Oxytocin modulation of female aggression

项目概要（项目4，共同主要研究者：Lin、Froemke、Buzsaki、Tsien） 社会纽带是指同一物种的成员之间形成的亲密关系。在不同物种中， 社会联系通常伴随着对对象的感知威胁的增加的攻击性 依恋社会联系导致攻击性增加的神经过程仍然存在 不清楚催产素在社会关系的形成中起着关键作用。巧合的是， 下丘脑腹内侧区（VMHvl），是男性和女性攻击性不可或缺的下丘脑区域 表达高水平的催产素受体，并且在催产素神经元的旁边发现了密集的催产素神经元簇。 VMHvl.因此，我们假设催产素可能在改变VMHvl细胞对 潜在的威胁，增加女性的侵略后，母婴结合。在这里，我们将测试这一假设 通过三个目标。在目的1中，我们将测试在脑缺血中，向VMHvl的局部和远端催产素输入的功能作用。 增加哺乳期女性的攻击性在目标2中，我们将进行体内细胞类型特异性记录， 解决VMHvl细胞和它们邻近的催产素神经元在自然雌性攻击期间如何响应。 此外，我们将采用一种新的基因编码的催产素传感器来解决催产素如何影响 未处理和哺乳期雌性中VMHvl细胞的活性。在目标3中，我们将使用RNAseq和体外切片记录， 研究哺乳期间VMHv 1细胞如何改变分子和电生理特性。在 总之，本项目将联合收割机结合项目1-3中开发的各种工具， 下丘脑的神经调节机制，改变社会关系中的攻击行为。

Project Summary (Project 4, Co-PIs: Lin, Froemke, Buzsaki, Tsien) Social bonding refers to an intimate relationship formed among members of the same species. Across species, social bonding is often accompanied by increased aggressiveness towards perceived threats against the object of attachment. The neural process underlying the social bonding induced increase in aggression remains unclear. Oxytocin plays pivotal roles in the formation of social bonds. Coincidently, the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl), a hypothalamic region indispensable for both male and female aggression expresses high level of oxytocin receptor and a dense cluster of oxytocin neurons are found right next to the VMHvl. Thus, we hypothesize that oxytocin may play an important role in altering the VMHvl cell responses to potential threat to increase female aggression after mother-infant bonding. Here we will test this hypothesis through three aims. In Aim 1, we will test the functional role of local and distal oxytocin inputs to the VMHvl in increasing female aggression during lactation. In Aim 2, we will perform in vivo cell-type specific recording to address how VMHvl cells and their neighboring oxytocin neurons respond during natural female aggression. Additionally, we will employ a novel genetically encoded oxytocin sensor to address how oxytocin influences the activity of VMHvl cells in naïve and lactating females. In Aim 3, we will employ RNAseq and in vitro slice recording to investigate how the VMHvl cells change the molecular and electrophysiological properties during lactation. In summary, this project will combine the various tools developed in Projects 1-3 to provide new insight into the neuromodulatory mechanisms in hypothalamus that alter aggressive behavior during social bonding.