Social Behavior and Neurogenesis

Adult neurogenesis is a highly regulated form of brain plasticity shaped by the interaction between hormonal systems and environmental context. Social experience has emerged as a powerful modulator of neuronal proliferation, differentiation, and survival across the lifespan. This review synthesizes evidence showing how diverse social behaviors—including isolation, social hierarchy, parenting, sexual interaction, social buffering, and social learning—engage neuroendocrine, neurochemical, and stress-related pathways to regulate hippocampal and olfactory neurogenesis. Affiliative and reproductive behaviors generally promote neurogenesis through gonadal hormones, oxytocin, vasopressin, and neurotrophic signaling, whereas chronic isolation or social defeat reliably suppress neurogenic processes, particularly within stress-sensitive regions of the ventral dentate gyrus. Sex differences further shape these effects, reflecting distinct hormonal environments and behavioral strategies. Comparative studies in prairie voles, eusocial mole-rats, nonhuman primates, songbirds, and teleost fish reveal that sociality can either enhance or constrain adult neurogenesis depending on ecological demands and social organization. Together, these findings position adult neurogenesis as a plastic process deeply embedded within the social lives of vertebrates, offering a framework for linking social behavior, brain plasticity, and adaptive function.