VMHvl-Projecting&nbsp; <i>Vglut1+</i> Neurons in the Posterior Amygdala Gate Territorial Aggression

• DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3547683
• Publication Date: 2020-03-11T11:34:41Z
• Authors: Xi Zha; Lei Wang; Zhuo-Lei Jiao; Rong-Rong Yang; Chun Xu; Xiao-Hong Xu
• Keywords: Male; Neurons; 0301 basic medicine; QH301-705.5; Amygdala; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus; Vesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 1; Animals; Humans; Female; Biology (General)

Despite being innate, display of aggression is influenced by cortical activities. Here, using Vglut1 as a marker for inputs from structures, we identified small population excitatory neurons located in the posterior amygdala (PA) that project to ventrolateral division ventromedial nucleus hypothalamus (VMHvl), region critically regulates territorial aggression. Indeed, activities PAVglut1+ (PAVglut1) neurons, analyzed post-hoc c-Fos expression, unequivocally differentiated trials which attacks occurred or not during resident-intruder assays. More importantly, chemogenetic activation VMHvl-projecting PAVglut1 robustly promoted while inhibition these reduced attacks. Finally, connectivity map placed at interface between emotion regulation and they receive broad limbic structures collaterally VMHvl other targets. Taken together, results point potential site gating