Microglial dopamine receptor elimination defines sex-specific nucleus accumbens development and social behavior in adolescent rats

Ashley M. Kopec; Caroline J. Smith; Nathan R. Ayre; Sean C. Sweat; Staci D. Bilbo

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-06118-z

Nature Communications (Sep 2018)

Microglial dopamine receptor elimination defines sex-specific nucleus accumbens development and social behavior in adolescent rats

Ashley M. Kopec,
Caroline J. Smith,
Nathan R. Ayre,
Sean C. Sweat,
Staci D. Bilbo

Affiliations

Ashley M. Kopec: Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Caroline J. Smith: Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Nathan R. Ayre: Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Sean C. Sweat: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University
Staci D. Bilbo: Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06118-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 16

Abstract

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Dopaminergic circuits in the nucleus accumbens regulate reward, including social play behavior in adolescent rodents. Here, the authors show that in male but not female rats, dopamine receptors are tagged by complement for microglial phagocytosis, thus mediating changes in social behavior.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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