AUTHORS: Silverstein, S.E., O’Sullivan, R., Bukalo, O. et al.
YEAR: 2024
JOURNAL: Nature 626, 1066–1072
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-07008-1
COMMENT: The study by Silverstein and colleagues unveils the neural substrates of observational fear learning, a cornerstone of social cognition essential for survival. Employing state-of-the-art techniques like in vivo calcium imaging and optogenetics in mice, the researchers dissect the role of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) in processing socially acquired threats. Their findings elucidate how specific dmPFC neuronal populations encode fear observed in conspecifics, distinct from firsthand experience. Moreover, they reveal dmPFC pivotal role in integrating inputs from the basolateral amygdala and the ventral hippocampus, then recruiting the lateral/ventrolateral periaqueductal gray region for further directing appropriate behavioral responses to perceived threats. This research not only advances our understanding of social learning mechanisms across species but also holds promise for addressing brain disorders marked by dmPFC dysfunction, where the capacity to navigate the perils of the environment, both autonomously and through social observation, might be compromised.
