Positive correlations between social hierarchy and memory in weaning mice and young children

Abstract Social hierarchy is associated with various phenotypes. Although memory is known to be important for hierarchy formation, the difference between dominant and subordinate individuals in memory abilities remains not well investigated. In this study, we examined memory performance in weanling mice with different social ranks and found better memory abilities in dominant mice, along with higher memory-related gene expressions and greater long-term potentiation in the hippocampus than the subordinates. To validate this correlation across species, through inventory, behavioral and event-related potential studies, we further identified better memory abilities in preschool children with higher social dominance. Better memory potentially helped children in processing dominance facial cues and learning social strategies to acquire higher social positions. Our study shows a remarkable similarity between humans and mice in the association between memory and social hierarchy and provides a new perspective on the social interaction in young with potential implications for preschool education.