Relaxin family peptide receptor 3 (RXFP3) expressing cells in the zona incerta/lateral hypothalamus augment behavioural arousal.

ABSTRACT: Fear-related psychopathologies, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, are linked to dysfunction in neural circuits that govern fear memory and arousal. The lateral hypothalamus (LH) and zona incerta (ZI) regulate fear, but our understanding of the precise neural circuits and cell types involved remains limited. Here, we examined the role of relaxin family peptide receptor 3 (RXFP3) expressing cells in the LH/ZI in conditioned fear expression and general arousal in male RXFP3-Cre mice. We found that LH/ZI RXFP3+ (LH/ZI^RXFP3) cells projected strongly to fear learning, stress, and arousal centres, notably, the periaqueductal grey, lateral habenula, and nucleus reuniens. These cells do not express hypocretin/orexin or melanin-concentrating hormone but display putative efferent con

SUBMITTER: Richards BK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11658188 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature