Genetic tagging uncovers a robust, selective activation of the thalamic paraventricular nucleus by adverse experiences early in life

Background Early-life adversity (ELA) is associated with increased risk for mood disorders including depression and substance use disorders. These are characterized by impaired reward-related behaviors, suggesting compromised operations of reward-related brain circuits. However, the brain regions engaged by ELA that mediate these enduring consequences of ELA remain largely unknown. In an animal model of ELA, we have identified aberrant reward-seeking behaviors, a discovery that provides a framework for assessing the underlying circuits. Methods Employing TRAP2 male and female mice, in which neurons activated within a defined timeframe are permanently tagged, we compared ELA and control-reared mice, assessing the quantity and distribution of ELA-related neuronal activation. After validating the TRAP2 results using native cFos labeling, we defined the molecular identity of this population of activated neurons. Results We uniquely demonstrate that the TRAP2 system is feasible and efficacious in neonatal mice. Surprisingly, the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is robustly and almost exclusively activated by ELA and is the only region distinguishing ELA from typical rearing. Remarkably, a large proportion of ELA-activated PVT neurons express CRFR1, the receptor for the stress-related peptide, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), but these neurons do not express CRH itself. Conclusions We show here that the PVT, an important component of reward circuits which is known to encode remote, emotionally salient experiences to influence future motivated behaviors, encodes adverse experiences as remote as those occurring during the early postnatal period and is thus poised to contribute to the enduring deficits in reward-related behaviors consequent to ELA.