Identification of neural circuits that control social behavior

BIG-2是一种与轴突相关的细胞识别分子，参与大脑神经回路的形成。最近的研究表明，BIG-2与自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）有关。我们之前发现BIG-2基因敲除小鼠在野外试验和升高+迷宫试验中表现出焦虑增加。为了确定导致这种异常的大脑区域，我们绘制了在行为测试中被激活的大脑区域。我们发现BIG-2基因敲除小鼠室旁下丘脑核（PVH）旁细胞群的神经元活性在开放场实验后升高。由于已知PVH在应激反应中起核心作用，提示BIG-2参与了新环境中适当应激反应所需的神经回路的形成。

BIG-2 is an axon-associated cell recognition molecule that is involved in neural circuit formation in the brain. Recent studies implicated that BIG-2 is related to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We previously found that BIG-2 knockout mice show increased anxiety in open field test and elevated plus maze test. To identify brain regions responsible for this abnormality, we mapped brain areas that were activated during the behavioral tests. We found that neuronal activity was elevated in parvocellular population of paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) in BIG-2 knockout mice after subjected to open field test. As PVH is known to play central roles in stress response, it is suggested that BIG-2 is involved in formation of neural circuits required for proper stress responses in novel environment.