Exploratory Rearing Is Governed by Hypothalamic Melanin-Concentrating Hormone Neurons According to Locus Ceruleus

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0015-24.2024
• Publication Date: 2024-04-04T17:50:24Z
• Authors: Cristina Concetti; Paulius Viskaitis; Nikola Grujic; Sian N. Duss; Mattia Privitera; Johannes Bohacek; Daria Peleg-Raibs...; Denis Burdakov
• Keywords: Locus coeruleus

Information seeking, such as standing on tiptoes to look around in humans, is observed across animals and helps survival. Its rodent analog—unsupported rearing hind legs—was a classic model deciphering neural signals of cognition intense renewed interest preclinical modeling neuropsychiatric states. Neural circuits controlling this dedicated decision seek information remain largely unknown. While studying subsecond timing spontaneous behavioral acts activity melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons (MNs) behaving male female mice, we large MN spikes that aligned unsupported rears. Complementary causal, loss gain function, analyses revealed specific control rear frequency duration by MNs MCHR1 receptors. Activity key stress center the brain—the locus ceruleus noradrenaline cells—rapidly inhibited required functional MCH receptors for its endogenous modulation rearing. By defining module both tracks controls rearing, these findings may facilitate further insights into biology seeking.