title: The interplay between reproductive social stimuli and adult olfactory bulb neurogenesis.
abstract: Adult neurogenesis is a striking form of structural plasticity that adapts the brain to the changing world. Accordingly, new neuron production is involved in cognitive functions, such as memory, learning, and pattern separation. Recent data in rodents indicate a close link between adult neurogenesis and reproductive social behavior. This provides a key to unravel the functional meaning of adult neurogenesis in biological relevant contexts and, in parallel, opens new perspectives to explore the way the brain is processing social stimuli. In this paper we will summarize some of the major achievements on cues and mechanisms modulating adult neurogenesis during social behaviors related to reproduction and possible role/s played by olfactory newborn neurons in this context. We will point out that newborn interneurons in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) represent a privileged cellular target for social stimuli that elicit reproductive behaviors and that such cues modulate adult neurogenesis at two different levels increasing both proliferation of neuronal progenitors in the germinative regions and integration of newborn neurons into functional circuits. This dual mechanism provides fresh neurons that can be involved in critical activities for the individual fitness, that is, the processing of social stimuli driving the parental behavior and partner recognition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13 ,10123 Torino, Italy ; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, 10043 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5502-6476
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peretto
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13 ,10123 Torino, Italy ; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, 10043 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2504-5585
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schellino
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13 ,10123 Torino, Italy ; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, 10043 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Marchis
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13 ,10123 Torino, Italy ; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, 10043 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fasolo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000502:physiology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones