Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40764765›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus regulate social hierarchy in mice.

Yanzhu Fan, Lidi Lu, Shaoxiang Ge, Yue Wu, Zhiyue Wang, Tao Qing, Suxin Shi, Guangzhan Fang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yanzhu Fan *Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Lidi Lu *Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Shaoxiang GeChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Yue WuChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Zhiyue WangChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Tao QingChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Suxin ShiChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Guangzhan FangChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.23 Qunxian Nan Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. fanggz@cib.ac.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1803-6610

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Social hierarchy serves as a fundamental organizational mechanism within most animal societies, however, the neural mechanisms governing dominance hierarchies remain inadequately understood. Considering that GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) exert substantial inhibitory control over brain activity, we hypothesized that these neurons play a pivotal role in regulating social hierarchy. To test this, we employed a combination of optogenetics, chemogenetics, fiber photometry, and behavioral assays in mice to elucidate the functional contributions of these neurons. Our results revealed a biphasic activity pattern of DRN GABAergic neurons, characterized by increased firing during retreats and decreased firing during the initiation of effortful behaviors in the tube test. Furthermore, activation of these neurons led to an increase in the number of retreats and a reduction in social rank, while inhibition of these neurons produced the opposite effects. These findings elucidate the bidirectional regulatory role of DRN GABAergic neurons in social hierarchy.

Indexed as

Dorsal Raphe NucleusGABAergic NeuronsHierarchy, SocialAnimalsBehavior, AnimalMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLOptogenetics

Identifiers

PMID40764765
PMCPMC12325649

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.