Neuron
Volume 86, Issue 3, 6 May 2015, Pages 813-826
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Article
Distinct Circuits Underlie the Effects of 5-HT1B Receptors on Aggression and Impulsivity

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.03.041Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Mouse model developed for tissue-specific and inducible knockdown of 5-HT1BR

  • 5-HT1BRs affect aggression and impulsivity through distinct mechanisms

  • Forebrain 5-HT1B heteroreceptors determine adult aggressive behavior during development

  • Adult expression of different 5-HT1B heteroreceptors modulate impulsive behavior

Summary

Impulsive and aggressive behaviors are both modulated by serotonergic signaling, specifically through the serotonin 1B receptor (5-HT1BR). 5-HT1BR knockout mice show increased aggression and impulsivity, and 5-HT1BR polymorphisms are associated with aggression and drug addiction in humans. To dissect the mechanisms by which the 5-HT1BR affects these phenotypes, we developed a mouse model to spatially and temporally regulate 5-HT1BR expression. Our results demonstrate that forebrain 5-HT1B heteroreceptors expressed during an early postnatal period contribute to the development of the neural systems underlying adult aggression. However, distinct heteroreceptors acting during adulthood are involved in mediating impulsivity. Correlating with the impulsivity, dopamine in the nucleus accumbens is elevated in the absence of 5-HT1BRs and normalized following adult rescue of the receptor. Overall, these data show that while adolescent expression of 5-HT1BRs influences aggressive behavior, a distinct set of 5-HT1B receptors modulates impulsive behavior during adulthood.

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