Simons Center for the Social Brain

Converging evidence from many laboratories suggests that the projections from the hypothalamus that release the peptide oxytocin in many regions throughout the brain play a central role in social perception, cognition, and behavior. Despite this, the basic anatomical organization of this circuitry, as well as the roles of its components in neural mechanisms of social interaction, are still mostly unexplored. We will use cutting-edge genetic techniques, both those that are already established and some that are actively being developed in our laboratories, to determine key structural, functional, and genetic properties of this critical brain system. These studies will provide important insights into the organization of the social brain and may suggest intervention targets for treating its disorders.

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