A dedicated hypothalamic oxytocin circuit controls aversive social learning

• DOI: 10.1101/2022.12.14.519639
• Publication Date: 2022-12-16T04:45:37Z
• Authors: Takuya Osakada; Rongzhen Yan; Yiwen Jiang; Dongyu Wei; Rina Tabuchi; Bing Dai; Xiaohan Wang; Gavin Zhao; Clara Xi Wang; Richard W. Tsien; Adam C. Mar; Dayu Lin
• Keywords: Oxytocin receptor; Social defeat

Abstract To survive and thrive in a complex social group, it is essential to not only know who approach but more importantly avoid. After single defeat, mice learn stay away from the winning aggressor for weeks. Here, we identify oxytocin neurons retrochiasmatic supraoptic nucleus (SOR OXT ) receptor expressing cells anterior subdivision of ventromedial hypothalamus, ventrolateral part (aVMHvl OXTR as key circuit motif defeat-induced avoidance learning. aVMHvl drastically increase their responses cues. This response change functionally important optogenetic activation elicits time-locked towards benign target whereas inactivating suppresses avoidance. Furthermore, itself behavior change. Knocking out or antagonizing during post-defeat interaction, impairs receives its private source SOR cells, which are highly activated by noxious somatosensory inputs associated with defeat. Oxytocin released depolarizes facilitates synaptic potentiation, hence, increases cell Ablating learning activating promotes after subthreshold defeat experience. Altogether, our study reveals an role -aVMHvl highlights importance brain system plasticity.