Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit

Abstract Social novelty is indispensable for a wide range of social behaviors. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), along with other social information hubs, composes the foundational circuitry of social novelty. However, the precise circuit mechanisms that govern social novelty processing remain el...

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Main Authors: Jingwei Zhou, Zhaoyang Yin, Zhiyun Chen, Hanyu Fu, Qun Li, Shan Li, Ying Zhang, Xianzhi Zhang, Dewei Tang, Anan Li, Dejuan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Advanced Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406192
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author Jingwei Zhou
Zhaoyang Yin
Zhiyun Chen
Hanyu Fu
Qun Li
Shan Li
Ying Zhang
Xianzhi Zhang
Dewei Tang
Anan Li
Dejuan Wang
author_facet Jingwei Zhou
Zhaoyang Yin
Zhiyun Chen
Hanyu Fu
Qun Li
Shan Li
Ying Zhang
Xianzhi Zhang
Dewei Tang
Anan Li
Dejuan Wang
author_sort Jingwei Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Social novelty is indispensable for a wide range of social behaviors. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), along with other social information hubs, composes the foundational circuitry of social novelty. However, the precise circuit mechanisms that govern social novelty processing remain elusive. The piriform cortex, as the largest olfactory cortex, receives extensive innervation from top‐down centers that dictate social behavior. Here, it is shown that the anterior piriform cortex (APC) exhibited an increase in gamma event incidence during social engagement in male mice. In vivo electrophysiology and fiber photometry reveal that APC pyramidal neurons respond more intensely to novel mice than familiar ones. Intriguingly, silencing APC neurons selectively impairs social novelty processing, yet leaves the basic olfactory discrimination capabilities intact. Moreover, the APC inherits social cues from the mPFC and sends feedback projections to the olfactory bulb (OB) to modulate social novelty. These findings unveil the APC's role as extending well beyond olfaction, encompassing a specialized function in social novelty recognition in male mice.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2198-3844
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publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Wiley
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series Advanced Science
spelling doaj-art-6e7d841c2e05465a9497695ebd23590c2025-08-20T01:51:39ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-04-011213n/an/a10.1002/advs.202406192Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down CircuitJingwei Zhou0Zhaoyang Yin1Zhiyun Chen2Hanyu Fu3Qun Li4Shan Li5Ying Zhang6Xianzhi Zhang7Dewei Tang8Anan Li9Dejuan Wang10Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou Jiangsu 221004 ChinaAbstract Social novelty is indispensable for a wide range of social behaviors. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), along with other social information hubs, composes the foundational circuitry of social novelty. However, the precise circuit mechanisms that govern social novelty processing remain elusive. The piriform cortex, as the largest olfactory cortex, receives extensive innervation from top‐down centers that dictate social behavior. Here, it is shown that the anterior piriform cortex (APC) exhibited an increase in gamma event incidence during social engagement in male mice. In vivo electrophysiology and fiber photometry reveal that APC pyramidal neurons respond more intensely to novel mice than familiar ones. Intriguingly, silencing APC neurons selectively impairs social novelty processing, yet leaves the basic olfactory discrimination capabilities intact. Moreover, the APC inherits social cues from the mPFC and sends feedback projections to the olfactory bulb (OB) to modulate social novelty. These findings unveil the APC's role as extending well beyond olfaction, encompassing a specialized function in social novelty recognition in male mice.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406192anterior piriform cortexin vivo electrophysiologyolfactory bulbsocial novelty
spellingShingle Jingwei Zhou
Zhaoyang Yin
Zhiyun Chen
Hanyu Fu
Qun Li
Shan Li
Ying Zhang
Xianzhi Zhang
Dewei Tang
Anan Li
Dejuan Wang
Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit
Advanced Science
anterior piriform cortex
in vivo electrophysiology
olfactory bulb
social novelty
title Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit
title_full Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit
title_fullStr Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit
title_full_unstemmed Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit
title_short Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top–Down Circuit
title_sort essential role of the anterior piriform cortex in mediating social novelty output via a top down circuit
topic anterior piriform cortex
in vivo electrophysiology
olfactory bulb
social novelty
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406192
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