Distinct transcriptional programs define a heterogeneous neuronal ensemble for social interaction

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Social behavior relies on coordinated activity across distributed brain regions and heterogeneous cell types.
• The medial prefrontal cortex is crucial for social behavior regulation.
• Current understanding of the neuronal ensembles involved in social behavior is limited by single-marker gene expression strategies.

Conclusions:

• Reliance on a single molecular marker is insufficient for quantifying neuronal activation across all cell types.
• Social interactions invoke cell-type specific transcriptional programs.
• Provides a comprehensive description of heterogeneous neuronal populations composing the social ensemble.