Cortical ensembles orchestrate social competition through hypothalamic outputs

Nancy Padilla-Coreano, Kanha Batra, Makenzie Patarino, Zexin Chen, Rachel R. Rock, Ruihan Zhang, Sébastien B. Hausmann, Javier C. Weddington, Reesha Patel, Yu E. Zhang, Hao-Shu Fang, Srishti Mishra, Deryn O. LeDuke, Jasmin Revanna, Hao Li, Matilde Borio, Rachelle Pamintuan, Aneesh Bal, Laurel R. Keyes, Avraham Libster, Romy Wichmann, Fergil Mills, Felix H. Taschbach, Gillian A. Matthews, James P. Curley, Ila R. Fiete, Cewu Lu () and Kay M. Tye ()
Additional contact information
Nancy Padilla-Coreano: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Kanha Batra: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Makenzie Patarino: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Zexin Chen: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Rachel R. Rock: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ruihan Zhang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sébastien B. Hausmann: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Javier C. Weddington: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Reesha Patel: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Yu E. Zhang: University of California San Diego
Hao-Shu Fang: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Srishti Mishra: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Deryn O. LeDuke: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Jasmin Revanna: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Hao Li: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Matilde Borio: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Rachelle Pamintuan: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Aneesh Bal: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Laurel R. Keyes: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Avraham Libster: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Romy Wichmann: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Fergil Mills: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Felix H. Taschbach: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Gillian A. Matthews: Salk Institute for Biological Studies
James P. Curley: University of Texas at Austin
Ila R. Fiete: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cewu Lu: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Kay M. Tye: Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Nature, 2022, vol. 603, issue 7902, 667-671

Abstract: Abstract Most social species self-organize into dominance hierarchies1,2, which decreases aggression and conserves energy3,4, but it is not clear how individuals know their social rank. We have only begun to learn how the brain represents social rank5–9 and guides behaviour on the basis of this representation. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in social dominance in rodents7,8 and humans10,11. Yet, precisely how the mPFC encodes relative social rank and which circuits mediate this computation is not known. We developed a social competition assay in which mice compete for rewards, as well as a computer vision tool (AlphaTracker) to track multiple, unmarked animals. A hidden Markov model combined with generalized linear models was able to decode social competition behaviour from mPFC ensemble activity. Population dynamics in the mPFC predicted social rank and competitive success. Finally, we demonstrate that mPFC cells that project to the lateral hypothalamus promote dominance behaviour during reward competition. Thus, we reveal a cortico-hypothalamic circuit by which the mPFC exerts top-down modulation of social dominance.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04507-5

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