McHenry Jenna A, Otis James M, Rossi Mark A, Robinson J Elliott, Kosyk Oksana, Miller Noah W, McElligott Zoe A, Budygin Evgeny A, Rubinow David R, Stuber Garret D
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.
Nat Neurosci. 2017 Mar;20(3):449-458. doi: 10.1038/nn.4487. Epub 2017 Jan 30.
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 mPOA neurons 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 mPOA-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.
控制生殖的神经网络必须整合社会和激素信号，调节动机，并协调社会互动。然而，这些过程的神经回路机制仍未得到解决。内侧视前区（mPOA）是社会行为的一个关键节点，由分子多样性的神经元组成，具有广泛的投射。在这里，我们确定了表达神经降压素（Nts）的mPOA神经元的一个类固醇反应性亚群，它们与腹侧被盖区（VTA）相互作用，形成一个参与社交的奖赏回路。通过对雌性小鼠进行体内双光子成像，我们发现与非社交性食欲刺激相比，mPOA神经元优先编码有吸引力的雄性线索。卵巢激素信号调节这些细胞的生理特性和线索编码特性。此外，对mPOA-VTA神经回路进行光遗传学刺激可促进奖赏表型、社交接近和纹状体多巴胺释放。总的来说，这些数据表明，类固醇敏感的mPOA神经元编码与行为学相关的刺激，并利用中脑奖赏回路来促进对物种生存至关重要的亲社会行为。
