Amygdala circuit transitions supporting developmentally-appropriate social behavior

Social behaviors dynamically change throughout the lifespan alongside the maturation of neural circuits. The basolateral region of the amygdala (BLA), in particular, undergoes substantial maturational changes from birth throughout adolescence that are characterized by changes in excitation, inhibition, and dopaminergic modula-tion. In this review, we detail the trajectory through which BLA circuits mature and are influenced by dopa-minergic systems to guide transitions in social behavior in infancy and adolescence using data from rodents. In early life, social behavior is oriented towards approaching the attachment figure, with minimal BLA involvement. Around weaning age, dopaminergic innervation of the BLA introduces avoidance of novel peers into rat pups' behavioral repertoire. In adolescence, social behavior transitions towards peer-peer interactions with a high incidence of social play-related behaviors. This transition coincides with an increasing role of the BLA in the regulation of social behavior. Adolescent BLA maturation can be characterized by an increasing integration and function of local inhibitory GABAergic circuits and their engagement by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Manipulation of these transitions using viral circuit dissection techniques and early adversity paradigms reveals the sensitivity of this system and its role in producing age-appropriate social behavior.

Automated summary

Social behaviors are influenced by the maturation of neural circuits, particularly the basalateral region of the amygdala (BLA), which undergoes significant changes in excitation, inhibition, and dopaminergic modulation. BLA circuits mature and are influenced by dopaminergic systems, guiding transitions from attachment-focused behaviors in infancy to peer-peer interactions in adolescence. Manipulation of these transitions through viral circuit dissection and early adversity paradigms reveals the importance of the BLA in producing age-appropriate social behavior.