Identification of GABAergic subpopulations in the lateral hypothalamus for home-driven behaviors in mice
Xiaoya Su,
Bo Lei,
Junyue He,
Yunlong Liu,
Ao Wang,
Yikai Tang,
Weixuan Liu,
Yi Zhong
Affiliations
Xiaoya Su
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
Bo Lei
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; Corresponding author
Junyue He
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; Peking University, Tsinghua University, National Institute Biological Science Joint Graduate Program, Beijing, P.R. China
Yunlong Liu
Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Ao Wang
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
Yikai Tang
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
Weixuan Liu
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
Yi Zhong
School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China; Corresponding author
Summary: Home information profoundly influences behavioral states in both humans and animals. However, how “home” is represented in the brain and its role in driving diverse related behaviors remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that home bedding contains sufficient home information to modulate affective behaviors, including aversion responses, defensive aggression, and mating behaviors. These varied responses to home information are mediated by gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LHGABA). Inhibiting LHGABA abolishes, while activating mimics, the effects of home bedding on these behaviors across different contexts. Specifically, projections from LHGABA to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) mediate the relaxation of aversive emotion, while projections to the periaqueductal gray (PAG) initiate defensive concerns. Thus, our data suggest that home information in different contexts converges to activate distinct subgroups of the LHGABA, which, in turn, elicit appropriate affective behaviors in relieving aversion, fighting intruders, or enhancing mating through involving distinct downstream projections.
