Encoding of social novelty by sparse GABAergic neural ensembles in the prelimbic cortex

作者：Zhe Zhao, Fengqingyang Zeng, Hanbin Wang, Runlong Wu, Liping Chen, Liping Chen, Yan Wu, Shen Li, Jingyuan Shao, Yao Wang, Junjie Wu, Zhiheng Feng, Weizheng Gao, Yanhui Hu, Aimin Wang, Heping Cheng, Jue Zhang, Liangyi Chen, Liangyi Chen, Haitao Wu · 发表于：Science Advances · 年份：2022 · DOI：10.1126/sciadv.abo4884 · 被引用次数：35 · 研究领域：Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior、Neural dynamics and brain function、Memory and Neural Mechanisms

Although the prelimbic (PrL) area is associated with social behaviors, the neural ensembles that regulate social preference toward novelty or familiarity remain unknown. Using miniature two-photon microscopy (mTPM) to visualize social behavior–associated neuronal activity within the PrL in freely behaving mice, we found that the Ca 2+ transients of GABAergic neurons were more highly correlated with social behaviors than those of glutamatergic neurons. Chemogenetic suppression of social behavior–activated GABAergic neurons in the PrL disrupts social novelty behaviors. Restoring the MeCP2 level in PrL GABAergic neurons in MECP2 transgenic ( MECP2 -TG) mice rescues the social novelty deficits. Moreover, we identified and characterized sparsely distributed NewPNs and OldPNs of GABAergic interneurons in the PrL preferentially responsible for new and old mouse exploration, respectively. Together, we propose that social novelty information may be encoded by the responses of NewPNs and OldPNs in the PrL area, possibly via synergistic actions on both sides of the seesaw.