Nucleus accumbens dichotomically controls social dominance in male mice.

ABSTRACT: Social dominance versus social submissiveness is a basic behavioral trait of social animals such as human beings and laboratory mice. The brain regions associated with this behavior have been intensely investigated, and early neuroimaging research on human subjects implies that the nucleus accumbens (NAc) might be involved in encoding social dominance. However, the underlying circuitry and synaptic mechanism are largely unknown. In this study, by introducing lesions to both NAc subregions, the shell and core, a causal relationship is established between social dominance and both NAc subregions. A further electrophysiology investigation on the circuitry of these two subregions revealed that the postsynaptic strength of excitatory synapses onto the medium spiny neurons that express the D1 do

SUBMITTER: Shan Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8783020 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature