Neural circuits for valence updating in social memory

N Narutoshi Suto (Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) M Mu-Yun Wang (Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) S Shota Morikawa (Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) M Myung Chung (Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) K Kentaro Tao (Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) Z Ziyan Huang (Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) Y Yuji Ikegaya (Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) H Haruki Takeuchi (Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.) S Shinichiro Kira (Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.) T Teruhiro Okuyama (Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.)

Abstract

Social animals recognize familiar conspecifics and selectively avoid harmful ones. As social relationships shift, continuous updating of social valence is essential, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here, by artificially transforming a previously neutral conspecific into an aggressive one, we show that valence updating depends on enhanced synaptic connectivity and physiological changes within the hippocampal ventral CA1 (vCA1)–basolateral amygdala (BLA)–nucleus accumbens (NAc) circuit. Following defeat, social memory engram neurons in the vCA1 strengthened their connections with BLA neurons carrying negative valence. The vCA1–BLA–NAc neural circuit flexibly regulates adaptive social behaviors.

Article Details

Journal Science
Volume / Issue Vol. 393, Issue 6807
Published July 09, 2026
ISSN 0036-8075
Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science

Journal Info

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

ISSN: 0036-8075 Social Sciences

Authors (10)

N

Narutoshi Suto

Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

M

Mu-Yun Wang

Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

S

Shota Morikawa

Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

M

Myung Chung

Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

K

Kentaro Tao

Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Z

Ziyan Huang

Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Y

Yuji Ikegaya

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

H

Haruki Takeuchi

Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

S

Shinichiro Kira

Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

T

Teruhiro Okuyama

Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (IQB), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.