title: Hormonal gain control of a medial preoptic area social reward circuit.
abstract: Neural networks that control reproduction must integrate social and hormonal signals, tune motivation, and coordinate social interactions. However, the neural circuit mechanisms for these processes remain unresolved. The medial preoptic area (mPOA), an essential node for social behaviors, comprises molecularly diverse neurons with widespread projections. Here we identify a steroid-responsive subset of neurotensin (Nts)-expressing mPOA neurons that interface with the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to form a socially engaged reward circuit. Using in vivo two-photon imaging in female mice, we show that mPOANtsneurons preferentially encode attractive male cues compared to nonsocial appetitive stimuli. Ovarian hormone signals regulate both the physiological and cue-encoding properties of these cells. Furthermore, optogenetic stimulation of mPOANts-VTA circuitry promotes rewarding phenotypes, social approach and striatal dopamine release. Collectively, these data demonstrate that steroid-sensitive mPOA neurons encode ethologically relevant stimuli and co-opt midbrain reward circuits to promote prosocial behaviors critical for species survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Jenna A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McHenry
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Otis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: J Elliott
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Oksana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kosyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Noah W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.|Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Zoe A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: McElligott
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.|Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.|Institute of Translational Biomedicine St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Evgeny A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Budygin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rubinow
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.|Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.|Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.|Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.|Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Garret D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Stuber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009812:Odorants; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012201:Reward; D012919:Social Behavior; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009496:Neurotensin; D004958:Estradiol; D004298:Dopamine