# The role of the amygdalohippocampal area in infant-directed aggression

> **NIH NIH F31** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $45,520

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Parenting is essential to the survival of infants. These behaviors are highly conserved across species, however
many animals that parent also exhibit behaviors that directly oppose the survival of young. These behaviors
are categorized as infant-directed aggression and often result in the injury or death of an infant. For instance,
in laboratory mice, virgin males are spontaneously infanticidal whereas virgin females are typically maternal.
The most interesting aspect of this phenomenon is that virgin males become paternal after mating with a
female. This behavioral switch suggests that neural circuits that underlie infant-directed aggression may be
regulated by social experience, like mating. Much is known regarding the positive control of parenting, while
the neural circuitry of infant-directed aggression is not well studied. Urocortin-3 neurons of the perifornical area
(PeFAUcn3) have recently been found necessary for infant neglect and aggression. The PeFAUcn3 fibers project
most densely to the amygdalohippocampal area (AHi), a functionally uncharacterized brain region. Optogenetic
stimulation of PeFAUcn3 terminals in the AHi facilitates infant-directed aggression in virgin females whereas
inhibition abolishes this behavior in males. Of the studied PeFAUcn3 projections, AHi stimulation resulted in the
most pronounced effects on infant-directed aggression. These results suggest that the AHi is a functionally
significant brain area in circuits governing infant-directed aggression. I suspect that the responding neural
population in the AHi expresses Ucn3’s primary receptor, corticotropin releasing factor receptor 2 (CRFR2).
Therefore, I hypothesize that a subset of neurons in the AHi are essential for infant-directed
aggression. My central hypothesis will be tested in two specific aims: (1) characterize the molecular identity of
AHi neurons involved in infant-directed aggression, and (2) identify the function of CRFR2 neurons in the AHi
during infant-directed behavior. Results from this study will provide insight into the molecular composition of
AHi neurons that are active during infant-directed aggression and currently identify a behavioral relevance for
this functionally uncharacterized brain area. Overall, this work will increase our understanding of the infant-
directed aggression and the regulation of parenting.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10068217
- **Project number:** 1F31HD102163-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Victoria Marie Sedwick-Prophete
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $45,520
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10068217

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10068217, The role of the amygdalohippocampal area in infant-directed aggression (1F31HD102163-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10068217. Licensed CC0.

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