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Published on: July 4, 2013
Serotonin modulates nucleus accumbens circuits to suppress aggression
Zihui Zhang1, Gavin C Touponse1, Pia J Alderman1
1Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5HT) has long been considered anti-aggressive, but the mechanisms by which 5HT regulates downstream circuits to control aggression remain unclear. Combining fiber photometry, optogenetics, and miniaturized microscope recordings in double-transgenic mice, we find that 5HT levels ramp up in the nucleus accumbens during aggression, inhibiting a subset of D1 medium spiny neurons to suppress attacks. Our results reveal a novel 5HT-mediated neuromodulatory mechanism for limiting aggressive behavior.
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