Scientists identify neurons in the brain that drive competition and social behavior within groups
Illustration of neurons in brain .New research in mice has identified neurons in the brain that influence competitive interactions between individuals and that play a critical role in shaping the social behavior of groups.
"Collectively, these neurons held remarkably detailed representations of the group's behavior and their dynamics as the animals competed together for food, in addition to information about the resources available and the outcome of their past interactions," explains senior author Ziv M. Williams, MD, a neurosurgical oncologist at MGH.
The findings indicate that competitive success is not simply a product of an animal's physical fitness or strength, but rather, is strongly influenced by signals in the brain that affect competitive drive."These unique neurons are able to integrate information about the individual's environment, social group settings, and reward resources to calculate how to best behave under specific conditions," says Li.
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