Two populations of neurons, two effects on sociability; and more
thetransmitter.org
A study in a mouse model of autism reveals that two distinct populations of neurons in the nucleus accumbens have opposing effects on sociability: D1-dopamine receptor-containing neurons promote social behavior, while D2-containing neurons suppress it. Selectively inhibiting D2 neurons in mice lacking the CNTNAP2 gene increased social interaction, suggesting that targeted modulation of these circuits could help alleviate social deficits in autism.
All articles from 23 September 2026. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors; the linked article is the authority.