Figure 2.

VMHvl α cells control female receptivity and inhibit maternal aggression.

(A) Left, strategy to activate VMHvl^{Esr1+,Npy2r−} cells (α) in virgin females by optogenetics. Right, representative ChR2 expression in VMHvl α cells. Scalebar, 200um.

(B) Behavioral paradigm and illustration of stimulation scheme for one session (also see Methods).

(C) Representative raster plots illustrating light-induced behaviors in tested female and paired male.

(D) Fraction of trials where female exhibited lordosis,

(E) fraction of time female spent in lordosis,

(F) lordosis quotient (lordosis time/male mounting or intromission time),

(G) fraction of time males spent intromitting during light ON or light OFF periods, in estrus or diestrus intact (non-ovariectomized) ChR2/YFP-expressing females.

(H) Strategy to activate VMHvl^{Esr1+,Npy2r−} cells (α) in lactating females by optogenetics.

(I) Representative raster plots illustrating light-induced behaviors in aggressive lactating female.

(J) Average attack probability. In blue, stimulated trials with light ON; in grey, sham trials with light OFF.

(K) Fraction of time lactating female spent attacking during 10-second stimulated or sham periods.

*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; ****p<0.0001. Mean ± SEM.