Social dominance: mechanisms of the prefrontal cortex

社会支配地位：前额叶皮层的机制

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-06490
• 负责人: Franklin, Tamara
• 金额: $ 2.19万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=631408
• 关键词: Social; dominance; mechanisms; prefrontal; cortex

Living in large social groups requires us to fulfill particular roles, with some individuals dominant within their social environment, and others subordinate. My research program is focused on understanding how the brains of dominant individuals differ from the brains of individuals that are subordinate within their social hierarchy. To do this, we use mice, a social mammal that forms complex dominance hierarchies. We are currently investigating the role that a protein, called histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), plays in dominance behaviour. HDAC2 is an important regulator of gene expression in neurons and can affect brain activity. We are specifically focusing on its function within the prefrontal cortex, a brain area that plays a central role in generating social behaviours.

生活在大型社会群体中需要我们扮演特定的角色，一些人在其社会环境中占主导地位，而另一些人则处于从属地位。我的研究项目的重点是了解主导个体的大脑与社会等级中从属个体的大脑有何不同。为此，我们使用小鼠，一种形成复杂的统治等级的社会哺乳动物。我们目前正在研究一种称为组蛋白脱乙酰酶 2 (HDAC2) 的蛋白质在优势行为中所起的作用。 HDAC2 是神经元基因表达的重要调节因子，可以影响大脑活动。我们特别关注它在前额皮质中的功能，前额皮质是一个在产生社会行为中发挥核心作用的大脑区域。