Hypothalamic neurons that mirror aggression

• Published in: Cell Vol. 186; no. 6; pp. 1195 - 1211.e19
• Main Authors: Yang, Taehong, Bayless, Daniel W., Wei, Yichao, Landayan, Dan, Marcelo, Ivo M., Wang, Yangpeng, DeNardo, Laura A., Luo, Liqun, Druckmann, Shaul, Shah, Nirao M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 16.03.2023
• Subjects: aggression; Aggression - physiology; Animals; cognition; emotion; fiber photometry; FosTRAP; Hypothalamus - cytology; Mice; miniscope; Mirror Neurons; Social Behavior; social cognition; tail rattle; TRAP2; ventromedial hypothalamus; VMHvl; fiber photometry; TRAP2; miniscope; cognition; social cognition; social behavior; VMHvl; ventromedial hypothalamus; aggression; FosTRAP; emotion; tail rattle; mirror neurons
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.022

Social interactions require awareness and understanding of the behavior of others. Mirror neurons, cells representing an action by self and others, have been proposed to be integral to the cognitive substrates that enable such awareness and understanding. Mirror neurons of the primate neocortex represent skilled motor tasks, but it is unclear if they are critical for the actions they embody, enable social behaviors, or exist in non-cortical regions. We demonstrate that the activity of individual VMHvlPR neurons in the mouse hypothalamus represents aggression performed by self and others. We used a genetically encoded mirror-TRAP strategy to functionally interrogate these aggression-mirroring neurons. We find that their activity is essential for fighting and that forced activation of these cells triggers aggressive displays by mice, even toward their mirror image. Together, we have discovered a mirroring center in an evolutionarily ancient region that provides a subcortical cognitive substrate essential for a social behavior. [Display omitted] •Individual VMHvlPR neurons are co-active during both aggression or witnessing aggression•Activity of VMHvlPR neurons therefore mirrors aggression between other individuals•Aggression-mirroring neurons are essential for territorial aggression by self•Aggression-mirroring neurons can elicit aggression toward males, females, and mirrors Neurons whose activity mirrors fighting by other mice have been identified in the male mouse hypothalamus and shown to be functionally important for aggressive behavior.