Cited by 528Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchMemory and Neural MechanismsNeuroendocrine regulation and behavior

Bidirectional control of social hierarchy by synaptic efficacy in medial prefrontal cortex

Wang, Fei, Zhu, Jun, Zhu, Hong, Zhang, Qi, Lin, Zhanmin, Hu, Hailan·2011·Science

Abstract

Dominance hierarchy has a profound impact on animals' survival, health, and reproductive success, but its neural circuit mechanism is virtually unknown. We found that dominance ranking in mice is transitive, relatively stable, and highly correlates among multiple behavior measures. Recording from layer V pyramidal neurons of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) showed higher strength of excitatory synaptic inputs in mice with higher ranking, as compared with their subordinate cage mates. Furthermore, molecular manipulations that resulted in an increase and decrease in the synaptic efficacy in dorsal mPFC neurons caused an upward and downward movement in the social rank, respectively. These results provide direct evidence for mPFC's involvement in social hierarchy and suggest that social rank is plastic and can be tuned by altering synaptic strength in mPFC pyramidal cells.

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.1209951

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33 of 33 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • In mice, altering synaptic efficacy in the mPFC is sufficient to promote a change in social rank.

    “while in mice, altering synaptic efficacy in the mPFC is sufficient to promote a change in social rank (Wang et al., 2011).”

    From Dorsal raphe dopamine neurons represent the experience of social isolation (2016) · cites this paper as Wang et al., 2011

  • Social dominance can be reliably found in mice kept in captivity, both laboratory mice and wild ones.

    “Keeping this limitation in mind, social dominance can be reliably found in mice kept in captivity.This is true both for laboratory mice 72,92,96,135,136 and wild ones.80,137”
  • In some studies subordinate mice form linear hierarchies, while in others ranking is more despotic.

    “In some studies the subordinates form linear hierarchies, 136,138,141 while in others ranking is more despotic.80,97,142”

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Authors
Wang, F., Zhu, J., Zhu, H., Zhang, Q., Lin, Z., & Hu, H.
Affiliations
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Venue
Science
Published
2011-11-04
Volume
334
Issue
6056
Pages
693-697
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W1997195741
Cited by
528
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 43 · 2025: 63 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 13
FWCI
5.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Keywords
social dominance hierarchy, social rank, medial prefrontal cortex, synaptic efficacy, excitatory synaptic input, layer 5 pyramidal neurons, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, mice
MeSH terms
Animals, Hierarchy, Social, Male, Synaptic Transmission, Social Dominance, Prefrontal Cortex, Pyramidal Cells, Mice

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