Anterior cingulate cortex hypofunction causes anti-social aggression in mice

Abstract

Controlling aggression is a crucial skill in social species like rodents and humans, and has been associated with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Here, we demonstrate a causal link between ACC hypofunction and failed aggression control in BALB/cJ mice. We first show that ACC in BALB/cJ mice is structurally degraded: Neuron density is decreased, with pervasive neuron death and neuro-toxic astroglia. Gene-set enrichment analysis suggested that this process is driven by neuronal degeneration, which then causes toxic astrogliosis. cFos expression across ACC indicated functional consequences: During aggressive encounters, ACC was engaged in control mice, but not BALB/cJ mice. Chemogenetically activating ACC during aggressive encounters drastically suppressed anti-social aggression but left adaptive aggression intact. The network effects of our chemogenetic perturbation suggest that this behavioural rescue is mediated by suppression of amygdala and hypothalamus and activation of mediodorsal thalamus. Together, these findings highlight the causal role of ACC in curbing anti-social aggression.