The dynamic state of a prefrontal–hypothalamic–midbrain circuit commands behavioral transitions

Chen C, Altafi Razlighi M, Corbu MA, Trenk A, van den Munkhof H, Weineck K, Bender F, Carus-Cadavieco M, Bakhareva A, Korotkova T, Ponomarenko A (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Nature Neuroscience Nature Publishing Group

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01598-3

Abstract

Innate behaviors meet multiple needs adaptively and in a serial order, suggesting the existence of a hitherto elusive brain dynamics that brings together representations of upcoming behaviors during their selection. Here we show that during behavioral transitions, possible upcoming behaviors are encoded by specific signatures of neuronal populations in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) that are active near beta oscillation peaks. Optogenetic recruitment of intrahypothalamic inhibition at this phase eliminates behavioral transitions. We show that transitions are elicited by beta-rhythmic inputs from the prefrontal cortex that spontaneously synchronize with LH ‘transition cells’ encoding multiple behaviors. Downstream of the LH, dopamine neurons increase firing during beta oscillations and also encode behavioral transitions. Thus, a hypothalamic transition state signals alternative future behaviors, encodes the one most likely to be selected and enables rapid coordination with cognitive and reward-processing circuitries, commanding adaptive social contact and eating behaviors.

Authors with CRIS profile

Mahsa Altafi Razlighi Lehrstuhl für Physiologie Alexey Ponomarenko Professur für Physiologie

Involved external institutions

Max-Planck-Institut für Stoffwechselforschung / Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research DE Germany (DE) Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP) DE Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Köln DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Chen, C., Altafi Razlighi, M., Corbu, M.A., Trenk, A., van den Munkhof, H., Weineck, K.,... Ponomarenko, A. (2024). The dynamic state of a prefrontal–hypothalamic–midbrain circuit commands behavioral transitions. Nature Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-024-01598-3

MLA:

Chen, Changwan, et al. "The dynamic state of a prefrontal–hypothalamic–midbrain circuit commands behavioral transitions." Nature Neuroscience (2024).

BibTeX: Download