Neural basis of social hierarchy across species.
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| Title: | Neural basis of social hierarchy across species. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Yan, Rongzhen (AUTHOR), Lin, Dayu (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Nature Reviews Neuroscience. Jul2026, Vol. 27 Issue 7, p494-512. 19p. |
| Abstract: | A social hierarchy is an ordered ranking of individuals that arises through their interactions and governs relative access to resources and social influence. This form of social organization is pervasive across animal species and has a crucial role in shaping survival and reproductive outcomes. Across species, the routes to high status vary widely. As social groups become more complex, the basis of hierarchy shifts from simple residency rules to fighting-based dominance and finally to alliance-based systems. In this Review, we first examine the neuroendocrine and subcortical mechanisms that support status transitions in residency-based hierarchies. We then discuss plasticity within hypothalamic and mesolimbic circuits that underlie fighting-outcome-based social learning, through which fighting-based hierarchies emerge. Finally, we explore alliance-based hierarchies in cognitively complex species, in which individuals attain status through coalition formation, cooperation and reputation. We review evidence that cortical regions encode information about the strengths, emotions, experiences and intentions of other individuals and use this to navigate complex social interactions and attain status. As social hierarchies have shifted from primarily fighting-based to increasingly alliance-based strategies over evolutionary time, neural control of status has, thus, transitioned from subcortical social behaviour circuits to a more elaborated cortical network in humans. Structured social hierarchies, in which individuals differ in their access to resources and influence over other group members, are a characteristic of many social species. Rongzhen Yan and Dayu Lin describe the diverse routes through which social hierarchies arise in different species and outline our current understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Nature Reviews Neuroscience is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 194775238 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Neural basis of social hierarchy across species. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yan%2C+Rongzhen%22">Yan, Rongzhen</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lin%2C+Dayu%22">Lin, Dayu</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Nature+Reviews+Neuroscience%22">Nature Reviews Neuroscience</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 27 Issue 7, p494-512. 19p. – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: A social hierarchy is an ordered ranking of individuals that arises through their interactions and governs relative access to resources and social influence. This form of social organization is pervasive across animal species and has a crucial role in shaping survival and reproductive outcomes. Across species, the routes to high status vary widely. As social groups become more complex, the basis of hierarchy shifts from simple residency rules to fighting-based dominance and finally to alliance-based systems. In this Review, we first examine the neuroendocrine and subcortical mechanisms that support status transitions in residency-based hierarchies. We then discuss plasticity within hypothalamic and mesolimbic circuits that underlie fighting-outcome-based social learning, through which fighting-based hierarchies emerge. Finally, we explore alliance-based hierarchies in cognitively complex species, in which individuals attain status through coalition formation, cooperation and reputation. We review evidence that cortical regions encode information about the strengths, emotions, experiences and intentions of other individuals and use this to navigate complex social interactions and attain status. As social hierarchies have shifted from primarily fighting-based to increasingly alliance-based strategies over evolutionary time, neural control of status has, thus, transitioned from subcortical social behaviour circuits to a more elaborated cortical network in humans. Structured social hierarchies, in which individuals differ in their access to resources and influence over other group members, are a characteristic of many social species. Rongzhen Yan and Dayu Lin describe the diverse routes through which social hierarchies arise in different species and outline our current understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Nature Reviews Neuroscience is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194775238 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1038/s41583-026-01047-z Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 494 Titles: – TitleFull: Neural basis of social hierarchy across species. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Yan, Rongzhen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lin, Dayu IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1471003X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 27 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Nature Reviews Neuroscience Type: main |
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