| First Author | Yu H | Year | 2021 |
| Journal | Nat Commun | Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 6523 |
| PubMed ID | 34764279 | Mgi Jnum | J:327787 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6826661 | Doi | 10.1038/s41467-021-26852-1 |
| Citation | Yu H, et al. (2021) Periaqueductal gray neurons encode the sequential motor program in hunting behavior of mice. Nat Commun 12(1):6523 |
| abstractText | Sequential encoding of motor programs is essential for behavior generation. However, whether it is critical for instinctive behavior is still largely unknown. Mouse hunting behavior typically contains a sequential motor program, including the prey search, chase, attack, and consumption. Here, we reveal that the neuronal activity in the lateral periaqueductal gray (LPAG) follows a sequential pattern and is time-locked to different hunting actions. Optrode recordings and photoinhibition demonstrate that LPAG(Vgat) neurons are required for the prey detection, chase and attack, while LPAG(Vglut2) neurons are selectively required for the attack. Ablation of inputs that could trigger hunting, including the central amygdala, the lateral hypothalamus, and the zona incerta, interrupts the activity sequence pattern and substantially impairs hunting actions. Therefore, our findings reveal that periaqueductal gray neuronal ensembles encode the sequential hunting motor program, which might provide a framework for decoding complex instinctive behaviors. |
