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A new study on the zebrafish has discovered a population of forebrain neurons necessary for social orienting,
providing a foundation for dissecting social brain networks in this powerful vertebrate model.
Navigating the many social signals at, say, opportunities. The specialized nature of most experimentally tractable systems,
a dinner party requires huge information the computations needed to extract fundamental circuit mechanisms at work
processing power. Not understanding if relevant information from social stimuli in vertebrate social behavior. In a step
someone is shy or on edge, or how raises the question of whether there exist towards this goal reported in this issue of
interested the other guests are in different neuronal substrates dedicated to Current Biology, Stednitz et al. [3] have
topics of conversation, might quickly lead processing social cues. A core social identified a genetically defined population
to testy exchanges, raised tempers and a behavior network, consisting of of neurons in the forebrain of zebrafish
spoiled evening. Many other species anatomically and functionally connected that are indispensable for social orienting.
similarly depend on social stimuli to regions implicated in many different social What is the relevance of these new
decide which action to take. A very fast behaviors, has been described in results? Among teleost species, zebrafish
change of direction of a conspecific, for mammals [1], and appears to be currently offer a comprehensive array of
example, may indicate the presence of conserved across reptiles, birds, and advantages for the analysis of neural
some danger, while other social signals teleost fish [2]. Shared neuroanatomical circuits. Genetic tools allow the
can indicate conflicts over resources and molecular features across taxa visualization and spatially and temporally
and an imminent fight, or mating provide the opportunity to study, in the targeted manipulation of different neuronal
R828 Current Biology 28, R826–R845, August 6, 2018 ª 2018 Elsevier Ltd.
Current Biology
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interesting to know if ablation of these
neurons affects the expression of other
social behaviors such as aggression and
courtship. The work of Stednitz et al. [3]
makes it possible to begin addressing
these questions, and to dissect the neural
Neuroscience: A Mechanism
circuit mechanisms of social behavior in a
simple vertebrate model.
for Rhythmic Sampling in Vision
Ayelet N. Landau
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