Abstract

In contrast to males, aggression in females has been rarely studied. Here, we established a rat model of enhanced female aggression using a combination of social isolation and aggression-training to specifically investigate the involvement of the oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) systems within the lateral septum (LS). Using neuropharmacological, optogenetic, chemogenetic as well as microdialyses approaches, we revealed that enhanced OXT release within the ventral LS (vLS), combined with reduced AVP release within the dorsal LS (dLS), are required for female aggression. Accordingly, increased excitability of OXT-responsive neurons in the vLS and decreased excitability of AVP-responsive neurons in the dLS were essential to evoke female aggression. Finally, in vitro activation of OXT receptors in the vLS increased tonic GABAergic inhibition of dLS neurons. Overall, our data demonstrate that septal release of OXT and AVP affects female aggression by differential regulation of the excitatory-inhibitory balance within subnetworks of the LS.