Futurity · Health

Mice Seek Familiar Companions When Facing Danger

Researchers have discovered that mice tend to move closer to familiar companions when exposed to a learned warning signal, a response distinct from freezing behavior.

A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology investigated how the brain translates a warning signal into a drive to seek familiar company. Scientists observed that when mice heard a tone previously associated with a mild foot shock, they moved closer to mice they knew, but not to unfamiliar ones.

This proximity-seeking behavior was not linked to freezing, suggesting they are separate responses to the same warning. The researchers noted a decrease in snout-to-snout distance, indicating orientation towards each other.

The study found that disrupting neuronal communication from the basolateral amygdala to the ventral hippocampus prevented the mice from moving closer, without affecting freezing. This pathway is involved in processing threats and social memory.

Furthermore, blocking oxytocin receptors also inhibited the proximity response. The exact brain location where oxytocin influences this specific behavior is yet to be determined.

The findings suggest the amygdala recruits the hippocampus to coordinate a social response to danger, with the hippocampus acting as a gatekeeper that allows this coordination only between familiar animals.

This research provides insights into the brain circuits and biological processes mediating social behaviors and could be essential for developing therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders affecting social interactions.

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