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Neural mechanisms underlying orofacial prosocial behavior in rodents
Ji Wang1, Mengbing Huang1, Ziyun Ni2
1Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|January 25, 2026
Summary
This review explores the neural circuits underlying orofacial prosocial behaviors in rodents. Understanding these conserved motor actions is key for social behavior research and addressing social deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ethology
- Comparative Psychology
Background:
- Social behavior relies on responding to social cues for survival and well-being.
- Orofacial behaviors (mouth, lip, jaw movements) are evolutionarily conserved and crucial for social interaction.
- Rodents exhibit complex prosocial orofacial actions like vocalizing, sniffing, and pup retrieval.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in the neural basis of orofacial prosocial behavior.
- To bridge the gap between conserved motor actions and their neural implementation.
- To inform social behavior research and the study of social deficits.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on rodent orofacial prosocial behavior.
- Focus on the neural circuits triggering these behaviors.
- Integration of findings from animal models.
Main Results:
- Summarizes current understanding of neural mechanisms driving orofacial prosocial actions.
- Highlights the role of these behaviors in communication, emotion, and affiliation.
- Identifies gaps in integrative frameworks.
Conclusions:
- Advances in understanding the neural basis of orofacial prosocial behavior in rodents are significant.
- Further research is needed to develop integrative frameworks.
- This knowledge is vital for understanding social behavior and deficits.
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