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Highly structured, partner-sex- and subject-sex-dependent cortical responses during social facial touch

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  • Christian L. Ebbesen

    (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
    Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
    New York University
    New York University School of Medicine)

  • Evgeny Bobrov

    (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
    Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
    Berlin Institute of Health (BIH))

  • Rajnish P. Rao

    (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

  • Michael Brecht

    (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
    Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Abstract

Touch is a fundamental aspect of social, parental and sexual behavior. In contrast to our detailed knowledge about cortical processing of non-social touch, we still know little about how social touch impacts cortical circuits. We investigated neural activity across five frontal, motor and sensory cortical areas in rats engaging in naturalistic social facial touch. Information about social touch and the sex of the interaction partner (a biologically significant feature) is a major determinant of cortical activity. 25.3% of units were modulated during social touch and 8.3% of units displayed ‘sex-touch’ responses (responded differently, depending on the sex of the interaction partner). Single-unit responses were part of a structured, partner-sex- and, in some cases, subject-sex-dependent population response. Spiking neural network simulations indicate that a change in inhibitory drive might underlie these population dynamics. Our observations suggest that socio-sexual characteristics of touch (subject and partner sex) widely modulate cortical activity and need to be investigated with cellular resolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian L. Ebbesen & Evgeny Bobrov & Rajnish P. Rao & Michael Brecht, 2019. "Highly structured, partner-sex- and subject-sex-dependent cortical responses during social facial touch," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12511-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12511-z
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