Abdelmesih, B. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2022

Urocortin-3 neurons in the perifornical area mediate the impact of chronic stress on female infant-directed behavior

Infant avoidance and aggression are promoted by activation of the Urocortin-3 expressing neurons of the perifornical area of hypothalamus (PeFAUcn3) in male and female mice. PeFAUcn3 neurons have been implicated in stress, and stress is known to reduce maternal behavior. We asked how chronic restraint stress (CRS) affects infant-directed behavior in virgin and lactating females and what role PeFAUcn3 neurons play in this process. Here we show that infant-directed behavior increases activity in the PeFAUcn3 neurons in virgin and lactating females. Chemogenetic inhibition of PeFAUcn3 neurons facilitates pup retrieval in virgin females. CRS reduces pup retrieval in virgin females and increases activity of PeFAUcn3 neurons but does not affect maternal behavior in mothers. Inhibition of PeFAUcn3 neurons blocks stress-induced deficits in pup-directed behavior in virgin females. Together, these data illustrate the critical role for PeFAUcn3 neuronal activity in mediating the impact of chronic stress on female infant-directed behavior. Significance statementWhile a large body of research has studied the impact of maternal stress on offspring, few studies have focused on the neural circuitry underlying reduced maternal behavior in stressed mothers. In this study, we examine the neural substrates involved in reduced infant-directed behavior caused by chronic stress. We find that perifornical area neurons expressing the neuropeptide urocortin-3 are critical mediators of the impact of stress on infant-directed behavior in females.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Corticospinal neurons encode complex motor signals that are broadcast to dichotomous striatal circuits

Sensorimotor cortex controls movement in part through direct projections to the spinal cord. Here we show that these corticospinal neurons (CSNs) possess axon collaterals that innervate many supraspinal brain regions critical for motor control, most prominently the main input to the basal ganglia, the striatum. Corticospinal neurons that innervate the striatum form more synapses on D1-than D2-striatal projection neurons (SPNs). This biased innervation strategy corresponds to functionally distinct patterns of termination in spinal cord. CSNs are strongly driven during a striatum-dependent sequential forelimb behavior, and often represent high level movement features that are not linearly related to kinematic output. Copies of these activity patterns are relayed in a balanced fashion to both D1 and D2 projection pathways. These results reveal a circuit logic by which motor cortex corticospinal neurons relay both kinematic-related and unrelated signals to distinct striatal and spinal cord pathways, where postsynaptic connectivity ultimately dictates motor specificity. HighlightsO_LICorticospinal neurons send axon collaterals most abundantly to the striatum C_LIO_LIBiases in striatal innervation correspond to biases in spinal innervation C_LIO_LICSNs represent complex movement sequence information C_LIO_LICorollary motor sequence signals are relayed to both striatal projection pathways C_LI eTOC BlurbNelson, A. et al. detail the organization of corticospinal neurons and their coordinated cell type-specific targets in the dorsolateral striatum and spinal cord. Corticospinal neurons encode both kinematic-related and unrelated signals during motor sequences, and relay this information in a balanced fashion to dichotomous striatal pathways.

neuroscience↗