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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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Lopez K, Baker MR, Toth M. Single cell transcriptomic representation of social dominance in prefrontal cortex and the influence of preweaning maternal and postweaning social environment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2206. [PMID: 38272981 PMCID: PMC10810822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52200-6] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Social dominance encompasses winning dyadic contests and gaining priority access to resources and reproduction. Dominance is influenced by environmental factors, particularly during early postnatal life and adolescence. A disinhibitory medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) microcircuit has been implicated in the expression of dominance in the "tube test" social competition paradigm in mice, but the neuroplasticity underlying dominance is not known. We previously reported that male pups raised by physically active (wheel-running, as opposed to sedentary) dams exhibit tube test dominance and increased reproductive fitness, and here we show that social isolation from weaning also increases dominance. By using single cell transcriptomics, we tested if increased dominance in these models is associated with a specific transcriptional profile in one or more cell-types in the mPFC. The preweaning maternal effect, but not postweaning social isolation, caused gene expression changes in pyramidal neurons. However, both the effect of maternal exercise and social isolation induced the coordinated downregulation of synaptic channel, receptor, and adhesion genes in parvalbumin positive (PV) interneurons, suggesting that development of dominance is accompanied by impaired PV interneuron-mediated inhibition of pyramidal cells. This study may help understand environmentally induced transcriptional plasticity in the PFC and its relationship to tube test dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Lopez
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Madelyn R Baker
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Miklos Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Coleman PT, Costanza-Chavez GW, Martin HN, Amat J, Frank MG, Sanchez RJ, Potter GJ, Mellert SM, Carter RK, Bonnici GN, Maier SF, Baratta MV. Prior experience with behavioral control over stress facilitates social dominance. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 28:100597. [PMID: 38213318 PMCID: PMC10783635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Dominance status has extensive effects on physical and mental health, and an individual's relative position can be shaped by experiential factors. A variety of considerations suggest that the experience of behavioral control over stressors should produce winning in dominance tests and that winning should blunt the impact of later stressors, as does prior control. To investigate the interplay between competitive success and stressor control, we first examined the impact of stressor controllability on subsequent performance in a warm spot competition test modified for rats. Prior experience of controllable, but not physically identical uncontrollable, stress increased later effortful behavior and occupation of the warm spot. Controllable stress subjects consistently ranked higher than did uncontrollable stress subjects. Pharmacological inactivation of the prelimbic (PL) cortex during behavioral control prevented later facilitation of dominance. Next, we explored whether repeated winning experiences produced later resistance against the typical sequelae of uncontrollable stress. To establish dominance status, triads of rats were given five sessions of warm spot competition. The development of stable dominance was prevented by reversible inactivation of the PL or NMDA receptor blockade in the dorsomedial striatum. Stable winning blunted the later stress-induced increase in dorsal raphe nucleus serotonergic activity, as well as prevented uncontrollable stress-induced social avoidance. In contrast, endocrine and neuroimmune responses to uncontrollable stress were unaffected, indicating a selective impact of prior dominance. Together, these data demonstrate that instrumental control over stress promotes later dominance, but also reveal that winning experiences buffer against the neural and behavioral outcomes of future adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Heather N. Martin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Jose Amat
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Matthew G. Frank
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Rory J. Sanchez
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Garrett J. Potter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Simone M. Mellert
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Rene K. Carter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Gianni N. Bonnici
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Steven F. Maier
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Michael V. Baratta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
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Coleman PT, Costanza-Chavez GW, Martin HN, Amat J, Frank MG, Sanchez RJ, Potter GJ, Mellert SM, Carter RK, Bonnici GN, Maier SF, Baratta MV. Prior experience with behavioral control over stress facilitates social dominance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.06.543982. [PMID: 37333397 PMCID: PMC10274770 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.06.543982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Dominance status has extensive effects on physical and mental health, and an individual's relative position can be shaped by experiential factors. A variety of considerations suggest that the experience of behavioral control over stressors should produce winning in dominance tests and that winning should blunt the impact of later stressors, as does prior control. To investigate the interplay between competitive success and stressor control, we first examined the impact of stressor controllability on subsequent performance in a warm spot competition test modified for rats. Prior experience of controllable, but not physically identical uncontrollable, stress increased later effortful behavior and occupation of the warm spot. Controllable stress subjects consistently ranked higher than did uncontrollable stress subjects. Pharmacological inactivation of the prelimbic (PL) cortex during behavioral control prevented later facilitation of dominance. Next, we explored whether repeated winning experiences produced later resistance against the typical sequelae of uncontrollable stress. To establish dominance status, triads of rats were given five sessions of warm spot competition. Reversible inactivation of the PL or NMDA receptor blockade in the dorsomedial striatum led to a long-term reduction in social rank. Stable dominance blunted the later stress-induced increase in dorsal raphe nucleus serotonergic activity, as well as prevented stress-induced social avoidance. In contrast, endocrine and neuroimmune responses to uncontrollable stress were unaffected, indicating a selective impact of prior dominance. Together, these data demonstrate that instrumental control over stress promotes later dominance, but also reveal that winning experiences buffer against the neural and behavioral outcomes of future adversity.
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Liu Y, Jia S, Wang J, Wang D, Zhang X, Liu H, Zhou F, Zhang Z, Li Q, Dong H, Zhong H. Endocannabinoid signaling regulates post-operative delirium through glutamatergic mediodorsal thalamus-prelimbic prefrontal cortical projection. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1036428. [DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1036428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundPost-operative delirium (POD), a common post-operative complication that affects up to 73. 5% of surgical patients, could prolong hospital stays, triple mortality rates, cause long-term cognitive decline and dementia, and boost medical expenses. However, the underlying mechanisms, especially the circuit mechanisms of POD remain largely unclear. Previous studies demonstrated that cannabis use might cause delirium-like behavior through the endocannabinoid system (eCBs), a widely distributed retrograde presynaptic neuromodulator system. We also found that the prelimbic (PrL) and intralimbic (IL) prefrontal cortex, a crucial hub for cognition and emotion, was involved in the eCBs-associated general anesthesia recovery.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to investigate the role of eCBs in POD development, and further clarify its neuronal specificity and circuit specificity attributed to POD.MethodsAccording to a previous study, 2 h of 1.4% isoflurane anesthesia and simple laparotomy were conducted to establish the POD model in C57/BL6 mice aged 8–12 weeks. A battery of behavioral tests, including the buried food, open field, and Y maze tests, were performed at 24 h before anesthesia and surgery (AS) and 6 and 9 h after AS. The behavioral results were calculated as a composite Z score for the POD assessment. To explore the dynamics of eCBs and their effect on POD regulation, an endocannabinoid (eCB) sensor was microinjected into the PrL, and the antagonists (AM281 and hemopressin) and agonist (nabilone) of type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R), were administered systemically or locally (into PrL). Chemogenetics, combined Cre-loxP and Flp-FRT system, were employed in mutant mice for neuronal specificity and circuit specificity observation.ResultsAfter AS, the composite Z score significantly increased at 6 and 9 but not at 24 h, whereas blockade of CB1R systemically and intra-PrL could specifically decrease the composite Z score at 6 and 9 h after AS. Results of fiber photometry further confirmed that the activity of eCB in the PrL was enhanced by AS, especially in the Y maze test at 6 h post-operatively. Moreover, the activation of glutamatergic neurons in the PrL could reduce the composite Z score, which could be significantly reversed by exogenous cannabinoid (nabilone) at 6 and 9 h post-operatively. However, activation of GABAergic neurons only decreased composite Z score at 9 h post-operatively, with no response to nabilone application. Further study revealed the glutamatergic projection from mediodorsal thalamus (MD) to PrL glutamatergic neurons, but not hippocampus (HIP)-PrL circuit, was in charge of the effect of eCBs on POD.ConclusionOur study firstly demonstrated the involvement of eCBs in the POD pathogenesis and further revealed that the eCBs may regulate POD through the specific MDglu-PrLglu circuit. These findings not only partly revealed the molecular and circuit mechanisms of POD, but also provided an applicable candidate for the clinical prevention and treatment of POD.
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