift to when facing survival threats; their mediated by the dimorphic changes in excitability of ventral tegmental area dopaminergic (VTA DA ) neurons. males, VTA projections nucleus accumbens (NAc) mediate preference, those medial preoptic preference. females, firing-pattern (phasic-like versus tonic-like) alteration -NAc projection determines sociosexual preferences. These findings define neurons as a key node decision-making reveal sexually circuit underlying

Language: Английский

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Social isolation and the brain: effects and mechanisms

Molecular Psychiatry, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 28(1), P. 191 - 201

Published: Nov. 25, 2022

Language: Английский

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Oxytocin neurons mediate the effect of social isolation via the VTA circuits

eLife, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: April 22, 2022

Social interaction during adolescence strongly influences brain function and behavior, the recent pandemic has emphasized devastating effect of social distancing on mental health. While accumulating evidence shown importance reward system in encoding specific aspects interaction, consequences isolation development skills later adulthood are still largely unknown. Here, we found that 1 week male mice increased at expense habituation novelty preference. Behavioral changes were accompanied by acute hyperexcitability putative dopamine (pDA) neurons ventral tegmental area long-lasting expression GluA2-lacking AMPARs excitatory inputs onto pDA project to prefrontal cortex. isolation-dependent behavioral deficits neural activity synaptic plasticity reversed chemogenetic inhibition oxytocin paraventricular nucleus hypothalamus. These results demonstrate effects suggest homeostatic adaptations mediate these within circuit.

Language: Английский

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Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors

Neuropsychopharmacology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 48(1), P. 79 - 89

Published: June 14, 2022

Language: Английский

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The impact of C-tactile low-threshold mechanoreceptors on affective touch and social interactions in mice

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 8(26)

Published: June 29, 2022

Affective touch is necessary for proper neurodevelopment and sociability. However, it remains unclear how the neurons innervating skin detect affective social behaviors. The C low-threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs), a specific population of somatosensory in mice, appear particularly well suited, physiologically anatomically, to perceive touch. their contribution sociability has not been resolved yet. Our observations revealed that C-LTMR functional deficiency induced isolation reduced tactile interactions adulthood. Conversely, transient increase excitability adults, using chemogenetics, was rewarding, promoted touch-seeking behaviors, had prosocial influences on group dynamics. This work provides first empirical evidence peripheral inputs alone can drive complex It demonstrates existence specialized neuronal circuit, originating skin, wired promote with other individuals.

Language: Английский

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Detection, processing and reinforcement of social cues: regulation by the oxytocin system

Nature reviews. Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 24(12), P. 761 - 777

Published: Oct. 27, 2023

Language: Английский

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