Head-fixed social fear learning in mice with virtual spatial cues and real demonstrator

Vicarious fear learning is a highly effective means to learn of potential dangers, as well as a result of having both emotional empathy and associative learning. Studies in social neuroscience have found projections and cell types essential for vicarious fear learning. However, it is unknown what aspects of the cortical network dynamics are essential for and contribute to processing information during social learning, which can be conveniently studied with imaging and advanced electrophysiology setups requiring head fixation. In particular, this project aims to study how the medial associative cortices encode social, emotional, and contextual information. To compensate for the limitation in headfixed social interaction, we introduce a real demonstrator mouse. Spatial information is provided through visual virtual reality. We record neuronal calcium activity in response to contextual and social stimuli, as well as behavioral and physiological changes. Mice undergo passive observational fear learning, as well as active avoidance tasks, all the while being headfixed and running through a virtual linear track. Three different virtual contexts will be repeatedly presented in a semi-random order. We are examining how the cortical neuronal activity differs between contexts where the demonstrator consistently receives foot shocks and contexts where it doesn't, in individual neuronal level and in the population level, and also how this activity and higher orders or network dynamics change as the observer mice learn the association between specific contexts and the vicarious fear.