title: Molecular and neural basis of contagious itch behavior in mice.
abstract: Socially contagious itch is ubiquitous in human society, but whether it exists in rodents is unclear. Using a behavioral paradigm that does not entail prior training or reward, we found that mice scratched after observing a conspecific scratching. Molecular mapping showed increased neuronal activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus of mice that displayed contagious scratching. Ablation of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) or GRPR neurons in the SCN abolished contagious scratching behavior, which was recapitulated by chemogenetic inhibition of SCN GRP neurons. Activation of SCN GRP/GRPR neurons evoked scratching behavior. These data demonstrate that GRP-GRPR signaling is necessary and sufficient for transmitting contagious itch information in the SCN. The findings may have implications for our understanding of neural circuits that control socially contagious behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Institute for Biomedical Sciences of Pain, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, China.
authors.forename: Yao-Qing
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4353-7313
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Devin M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3140-6121
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8830-8189
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Xue-Ting
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. chenz@wustl.edu.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.|Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Zhou-Feng
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6859-7910
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009434:Neural Pathways; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D062308:Optogenetics; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012919:Social Behavior; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide