title: Genetic Isolation of Hypothalamic Neurons that Regulate Context-Specific Male Social Behavior.
abstract: Nearly all animals engage in a complex assortment of social behaviors that are essential for the survival of the species. In mammals, these behaviors are regulated by sub-nuclei within the hypothalamus, but the specific cell types within these nuclei responsible for coordinating behavior in distinct contexts are only beginning to be resolved. Here, we identify a population of neurons in the ventral premammillary nucleus of the hypothalamus (PMV) that are strongly activated in male intruder mice in response to a larger resident male but that are not responsive to females. Using a combination of molecular and genetic approaches, we demonstrate that these PMV neurons regulate intruder-specific male social behavior and social novelty recognition in a manner dependent on synaptic release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. These data provide direct evidence for a unique population of neurons that regulate social behaviors in specific contexts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Marta E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Soden
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Samara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Burgeno
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Paul E M
authors.initials: PEM
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Hnasko
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Electronic address: larryz@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Larry S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Zweifel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007034:Hypothalamus, Posterior / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D004298:Dopamine