近日，美国哈佛大学教授Catherine Dulac及其团队开发出前脑-丘脑皮质回路对社会等级的分子和神经控制。这一研究成果发表在2025年8月11日出版的国际学术期刊《细胞》上。

研究团队研究了不熟悉的雄性小鼠之间的竞争，并揭示了前脑-丘脑皮质回路的分子和生物物理特征如何影响等级。该课题组确定丘脑中背侧（MDT）是一个中枢，接收来自眶额皮质和基底前脑的输入，并投射到尾侧前扣带皮层（cACC），以调节竞争表现。这一回路在高级别雄性和低级别雄性中分别增强或抑制，部分原因是电压门控离子通道Trpm3和突触可塑性的表达改变。在高级别小鼠中，MDT投射驱动cACC锥体细胞的抑制，促进获胜，其模式与背内侧前额叶皮层截然相反，在那里，获胜者显示锥体细胞活性增加。他们的数据表明，在这个模型中，等级调节依赖于多个前脑-丘脑皮质回路的协调重塑。

据了解，许多动物群体都是按等级组织的，这就产生了促进社会互动的行为状态。虽然社会地位通常是稳定的，但它可以改变，这强调了潜在神经回路的可塑性。

附：英文原文

Title: Molecular and neural control of social hierarchy by a forebrain-thalamocortical circuit

Author: Adam C. Nelson, Vikrant Kapoor, Eric Vaughn, Jeshurun A. Gnanasegaram, Nimrod D. Rubinstein, Mustafa Talay, Venkatesh N. Murthy, Catherine Dulac

Issue&Volume: 2025-08-11

Abstract: Many animal groups are organized hierarchically, which generates behavioral states that facilitate social interactions. Although generally stable, social status can change, underscoring the plasticity of underlying neural circuits. We examined competition among unfamiliar male mice and uncovered how the molecular and biophysical characteristics of a forebrain-thalamocortical circuit affect hierarchy. We identify the mediodorsal thalamus (MDT) as a hub receiving inputs from the orbitofrontal cortex and basal forebrain and projecting to the caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC) to regulate competitive performance. This circuit becomes potentiated or depressed in high- and low-rank males, respectively, in part through altered expression of the voltage-gated ion channel Trpm3 and synaptic plasticity. In high-rank mice, MDT projections drive inhibition of cACC pyramidal cells, promoting winning, in a pattern strikingly opposite to the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, where winners display increased pyramidal cell activity. Our data suggest a model in which hierarchy modulation relies on coordinated remodeling of multiple forebrain-thalamocortical circuits.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.07.024

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00810-4