The impact of C-tactile low-threshold mechanoreceptors on affective touch and social interactions in mice

Damien Huzard, Miquel Martin, François Maingret, Jean Chemin, Freddy Jeanneteau, Pierre-François Mery, Pascal Fossat, Emmanuel Bourinet, Amaury François
Science Advances. 2022-06-29; 8(26):
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo7566

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Huzard D(1), Martin M(1), Maingret F(2), Chemin J(1), Jeanneteau F(1), Mery PF(1), Fossat P(2), Bourinet E(1), François A(1).

Author information:
(1)Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
(2)Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.

Affective touch is necessary for proper neurodevelopment and sociability. However, it remains unclear how the neurons innervating the skin detect affective and social behaviors. The C low-threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs), a specific population of somatosensory neurons in mice, appear particularly well suited, physiologically and anatomically, to perceive affective and social touch. However, their contribution to sociability has not been resolved yet. Our observations revealed that C-LTMR functional deficiency induced social isolation
and reduced tactile interactions in adulthood. Conversely, transient increase in C-LTMR excitability in adults, using chemogenetics, was rewarding, promoted touch-seeking behaviors, and had prosocial influences on group dynamics. This work provides the first empirical evidence that specific peripheral inputs alone can drive complex social behaviors. It demonstrates the existence of a specialized neuronal circuit, originating in the skin, wired to promote interactions with other individuals.

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus