As we skillfully navigate through familiar places, neural computations of distances and coordinates escape our attention. However, we perceive clearly the division of space into socially meaningful territories. ‘My space’ versus ‘your space’ is a distinction familiar to all of us. Spatial frontiers are social in nature since they regulate individuals’ access to utilities in space depending on hierarchy and affiliation. How does the brain integrate spatial geometry with social territory? We propose that the action of oxytocin (OT) in the entorhinal–hippocampal regions supports this process. Grounded on the functional role of the hypothalamic neuropeptide in the hippocampal system, we show how OT-induced plasticity may bias the geometrical coding of place and grid cells to represent social territories.

当我们熟练地在熟悉的地方导航时，距离和坐标的神经计算会引起我们的注意。然而，我们清楚地认识到空间划分为具有社会意义的领域。“我的空间”与“你的空间”是我们所有人都熟悉的区别。空间边界本质上是社会性的，因为它们根据等级和隶属关系调节个人在空间中对公用事业的访问。大脑如何将空间几何与社会领域相结合？我们提出催产素（OT）在内嗅海马区域的作用支持这一过程。基于下丘脑神经肽在海马系统中的功能作用，我们展示了 OT 诱导的可塑性如何使位置和网格细胞的几何编码偏向代表社会领域。