| Title: | Limbic Neurons Shape Sex Recognition and Social Behavior in Sexually Naive Males |
| Author(s): | Bayless DW; Yang T; Mason MM; Susanto AAT; Lobdell A; Shah NM; |
| Address: | "Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: nirao@stanford.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.cell.2018.12.041 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1097-4172 (Electronic) 0092-8674 (Print) 0092-8674 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Sexually naive animals have to distinguish between the sexes because they show species-typical interactions with males and females without meaningful prior experience. However, central neural pathways in naive mammals that recognize sex of other individuals remain poorly characterized. We examined the role of the principal component of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNSTpr), a limbic center, in social interactions in mice. We find that activity of aromatase-expressing BNSTpr (AB) neurons appears to encode sex of other animals and subsequent displays of mating in sexually naive males. Silencing these neurons in males eliminates preference for female pheromones and abrogates mating success, whereas activating them even transiently promotes male-male mating. Surprisingly, female AB neurons do not appear to control sex recognition, mating, or maternal aggression. In summary, AB neurons represent sex of other animals and govern ensuing social behaviors in sexually naive males" |
| Keywords: | "Amygdala/physiology Animals Aromatase/metabolism Brain/physiology Limbic System/*metabolism Male Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Neural Pathways/metabolism Neurons/metabolism Pheromones/metabolism Septal Nuclei/*physiology Sex Characteristics Sexual Behavior, Ani;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineBayless, Daniel W Yang, Taehong Mason, Matthew M Susanto, Albert A T Lobdell, Alexandra Shah, Nirao M eng R01 NS049488/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/ R01 NS083872/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural 2019/02/05 Cell. 2019 Feb 21; 176(5):1190-1205.e20. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.12.041. Epub 2019 Jan 31" |
