Biology subjects

Gore, I. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Gore, I. R..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Developmental scarcity induces sex differences in social recognition and CA2 perineuronal nets

Early-life adversity has a lasting negative impact on social behavior in both humans and rodents. Sex differences exist in functional outcomes of postnatal stress, but underlying mechanisms remain incompletely explored. Using the limited bedding and nesting paradigm, a mouse model of developmental scarcity, we found sex differences in social behavior with adult males showing impaired social recognition and adult females showing intact social recognition with enhanced social novelty preference. Perineuronal nets, specialized extracellular matrix structures, are known to inhibit developmental plasticity and are concentrated in the CA2 region of the hippocampus in adulthood. We found higher intensity of CA2 perineuronal nets in adult males, but not adult females, after early life adversity. Focal degradation of the extracellular matrix in the CA2 region restored social recognition function in adult males previously subjected to early stress, suggesting that the effects of developmental adversity may be overcome by targeted intervention in adulthood.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Retrieval of developmental social memories requires activation of the adult-born granule cell-CA2 circuit in mice

Adult-born granule cells (abGCs) project to the CA2 region of the hippocampus, but it remains unknown how this circuit affects behavioral function. Here we show that abGC input to the CA2 of adult mice is involved in the retrieval of remote developmental memories of the mother. Ablation of abGCs impaired the ability to discriminate between a caregiving mother and a novel mother, and this ability returned after new neurons were regenerated. Chemogenetic inhibition of projections from abGCs to the CA2 also temporarily prevented the retrieval of remote mother memories. These findings were observed when abGCs were inhibited at 4-6 weeks old, but not when they were inhibited at 10-12 weeks old. We also found that abGCs are necessary for differentiating features of CA2 network activity, including theta-gamma coupling and sharp wave-ripples, in response to novel versus familiar social stimuli. Taken together, these findings suggest that abGCs are necessary for neuronal oscillations associated with discriminating between social stimuli, thus enabling retrieval of remote developmental memories of the mother by their adult offspring.

neuroscience↗