1
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Choi TY, Jeon H, Jeong S, Kim EJ, Kim J, Jeong YH, Kang B, Choi M, Koo JW. Distinct prefrontal projection activity and transcriptional state conversely orchestrate social competition and hierarchy. Neuron 2024; 112:611-627.e8. [PMID: 38086372 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Social animals compete for limited resources, resulting in a social hierarchy. Although different neuronal subpopulations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which has been mechanistically implicated in social dominance behavior, encode distinct social competition behaviors, their identities and associated molecular underpinnings have not yet been identified. In this study, we found that mPFC neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (mPFC-NAc) encode social winning behavior, whereas mPFC neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (mPFC-VTA) encode social losing behavior. High-throughput single-cell transcriptomic analysis and projection-specific genetic manipulation revealed that the expression level of POU domain, class 3, transcription factor 1 (Pou3f1) in mPFC-VTA neurons controls social hierarchy. Optogenetic activation of mPFC-VTA neurons increases Pou3f1 expression and lowers social rank. Together, these data demonstrate that discrete activity and gene expression in separate mPFC projections oppositely orchestrate social competition and hierarchy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Yong Choi
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoungseok Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sejin Jeong
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Eum Ji Kim
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongseop Kim
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 41988, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Ha Jeong
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungsoo Kang
- Sysoft R&D Center, Daegu 41065, Republic of Korea; Neurovascular Unit Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Murim Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 41988, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Cross EA, Huhman KL, Albers HE. Sex differences in the impact of social status on social reward and associated mesolimbic activation. Physiol Behav 2024; 273:114410. [PMID: 37977252 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Social stress plays an important role in the etiology of many neuropsychiatric disorders and can lead to a variety of behavioral deficits such as social withdrawal. One way that social stress may contribute to psychiatric disorders is by reducing social motivation and the rewarding properties of social interactions. We investigated the impact of social stress on social reward in the context of winning versus losing agonistic encounters in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). First, we tested the hypothesis that social stress resulting from either stable low, or subordinate, social status or from social defeat reduces the rewarding properties of social interactions. Using an Operant Social Preference (OSP) task to measure social reward/motivation, we found that both subordinate and socially defeated males made significantly fewer entries into chambers containing novel, same-sex conspecifics compared to males who were dominant (i.e., stably won the agonistic encounters). In females, however, there were no differences in social entries between winners and losers. In a second experiment, we found more activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system (MDS) as assessed with cFos immunohistochemistry in the lateral ventral tegmental area (lVTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell of male winners compared to losers. In females, however, there were no differences in activation in the lVTA between winners and losers. Surprisingly, however, winning females displayed significantly more activation in the NAc shell as compared to losing females, despite the lack of behavioral differences. Thus, behavioral and histological data suggest that there are sex differences in the impact of social status on social reward and associated mesolimbic activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica A Cross
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
| | - Kim L Huhman
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
| | - H Elliott Albers
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States.
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3
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Song BL, Zhou J, Jiang Y, Li LF, Liu YJ. Dopamine D2 receptor within the intermediate region of the lateral septum modulate social hierarchy in male mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 241:109735. [PMID: 37788799 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine (DA) system has long been involved in social hierarchies; however, the specific mechanisms have not been elucidated. The lateral septum (LS) is a limbic brain structure that regulates various emotional, motivational, and social behaviors. DA receptors are abundantly expressed in the LS, modulating its functions. In this study, we evaluated the functions of DA receptors within different subregions of the LS in social dominance using a confrontation tube test in male mice. The results showed that mice living in social groups formed linear dominance hierarchies after a few days of cohousing, and the subordinates showed increased anxiety. Fos expressions was elevated in the entire LS after a confrontation tube test in the subordinates. However, DA neurons were more activated in the dominates within the ventral tegmental area and the dorsal raphe nucleus. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that D2 receptor (D2R) within the intermediate region of the LS (LSi) were elevated in the subordinate. In the following pharmacological studies, we found simultaneous D2R activation in the dominants and D2R inhibition in the subordinates switched the original dominant-subordinate relationship. The aforementioned results suggested that D2R within the LSi plays an important role in social dominance in male mice. These findings improve our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the social hierarchy, which is closely related to our social life and happiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Lin Song
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Lai-Fu Li
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China.
| | - Ying-Juan Liu
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China.
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4
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Li LF, Li ZL, Song BL, Jiang Y, Wang Y, Zou HW, Yao LG, Liu YJ. Dopamine D2 receptors in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex modulate social hierarchy in male mice. Curr Zool 2023; 69:682-693. [PMID: 37876636 PMCID: PMC10591156 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Social hierarchy greatly influences behavior and health. Both human and animal studies have signaled the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as specifically related to social hierarchy. Dopamine D1 receptors (D1Rs) and D2 receptors (D2Rs) are abundantly expressed in the mPFC, modulating its functions. However, it is unclear how DR-expressing neurons in the mPFC regulate social hierarchy. Here, using a confrontation tube test, we found that most adult C57BL/6J male mice could establish a linear social rank after 1 week of cohabitation. Lower rank individuals showed social anxiety together with decreased serum testosterone levels. D2R expression was significantly downregulated in the dorsal part of mPFC (dmPFC) in lower rank individuals, whereas D1R expression showed no significant difference among the rank groups in the whole mPFC. Virus knockdown of D2Rs in the dmPFC led to mice being particularly prone to lose the contests in the confrontation tube test. Finally, simultaneous D2R activation in the subordinates and D2R inhibition in the dominants in a pair switched their dominant-subordinate relationship. The above results indicate that D2Rs in the dmPFC play an important role in social dominance. Our findings provide novel insights into the divergent functions of prefrontal D1Rs and D2Rs in social dominance, which may contribute to ameliorating social dysfunctions along with abnormal social hierarchy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai-Fu Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Insect Biology in Funiu Mountain, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Insect Biology, College of Life Science and Agricultural Engineering, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Zi-Lin Li
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Bai-Lin Song
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Hua-Wei Zou
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Lun-Guang Yao
- Henan Key Laboratory of Insect Biology in Funiu Mountain, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Insect Biology, College of Life Science and Agricultural Engineering, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
| | - Ying-Juan Liu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Insect Biology in Funiu Mountain, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Insect Biology, College of Life Science and Agricultural Engineering, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
- Research Center of Henan Provincial Agricultural Biomass Resource Engineering and Technology, College of Life Science and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, Henan, China
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5
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Ghosal S, Gebara E, Ramos-Fernández E, Chioino A, Grosse J, Guillot de Suduiraut I, Zanoletti O, Schneider B, Zorzano A, Astori S, Sandi C. Mitofusin-2 in nucleus accumbens D2-MSNs regulates social dominance and neuronal function. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112776. [PMID: 37440411 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a brain hub regulating motivated behaviors, including social competitiveness. Mitochondrial function in the NAc links anxiety with social competitiveness, and the mitochondrial fusion protein mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) in NAc neurons regulates anxiety-related behaviors. However, it remains unexplored whether accumbal Mfn2 levels also affect social behavior and whether Mfn2 actions in the emotional and social domain are driven by distinct cell types. Here, we found that subordinate-prone highly anxious rats show decreased accumbal Mfn2 levels and that Mfn2 overexpression promotes dominant behavior. In mice, selective Mfn2 downregulation in NAc dopamine D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) induced social subordination, accompanied by decreased accumbal mitochondrial functions and decreased excitability in D2-MSNs. Instead, D1-MSN-targeted Mfn2 downregulation affected competitive ability only transiently and likely because of an increase in anxiety-like behaviors. Our results assign dissociable cell-type specific roles to Mfn2 in the NAc in modulating social dominance and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriparna Ghosal
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elias Gebara
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eva Ramos-Fernández
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Chioino
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jocelyn Grosse
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Guillot de Suduiraut
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Zanoletti
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bernard Schneider
- Bertarelli Platform for Gene Therapy, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Zorzano
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina Molecular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Simone Astori
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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6
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Joëls M, de Kloet ER. Sleeping off stress. Science 2022; 377:27-28. [PMID: 35771905 DOI: 10.1126/science.adc9782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Social defeat activates midbrain cells, promoting sleep and reducing anxiety in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - E Ronald de Kloet
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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7
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Devlin BA, Smith CJ, Bilbo SD. Sickness and the social brain: How the immune system regulates behavior across species. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 97:197-210. [PMID: 34915474 DOI: 10.1159/000521476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many instances of sickness critically involve the immune system. The immune system talks to the brain in a bi-directional loop. This discourse affords the immune system immense control, such that it can influence behavior and optimize recovery from illness. These behavioral responses to infection are called sickness behaviors and can manifest in many ways, including changes in mood, motivation, or energy. Fascinatingly, most of these changes are conserved across species, and most organisms demonstrate some form of sickness behaviors. One of the most interesting sickness behaviors, and not immediately obvious, is altered sociability. Here, we discuss how the immune system impacts social behavior, by examining the brain regions and immune mediators involved in this process. We first outline how social behavior changes in response to infection in various species. Next, we explore which brain regions control social behavior and their evolutionary origins. Finally, we describe which immune mediators establish the link between illness and social behavior, in the context of both normal development and infection. Overall, we hope to make clear the striking similarities between the mechanisms that facilitate changes in sociability in derived and ancestral vertebrate, as well as invertebrate, species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Devlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Caroline J Smith
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Staci D Bilbo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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8
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Ellner D, Hallam B, Frie JA, Thorpe HHA, Shoaib M, Kayir H, Jenkins BW, Khokhar JY. Discordant Effects of Cannabinoid 2 Receptor Antagonism/Inverse Agonism During Adolescence on Pavlovian and Instrumental Reward Learning in Adult Male Rats. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:732402. [PMID: 34526887 PMCID: PMC8437373 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.732402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating a spectrum of physiological activities and plays a critical role in the developing brain. During adolescence, the endocannabinoid system is particularly sensitive to external insults that may change the brain’s developmental trajectory. Cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) was initially thought to predominantly function in the peripheral nervous system, but more recent studies have implicated its role in the mesolimbic pathway, a network largely attributed to reward circuitry and reward motivated behavior, which undergoes extensive changes during adolescence. It is therefore important to understand how CB2R modulation during adolescence can impact reward-related behaviors in adulthood. In this study, adolescent male rats (postnatal days 28–41) were exposed to a low or high dose of the CB2R antagonist/inverse agonist SR144528 and Pavlovian autoshaping and instrumental conditional behavioral outcomes were measured in adulthood. SR144528-treated rats had significantly slower acquisition of the autoshaping task, seen by less lever pressing behavior over time [F(2, 19) = 5.964, p = 0.010]. Conversely, there was no effect of adolescent SR144528 exposure on instrumental conditioning. These results suggest that modulation of the CB2R in adolescence differentially impacts reward-learning behaviors in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danna Ellner
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Bryana Hallam
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jude A Frie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Hayley H A Thorpe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Muhammad Shoaib
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Hakan Kayir
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Bryan W Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jibran Y Khokhar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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9
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Nemeth M, Eisenschenk I, Engelmann A, Esser FM, Kokodynska M, Szewczak VF, Barnreiter E, Wallner B, Millesi E. Flaxseed oil as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid source modulates cortisol concentrations and social dominance in male and female guinea pigs. Horm Behav 2021; 134:105025. [PMID: 34242874 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of the essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Omega-3 PUFAs are important neuronal components and can counteract aggressive, depressive, and anxiety-like behavior, reduce glucocorticoid (e.g. cortisol) concentrations under chronic stress but also increase acute glucocorticoid responses. As glucocorticoids per se and glucocorticoid responsiveness can modulate the establishment of dominance hierarchies, we investigated if flaxseed oil high in ALA can promote social dominance through effects on glucocorticoid concentrations. Two male and two female groups of domestic guinea pigs (n = 9 per group) were maintained on a control or a 5% (w/w) flaxseed oil diet for four weeks. Social behaviors, hierarchy indices, locomotion, and saliva cortisol concentrations were determined during basal group housing conditions and stressful social confrontations with unfamiliar individuals of the other groups. Flaxseed groups had increased basal cortisol concentrations and showed no cortisol increase during social confrontations. Cortisol concentrations in control groups significantly increased during social confrontations. Such higher cortisol responses positively affected individual hierarchy indices in control males. However, flaxseed males became dominant irrespective of cortisol concentrations. In females, the opposite was detected, namely a higher dominant status in control compared to flaxseed females. Open-field- and dark-light-tests for anxiety-like behavior revealed no pronounced differences, but flaxseed males showed the highest locomotor activity. Flaxseed oil as an ALA source sex-specifically promoted social dominance irrespective of cortisol concentrations and responses. The underlying neuronal mechanisms remain to be determined, but a sex-specific energetic advantage may have accounted for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Nemeth
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Isabelle Eisenschenk
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Engelmann
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Fey Maria Esser
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michelle Kokodynska
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Veronika Francesca Szewczak
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Barnreiter
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Millesi
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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10
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Smith CJ, Bilbo SD. Sickness and the Social Brain: Love in the Time of COVID. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:633664. [PMID: 33692712 PMCID: PMC7937950 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.633664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
As a highly social species, inclusion in social networks and the presence of strong social bonds are critical to our health and well-being. Indeed, impaired social functioning is a component of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, our social networks are at risk of fracture and many are vulnerable to the negative consequences of social isolation. Importantly, infection itself leads to changes in social behavior as a component of "sickness behavior." Furthermore, as in the case of COVID-19, males and females often differ in their immunological response to infection, and, therefore, in their susceptibility to negative outcomes. In this review, we discuss the many ways in which infection changes social behavior-sometimes to the benefit of the host, and in some instances for the sake of the pathogen-in species ranging from eusocial insects to humans. We also explore the neuroimmune mechanisms by which these changes in social behavior occur. Finally, we touch upon the ways in which the social environment (group living, social isolation, etc.) shapes the immune system and its ability to respond to challenge. Throughout we emphasize how males and females differ in their response to immune activation, both behaviorally and physiologically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline J Smith
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Staci D Bilbo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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11
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Abstract
Because of the traditional conceptualization of delusion as “irrational belief,” cognitive models of delusions largely focus on impairments to domain-general reasoning. Nevertheless, current rationality-impairment models do not account for the fact that (a) equivalently irrational beliefs can be induced through adaptive social cognitive processes, reflecting social integration rather than impairment; (b) delusions are overwhelmingly socially themed; and (c) delusions show a reduced sensitivity to social context both in terms of how they are shaped and how they are communicated. Consequently, we argue that models of delusions need to include alteration to coalitional cognition—processes involved in affiliation, group perception, and the strategic management of relationships. This approach has the advantage of better accounting for both content (social themes) and form (fixity) of delusion. It is also supported by the established role of mesolimbic dopamine in both delusions and social organization and the ongoing reconceptualization of belief as serving a social organizational function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaughan Bell
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London.,Psychological Interventions Clinic for Outpatients with Psychosis, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, England
| | - Nichola Raihani
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London
| | - Sam Wilkinson
- Department of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology, Exeter University
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12
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van der Kooij MA. The impact of chronic stress on energy metabolism. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 107:103525. [PMID: 32629109 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain is exceptionally demanding in terms of energy metabolism. Approximately 20% of the calories consumed are devoted to our cerebral faculties, with the lion's share provided in the form of glucose. The brain's stringent energy dependency requires a high degree of harmonization between the elements responsible for supplying- and metabolizing energetic substrates. However, chronic stress may jeopardize this homeostatic energy balance by disruption of critical metabolic processes. In agreement, stress-related mental disorders have been linked with perturbations in energy metabolism. Prominent stress-induced metabolic alterations include the actions of hormones, glucose uptake and mitochondrial adjustments. Importantly, fundamental stress-responsive metabolic adjustments in humans and animal models bear a striking resemblance. Here, an overview is provided of key findings, demonstrating the pervasive impact of chronic stress on energy metabolism. Furthermore, I argue that medications, aimed primarily at restoring metabolic homeostasis, may constitute a novel approach to treat mental disorders.
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Papilloud A, Weger M, Bacq A, Zalachoras I, Hollis F, Larrieu T, Battivelli D, Grosse J, Zanoletti O, Parnaudeau S, Tronche F, Sandi C. The glucocorticoid receptor in the nucleus accumbens plays a crucial role in social rank attainment in rodents. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 112:104538. [PMID: 31841985 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Social hierarchy in social species is usually established through competitive encounters with conspecifics. It determines the access to limited resources and, thus, leads to reduced fights among individuals within a group. Despite the known importance of social rank for health and well-being, the knowledge about the processes underlying rank attainment remains limited. Previous studies have highlighted the nucleus accumbens (NAc) as a key brain region in the attainment of social hierarchies in rodents. In addition, glucocorticoids and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) have been implicated in the establishment of social hierarchies and social aversion. However, whether GR in the NAc is involved in social dominance is not yet known. To address this question, we first established that expression levels of GR in the NAc of high anxious, submissive-prone rats are lower than that of their low anxious, dominant-prone counterparts. Furthermore, virally-induced downregulation of GR expression in the NAc in rats led to an improvement of social dominance rank. We found a similar result in a cell-specific mouse model lacking GR in dopaminoceptive neurons (i.e., neurons containing dopamine receptors). Indeed, when cohabitating in dyads of mixed genotypes, mice deficient for GR in dopaminoceptive neurons had a higher probability to become dominant than wild-type mice. Overall, our results highlight GR in the NAc and in dopaminoceptive neurons as an important regulator of social rank attainment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Papilloud
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Meltem Weger
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Bacq
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ioannis Zalachoras
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fiona Hollis
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Larrieu
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dorian Battivelli
- Neuroscience Paris-Seine, Gene Regulation and Adaptive Behaviors Team, CNRS UMR8246 - INSERM U1130 - Sorbonne Université, Institut De Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
| | - Jocelyn Grosse
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Zanoletti
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Parnaudeau
- Neuroscience Paris-Seine, Gene Regulation and Adaptive Behaviors Team, CNRS UMR8246 - INSERM U1130 - Sorbonne Université, Institut De Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
| | - François Tronche
- Neuroscience Paris-Seine, Gene Regulation and Adaptive Behaviors Team, CNRS UMR8246 - INSERM U1130 - Sorbonne Université, Institut De Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Trezza V, Manzoni OJ. The neuropharmacology of social behavior: From bench to bedside. Neuropharmacology 2019; 159:107784. [PMID: 31541649 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
| | - Olivier J Manzoni
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, INMED, Marseille, France; Cannalab, Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research International Associated Laboratory, INSERM-Indiana University, USA.
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Animal Models of (or for) Aggression Reward, Addiction, and Relapse: Behavior and Circuits. J Neurosci 2019; 39:3996-4008. [PMID: 30833504 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0151-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Inappropriate and pathological aggression plays a leading role in the suffering and death of millions of people, and further places an untenable strain on the caregivers and families of those afflicted. In some cases, such as addictive drugs, aggression can be highly rewarding (appetitive) and continually pursued despite short- and long-term negative consequences. Similarly, recidivism (relapse) rates for repeat violent offenders are as high as relapse rates for drug addicts. Appetitive aggression and relapse to aggression seeking can be modeled in mice studies using conditioned place preference and self-administration procedures followed by a period of abstinence and subsequent tests for relapse to aggression preference and aggression seeking. These procedures allow for the study of the mechanisms that control the appetitive versus the consummatory (attack) phases of aggressive behavior. In this review, we first discuss the behavioral procedures developed to probe appetitive aggression in mouse models, spanning from Pavlovian to operant tasks, and we also describe the recently proposed phenomenon of "aggression addiction." Next, we discuss the pharmacological and circuit mechanisms of aggression conditioned place preference and aggression self-administration, seeking, and relapse, highlighting mechanistic congruence and divergence between appetitive and consummatory phases of aggression. We conclude by discussing clinical implications of the studies reviewed.
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