Exploring the physical and social environment is essential for understanding the surrounding world. We do not know how novelty-seeking motivation initiates the complex sequence of actions that make up investigatory behavior. We found in mice that inhibitory neurons in the medial zona incerta (ZIm), a subthalamic brain region, are essential for the decision to investigate an object or a conspecific. These neurons receive excitatory input from the prelimbic cortex to signal the initiation of exploration. This signal is modulated in the ZIm by the level of investigatory motivation. Increased activity in the ZIm instigates deep investigative action by inhibiting the periaqueductal gray region. A subpopulation of inhibitory ZIm neurons expressing tachykinin 1 (TAC1) modulates the investigatory behavior.

探索自然环境和社会环境对于了解周围世界至关重要。我们不知道寻求新奇的动机如何启动构成调查行为的复杂行动序列。我们在小鼠中发现，丘脑下区内侧不定带 (ZIm) 中的抑制性神经元对于决定研究对象或同种动物至关重要。这些神经元接收来自前边缘皮层的兴奋性输入，以发出探索开始的信号。该信号在 ZIm 中由调查动机的水平调制。通过抑制导水管周围灰色区域，ZIm 中活性的增加激发了深入的调查行动。表达速激肽 1 (TAC1) 的抑制性 ZIm 神经元亚群调节调查行为。