[초청강연] Neuromodulatory control of social engagement and anxiety

Title: Neuromodulatory control of social engagement and anxiety

Abstract
Innate social behaviors, such as mating, fighting and parental behavior, are fundamental to
animal reproduction and survival. However, these social engagements can also put an individual
at risk. Little is known about the neural mechanisms that allow for appropriate risk assessment
and the suppression of hazardous social interactions. Using anatomical tracing, functional
imaging, and circuit-level epistatic analyses, I have identified the posteromedial nucleus of the
cortical amygdala (COApm) as a locus required for the suppression of male mating when a
female is sick. Our study revealed that COApm regulates male mating behavior via a projection
onto the glutamatergic population of the medial amygdalar nucleus (MEA) and this circuit
function relies on the neuromodulator thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). In this seminar, I
will introduce this novel neural pathway in detail and further discuss about its interesting role in
regulation of other social behaviors.