| First Author | Wang Y | Year | 2025 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 188 |
| Issue | 13 | Pages | 3530-3549.e24 |
| PubMed ID | 40398420 | Mgi Jnum | J:368652 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:8215809 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.035 |
| Citation | Wang Y, et al. (2025) Integrating reproductive states and social cues in the control of sociosexual behaviors. Cell 188(13):3530-3549.e24 |
| abstractText | Female sociosexual behaviors, essential for survival and reproduction, are modulated by ovarian hormones and triggered in the context of appropriate social cues. Here, we identify primary estrous-sensitive Cacna1h-expressing medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC(Cacna1h+)) neurons that integrate hormonal states with recognition of potential mates to orchestrate these complex cognitive behaviors. Bidirectional manipulation of mPFC(Cacna1h+) neurons shifts opposite-sex-directed social behaviors between estrus and diestrus females via anterior hypothalamic outputs. In males, these neurons serve opposite functions compared with estrus females. Miniscope imaging reveals mixed representation of self-estrous states and social target sex in distinct mPFC(Cacna1h+) subpopulations, with biased encoding of opposite-sex cues in estrus females and males. Mechanistically, ovarian-hormone-induced Cacna1h upregulation enhances T-type rebound excitation after oxytocin inhibition, driving estrus-specific activity changes and the sexually dimorphic function of mPFC(Cacna1h+) neurons. These findings uncover a prefrontal circuit that integrates internal hormonal states and target-sex information to exert sexually bivalent top-down control over adaptive social behaviors. |
