Identification of GABAergic subpopulations in the lateral hypothalamus for home-driven behaviors in mice

Home information profoundly influences behavioral states in both humans and animals. However, how "home" is represented in the brain and its role in driving diverse related behaviors remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that home bedding contains sufficient home information to modulate affective behaviors, including aversion responses, defensive aggression, and mating behaviors. These varied responses to home information are mediated by gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LH^GABA). Inhibiting LH^GABA abolishes, while activating mimics, the effects of home bedding on these behaviors across different contexts. Specifically, projections from LH^GABA to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) mediate the relaxation of aversive emotion, while projections to the periaqueductal gray (PAG) initiate defensive concerns. Thus, our data suggest that home information in different contexts converges to activate distinct subgroups of the LH^GABA, which, in turn, elicit appropriate affective behaviors in relieving aversion, fighting intruders, or enhancing mating through involving distinct downstream projections.