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Finally, in the MPOA Gal+ Calcr+ hub of parenting, androgens shift the balance: increasing AR activity suppresses retrieval, while removing AR reduces aggression to pups and boosts care. Together: a hormone-to-cell type-to enhancer-to-behavior blueprint for state- and sex-specific parenting 🧠🧬 6/6

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This maternal trigger doesn’t act alone—it recruits the core parenting hub (MPOA Gal+ Calcr+ neurons). Activating AvPe Brs3+ Vglut2+ neurons drives Fos expression in this hub, showing how a mother-tuned input can power a shared parenting circuit. 5/6

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And we show this is how it works: oxytocin strongly excites these neurons in maternal brains, and deleting Oxtr or prolactin receptor in AvPe Vglut2+ neurons delays pup retrieval. Hormones aren’t just “on/off”—they change what the circuit responds to. 4/6

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What makes these neurons “maternal”? Single-nucleus RNA-seq + ATAC-seq reveal a Prolactin → STAT5b program that remodels regulatory DNA and switches on oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) expression specifically in mothers. 3/6

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First, we characterize a trigger node that is specific to mothers: excitatory AvPe neurons expressing Brs3 light up when moms first meet pups. Artificially activating them in virgin females boosts key maternal behaviors—like pushing the circuit over the threshold into care. 2/6

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Together, these data show that the brain, like the immune system, generates modular, pathogen-specific responses, not a single generic “sickness” program. 5/6

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A 940-gene MERFISH atlas by @moffittlab.bsky.social revealed cell-type-specific immune responses in POA and PVN neurons and glia, including condition-specific interferon-stimulated genes, chemokines, and neuropeptides. 4/6

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Whole-brain FOS imaging showed that each challenge produces a distinct neural activity pattern. Machine learning could classify sickness states using only these brain-wide signatures. 3/6

We find that sickness is not a generic state: using five immune challenges modeling bacterial, viral, parasitic, allergic, and colitis inflammation, we uncovered unique behavioral and physiological signatures for each state. 2/6

Catherine Dulac @dulaclab.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

I am thrilled to share our latest work: we identified a population of central amygdala neurons that promote the earliest and perhaps most important social behavior: pup suckling!... We also developed new tools for pup neuroscience Work by @Jeff Moore now at USC, a collaboration with @Sam Pfaff lab

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Catherine Dulac @dulaclab.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Thanks, that makes total sense, and these are indeed the studies I use for my undergrad class on cortical remapping... what about the study in human showing remapping of fingers into face? I guess it has to be discarded too?....

Catherine Dulac @dulaclab.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

3 generations of Dulac researchers, from literature and philosophy of the Enlightenment (my dad), to theoretical physics (my nephew Raphael) to neuroscience (that’s me)!… 🤩👍👏

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Catherine Dulac @dulaclab.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

An amazing talk today by @ardemp.bskyverified.social with precious advice on science and survival! Thanks Ardem for having @harvardmcb.bsky.social as the first stop of your seminar tour 🙏👏

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Catherine Dulac @dulaclab.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

And special 👏 to PK who was awarded this year Hoopes Prize for her senior thesis: here when she just learned about it. Please note the T shirt beneath her mouse facility outfit, PK is also a star athlete! So many talents in the @dulaclab.bsky.social