News Neuroscience

Brain activity helps build an alpha male

Experiments with dueling mice locate a brain region that helps them jump the pecking order

mouse fight

SOCIAL CLIMBERS  Male mice competing over resources will establish a social pecking order.

VictorTyakht/istockphoto

By Laurel Hamers

- More than 2 years ago

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Boosting the activity of certain brain cells can help a mouse climb the social ladder.

Nerve cells in a region called the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex appear to control whether male mice are dominant or submissive to other males, researchers report in the July 14 Science.