Neuroanatomical Substrates of Rodent Social Behavior: The Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Its Projection Patterns

Abstract

Social behavior encompasses a number of distinctive and complex constructs that form the core elements of human imitative culture, mainly represented as either affiliative or antagonistic interactions with conspecifics. Traditionally considered in the realm of psychology, social behavior research has benefited from recent advancements in neuroscience that have accelerated identification of the neural systems, circuits, causative genes and molecular mechanisms that underlie distinct social cognitive traits. In this review article, I summarize recent findings regarding the neuroanatomical substrates of key social behaviors, focusing on results from experiments conducted in rodent models. In particular, I will review the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and downstream subcortical structures in controlling social behavior, and discuss pertinent future research perspectives.

Impaired social behaviour and molecular mediators of associated neural circuits during chronicToxoplasma gondiiinfection in female mice

“…Our results contradict previous studies that report no IEG induction in the CA2 region of the hippocampus upon social stimuli Tanimizu et al, 2017), while supports findings from Kim et al that report CA2 activation upon social interaction (Kim et al, 2015). The hippocampus is critically integrated into the rodent circuitry involved in social behaviours (Kim et al, 2015;Ko, 2017;Kogan et al, 2000;Raam et al, 2017;, but specifically, the CA2 subfield is important for the formation of social memory Hitti and Siegelbaum, 2014;Leroy et al, 2017;Lin et al, 2017;Smith et al, 2016;Stevenson and Caldwell, 2014). Therefore, it is no surprise that we observe neuronal activation in the CA2 region upon social stimuli, a prerequisite to social memory formation (Felix-Ortiz and Tye, 2014;Hitti and Siegelbaum, 2014).…”

Prenatal stress disrupts social behavior, cortical neurobiology and commensal microbes in adult male offspring

“…Here, we demonstrate that in rodents, prenatal stress leads to alterations in microbiota in adult males, as well as decrease in social behavior, and alterations in cortical neurobiology including reduction in serotonin turnover, elevated markers of neuroinflammation, alterations in CRH axis, and concomitant reduction in OXTR. Social behavior is mediated by multiple neural circuits and brain regions [23]; cortical dysfunction has previously been tied with social behavior in both humans and rodents [24,25]. To our knowledge this is the first time in males that the gut microbiota has been considered in the link between PNS, social behavior, and concomitant alterations in cortical neurobiology.…”

A multiscale analysis in CD38 −/− mice unveils major prefrontal cortex dysfunctions

“…The enhanced anxiety‐like responses observed here in CD38 −/− mice could also contribute to alteration of social behavior. This view is largely supported by the strong comorbidity of anxiety disorders with social cognitive disorders and by the involvement of an integrated brain circuit including amygdala, hypothalamus, and PFC in the control of innate social behaviors such as aggression and parenting responses [(79) for a review]. Previous studies in CD38 −/− mice reported variable effects of CD38 loss of function on anxiety and parenting behaviors (29, 80).…”