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Transcriptionally defined amygdala subpopulations play distinct roles in innate social behaviors.

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Title: Transcriptionally defined amygdala subpopulations play distinct roles in innate social behaviors.
Authors: Lischinsky, Julieta E. (AUTHOR), Yin, Luping (AUTHOR), Shi, Chenxi (AUTHOR), Prakash, Nandkishore (AUTHOR), Burke, Jared (AUTHOR), Shekaran, Govind (AUTHOR), Grba, Maria (AUTHOR), Corbin, Joshua G. (AUTHOR), Lin, Dayu (AUTHOR)
Source: Nature Neuroscience. Dec2023, Vol. 26 Issue 12, p2131-2146. 16p.
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. The authors describe the connectivity, response profile and behavioral roles of two transcriptionally defined amygdala populations from separate embryonic lineages and show how responses of one population change with social experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Description
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. The authors describe the connectivity, response profile and behavioral roles of two transcriptionally defined amygdala populations from separate embryonic lineages and show how responses of one population change with social experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:10976256
DOI:10.1038/s41593-023-01475-5