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cFOS and pCREB activation and maternal aggression in mice
1Department of Psychology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. sgammie@jhu.edu
Brain Research
|April 18, 2001
Summary
Maternal aggression in lactating mice involves distinct neural pathways. Researchers identified specific brain regions showing increased neuronal activity (cFOS and pCREB) during this protective behavior.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Biology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Lactating female mice display heightened aggression, known as maternal aggression, crucial for offspring protection.
- Neural mechanisms differ between maternal and male aggression in rodents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate neural regions controlling maternal aggression.
- To differentiate active brain areas during maternal aggression using neuronal activity markers.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral testing of lactating mice exposed to male intruders.
- Immunohistochemistry to detect cFOS and pCREB expression as markers of neuronal activity.
- Comparison of neuronal activity between aggressive and non-aggressive lactating mice.
Main Results:
- cFOS expression significantly increased in the claustrum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial preoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, medial amygdala, and cortical amygdala.
- pCREB-positive cells significantly increased in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray and lateral septum of aggressive mice.
- cFOS and pCREB expression patterns were distinct, offering complementary insights into active neural regions.
Conclusions:
- Maternal aggression is associated with specific patterns of neuronal activation in distinct brain regions.
- The findings provide a potential map of the neural circuitry underlying maternal aggression.
- This research complements existing knowledge on nitric oxide's role in maternal aggression.