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Brooks J, Maeda T, Ringhofer M, Yamamoto S. Oxytocin homogenizes horse group organization. iScience 2024; 27:110356. [PMID: 39071893 PMCID: PMC11277748 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The oxytocinergic system has been suggested to make up an important part of the endocrine basis of group cohesion. However, controlled studies in open-group settings have not been performed. We here investigated the impact of exogenous intranasal oxytocin on the group-level social organization of 5 groups of horses (N = 58; 12 mares and 46 geldings) through GPS tracking and social network analysis. We find oxytocin flattened social differentiation across levels. Most strikingly, oxytocin did not simply reinforce existing bonds but selectively shifted social preferences toward homogenization - individuals and pairs who otherwise rarely associated spent more time close together, while individuals and pairs with the highest baseline association instead spent more time further apart. This resulted in a more distributed structure and lower clustering coefficient at the network level. These effects reinforce and extend oxytocin's role in collective behavior, social organization, and the evolution of group-based sociality across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Brooks
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tamao Maeda
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, The Graduate University of Advanced Science (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Monamie Ringhofer
- Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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2
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Cunningham E, Benítez ME. From pathology to pleasure: Reframing mechanistic studies on same-sex sexual behavior in primates. Horm Behav 2024; 160:105476. [PMID: 38278061 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Same-sex sexual behaviors (SSB) in primates have historically been studied as sexual perversions, evolutionary paradoxes, and hormone-driven pathologies. Researchers in recent decades have challenged these perspectives, yet some of the original biases still linger. In this paper, we examine how the study of endocrinological mechanisms in SSB has been influenced by the historical framework of pathology. Societal attitudes and cultural conceptions of human sexuality have led researchers to study SSB in primates as the outcome of "abnormal" processes of "feminization" or "masculinization" of sexual behavior. Here, we argue for a renewed attention to other areas of inquiry regarding the relationship between hormones and SSB, such as the role of pleasure. We briefly review how current knowledge on the neuroendocrinology of pleasure in nonhuman primates may relate to the expression of SSB and highlight oxytocin and dopamine as potentially fruitful areas for future research. We argue that future studies on SSB in primates would benefit from 1) acknowledging how the historical study of SSB as a pathology has shaped mechanistic studies and 2) studying SSB with the same holistic approach as is taken with different-sex sexual behavior (DSB).
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Cunningham
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Marcela E Benítez
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
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3
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Witczak LR, Samra J, Dufek M, Goetze LR, Freeman SM, Lau AR, Rothwell ES, Savidge LE, Arias-Del Razo R, Baxter A, Karaskiewicz CL, Ferrer E, Bales KL. Expression of bond-related behaviors affects titi monkey responsiveness to oxytocin and vasopressin treatments. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1534:118-129. [PMID: 38442081 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Social bonds influence physiology and behavior, which can shape how individuals respond to physical and affective challenges. Coppery titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus) offspring form selective bonds with their fathers, making them ideal for investigating how father-daughter bonds influence juveniles' responses to oxytocin (OT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) manipulations. We quantified the expression of father-daughter bond-related behaviors in females (n = 10) and gave acute intranasal treatments of saline, low/medium/high OT, low/high AVP, or an OT receptor antagonist (OTA) to subjects prior to a parent preference test. While females spent more time in proximity to their parents than strangers, we found a large degree of individual variation. Females with greater expression of bonding behaviors responded to OT treatments in a dose-dependent manner. Subjects also spent less time in proximity to strangers when treated with High OT (p = 0.003) and Low OT (p = 0.007), but more time when treated with High AVP (p = 0.007), Low AVP (p = 0.009), and OTA (p = 0.001). Findings from the present study suggest that variation in the expression of bond-related behaviors may alter responsiveness to OT and AVP, increasing engagement with unfamiliar social others. This enhanced sociality with strangers may promote the formation of pair bonds with partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynea R Witczak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jaclyn Samra
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Madison Dufek
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Leana R Goetze
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Sara M Freeman
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Allison R Lau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Emily S Rothwell
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Logan E Savidge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Rocío Arias-Del Razo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Alexander Baxter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Chloe L Karaskiewicz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Emilio Ferrer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
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4
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Douglas JM, Paul-Murphy J, Stelow E, Sanchez-Migallon Guzman D, Udaltsova I. Personality Characteristics Predictive of Social Pairing Outcome in Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots ( Amazona amazonica). J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2024; 27:386-407. [PMID: 37830222 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2023.2268522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Most wild parrot species live in flocks, enriched by the environment and conspecific interactions. Captive parrots often live individually and are prone to behavioral maladaptation. If captive parrots and their behavior become intolerable, they are commonly relinquished to rescue organizations. This study aims to create parrot personality assessments for use by rescuers adding newly acquired parrots to shared environments. The study involved 20 orange-winged Amazon parrots (10 M, 10 F). Observers familiar with each bird scored its personality and analyses determined three sets of personalities: Social, Guarded, and Nervous Each parrot was paired with its 10 heterosexual counterparts and its interactions monitored remotely and captured on video. Pairing trials occurred over 72 hours in a specially designed pairing structure. Parrot personality could predict pairing success. Social-Guarded and Social-Nervous were more successfully paired, with individuals maintaining a close distance to one another and displaying increased rest-stretch behavior. Time of day influenced success with Social-Nervous pairs successful at all times of day, Social-Social pairs in the AM, and Guarded-Guarded pairs in the PM period. The study results suggest that rescues can use personality assessment and specific behaviors during cohabitation to predict OWA novel pairing outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie M Douglas
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Stelow
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Irina Udaltsova
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Freeman SM, Catrow JL, Cox JE, Turano A, Rich MA, Ihrig HP, Poudyal N, Chang CWT, Gese EM, Young JK, Olsen AL. Binding Affinity, Selectivity, and Pharmacokinetics of the Oxytocin Receptor Antagonist L-368,899 in the Coyote ( Canis latrans). Comp Med 2024; 74:3-11. [PMID: 38532262 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-23-000044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
L-368,899 is a selective small-molecule oxytocin receptor (OXTR) antagonist originally developed in the 1990s to prevent preterm labor. Although its utility for that purpose was limited, L-368,899 is now one of the most commonly used drugs in animal research for the selective blockade of neural OXTR after peripheral delivery. A growing number of rodent and primate studies have used L-368,899 to evaluate whether certain behaviors are oxytocin dependent. These studies have improved our understanding of oxytocin's function in the brains of rodents and monkeys, but very little work has been done in other mammals, and only a single paper in macaques has provided any evidence that L-368,899 can be detected in the CNS after peripheral delivery. The current study sought to extend those findings in a novel species: coyotes ( Canis latrans ). Coyotes are ubiquitous North American canids that form long-term monogamous pair-bonds. Although monogamy is rare in rodents and primates, all wild canid species studied to date exhibit social monogamy. Coyotes are therefore an excellent model organism for the study of oxytocin and social bonds. Our goal was to determine whether L-368,899 is a viable candidate for future use in behavioral studies in coyotes. We used captive coyotes at the USDA National Wildlife Research Center's Predator Research Facility to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of L-368,899 in blood and CSF during a 90-min time course after intramuscular injection. We then characterized the binding affinity and selectivity of L-368,899 to coyote OXTR and the structurally similar vasopressin 1a receptor. We found that L-368,899 peaked in CSF at 15 to 30 min after intramuscular injection and slowly accumulated in blood. L-368,899 was 40 times more selective for OXTR than vasopressin 1a receptors and bound to the coyote OXTR with an affinity of 12 nM. These features of L-368,899 support its utility in future studies to probe the oxytocin system of coyotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Freeman
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; sara. freeman@usu. edu
| | - J Leon Catrow
- Metabolomics, Proteomics, and Mass Spectrometry Cores, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - James Eric Cox
- Metabolomics, Proteomics, and Mass Spectrometry Cores, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | | | - McKenna A Rich
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
| | | | - Naveena Poudyal
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
| | | | - Eric M Gese
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; US Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Predator Research Facility, Millville, Utah
| | - Julie K Young
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; US Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Predator Research Facility, Millville, Utah
| | - Aaron L Olsen
- Animal Dairy and Veterinary Sciences Department, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
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Witczak LR, Samra J, Dufek M, Goetze LR, Freeman SM, Arias-Del Razo R, Baxter A, Karaskiewicz C, Lau AR, Rothwell ES, Savidge LE, Ferrer E, Bales KL. Titi monkey father-daughter bond-related behaviors explain stress response variability. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 157:106362. [PMID: 37586274 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions regulate our behavior and physiology, and strong social bonds can buffer us from stress. Coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) are socially monogamous South American monkeys that display strong social bonds. Infants form selective bonds with their fathers, making them ideal for studying father-daughter bonds. We established a method for quantifying variability in expression of bond-related behaviors in females (n = 12), and the present study is the second to use this method for explaining titi monkey responses to behavioral tests. We also investigated how manipulations of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) influenced juvenile behavior and physiology. Subjects received acute intranasal treatments of saline, low/medium/high OT, low/high AVP, or OT receptor antagonist (OTA) prior to an acute social separation. General linear mixed-effects model results revealed fathers were significant behavioral and physiological stress buffers for their daughters, as evidenced by fewer distress vocalizations (p < 0.001), less locomotion (p < 0.001), and lower plasma cortisol (p < 0.001) in a social separation paradigm. Females vocalized less if they exhibited greater expression of bond-related behaviors with their fathers as infants (p = 0.01), and this stress-buffering effect remained even when the daughter was separated from the father (p = 0.001). While treatments did not alter behaviors, OTA treatment caused the largest rise in plasma cortisol (p < 0.001), suggesting blockade of OT receptors can inhibit fathers' stress-buffering effects. Remarkably, females with greater expression of father-daughter bond-related behaviors exhibited an overall reduced physiological separation distress response (p = 0.04). Findings from the present study advance current knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms foundational to female bonds and help inform how social disruptions may differently impact individuals based on expression of bond-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynea R Witczak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Jaclyn Samra
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Madison Dufek
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Leana R Goetze
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sara M Freeman
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84332, USA
| | - Rocío Arias-Del Razo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alexander Baxter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chloe Karaskiewicz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Allison R Lau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Emily S Rothwell
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Logan E Savidge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Emilio Ferrer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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7
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Berendzen KM. Understanding social attachment as a window into the neural basis of prosocial behavior. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1247480. [PMID: 37869145 PMCID: PMC10585278 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1247480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The representation and demonstration of human values are intimately tied to our status as a social species. Humans are relatively unique in our ability to form enduring social attachments, characterized by the development of a selective bond that persists over time. Such relationships include the bonds between parents and offspring, pair bonds between partners and other affiliative contacts, in addition to group relationships to which we may form direct and symbolic affiliations. Many of the cognitive and behavioral processes thought to be linked to our capacity for social attachment-including consolation, empathy, and social motivation, and the implicated neural circuits mediating these constructs, are shared with those thought to be important for the representation of prosocial values. This perspective piece will examine the hypothesis that our ability to form such long-term bonds may play an essential role in the construction of human values and ethical systems, and that components of prosocial behaviors are shared across species. Humans are one of a few species that form such long-term and exclusive attachments and our understanding of the neurobiology underlying attachment behavior has been advanced by studying behavior in non-human animals. The overlap in behavioral and affective constructs underlying attachment behavior and value representation is discussed, followed by evidence from other species that demonstrate attachment behavior that supports the overlapping neurobiological basis for social bonds and prosocial behavior. The understanding of attachment biology has broad implications for human health as well as for understanding the basis for and variations in prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M. Berendzen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biological Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Grebe NM, Sheikh A, Ohannessian L, Drea CM. Effects of oxytocin receptor blockade on dyadic social behavior in monogamous and non-monogamous Eulemur. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 150:106044. [PMID: 36753883 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
A prominent body of research spanning disciplines has been focused on the potential underlying role for oxytocin in the social signatures of monogamous mating bonds. Behavioral differences between monogamous and non-monogamous vole species, putatively mediated by oxytocinergic function, constitute a key source of support for this mechanism, but it is unclear to what extent this hormone-behavior linkage extends to the primate order. In a preregistered experiment, we test if oxytocin receptor blockade affects affiliative behavior in mixed-sex pairs of Eulemur, a genus of strepsirrhine primate containing both monogamous and non-monogamous species. Inconsistent with past studies in monogamous voles or monkeys, we do not find confirmatory evidence in Eulemur that monogamous pairs affiliate more than non-monogamous pairs, nor that oxytocin receptor blockade of one pair member selectively corresponds to reduced affiliative or scent-marking behavior in monogamous species. We do, however, find exploratory evidence of a pattern not previously investigated: simultaneously blocking oxytocin receptors in both members of a monogamous pair predicts lower rates of affiliative behavior relative to controls. Our study demonstrates the value of non-traditional animal models in challenging generalizations based on model organisms, and of methodological reform in providing a potential path forward for behavioral oxytocin research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Grebe
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Alizeh Sheikh
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Sosnowski MJ, Reilly OT, Brosnan SF, Benítez ME. Oxytocin increases during fur‐rubbing regardless of level of social contact in tufted capuchin monkeys. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23490. [PMID: 36967471 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions induce oxytocin release in many social species, suggesting that oxytocin is a critical part of social bonding among individuals. However, oxytocin also increases as a result of physical contact and stimulation, making it unclear which features of affiliative behaviors (for instance, social interaction or physical contact with a conspecific) drive the oxytocin increase observed after engaging in these behaviors. We attempted to tease this apart by studying the differential effect of social interaction, visual coordination with a conspecific, and physical stimulation during the fur-rubbing behavior of tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] apella), which often involves social contact with groupmates but is in some cases performed alone. We induced fur-rubbing by providing onions under three conditions: when capuchins had physical access to their social group and fur-rubbed in contact with groupmates (social condition), when capuchins were separated from their social group but could still see them fur-rub (visual coordination), and when capuchins were physically and visually separated from their groupmates (physical stimulation only). We assessed urinary oxytocin in these three conditions and compared them to a control condition in which apples were provided and no fur-rubbing was observed. Capuchins fur-rubbed for less time when they could not see their groupmates, but fur-rubbing increased urinary oxytocin above the control condition in all three fur-rubbing conditions equally, suggesting that the physical stimulation derived from fur-rubbing was the most important driver of oxytocin increase. These results support a model in which physical stimulation is an important factor in the relationship between oxytocin and at least some behaviors, suggesting that oxytocin increase alone is not necessarily indicative of a social influence on behavior. Future work is needed to determine the contexts in which social factors do impact oxytocin, and whether the downstream behaviors are the same for socially and nonsocially induced oxytocin release.
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Zayan U, Caccialupi Da Prato L, Muscatelli F, Matarazzo V. Modulation of the thermosensory system by oxytocin. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1075305. [PMID: 36698777 PMCID: PMC9868264 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1075305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohormone involved early in neurodevelopment and is implicated in multiple functions, including sensory modulation. Evidence of such modulation has been observed for different sensory modalities in both healthy and pathological conditions. This review summarizes the pleiotropic modulation that OT can exercise on an often overlooked sensory system: thermosensation. This system allows us to sense temperature variations and compensate for the variation to maintain a stable core body temperature. Oxytocin modulates autonomic and behavioral mechanisms underlying thermoregulation at both central and peripheral levels. Hyposensitivity or hypersensitivity for different sensory modalities, including thermosensitivity, is a common feature in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), recapitulated in several ASD mouse models. These sensory dysregulations occur early in post-natal development and are correlated with dysregulation of the oxytocinergic system. In this study, we discussed the potential link between thermosensory atypia and the dysregulation of the oxytocinergic system in ASD.
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11
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Mustoe A. A tale of two hierarchies: Hormonal and behavioral factors underlying sex differences in social dominance in cooperative breeding callitrichids. Horm Behav 2023; 147:105293. [PMID: 36463691 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Callitrichid primates are recognized for high levels of sociality in small groups, their great behavioral flexibility, and single-female dominant hierarchies. Previous work has highlighted that dominant, breeding callitrichids engage in behavioral and hormonal reproductive suppression of related and unrelated subordinates by both producing more offspring, having higher levels of ovulatory hormones, and accessing more sociosexual opportunities. This suppression constitutes a nexus of changes in pituitary responsiveness, ovarian cyclicity, sexual behavior, affiliation, and aggression. In this review, I will highlight important features that characterize callitrichid social hierarchies across broad social contexts. Dominant females sometimes exert reproductive suppression on subordinate nonbreeding females, but this suppression varies across callitrichids based on social stability and changes in group composition, particularly related to the number, experience, and age of nonbreeding subordinates. Meanwhile, dominant males may induce suppression of reproduction in subordinate males, but these effects occur by different behavioral and endocrine mechanisms and to a much lesser extent than their female counterparts; While dominant female callitrichids usually show higher levels of aggression relative to their male counterparts, callitrichids show a general absence of intersexual dominance, likely as an effort of maintaining a cohesive breeding pair within a stable social group and social cooperation. Future efforts are needed to identify precise neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the presence of sex differences in callitrichid behavior separate from peripheral reproductive function. This is especially important with regard to parental experience, social relationships, development and aging, with larger implications toward understanding sex differences in overall health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaryn Mustoe
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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12
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Miss F, Adriaense J, Burkart J. Towards integrating joint action research: Developmental and evolutionary perspectives on co-representation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104924. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Immunoglobulin A and Physiologic Correlates of Well-Being in Asian Elephants. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg3040050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoological institutions aim to continually improve the lives of the animals under their stewardship. To this end, bull elephants are now increasingly maintained in all-male groups to mimic social conditions observed in the wild. While cortisol is the most frequently used “stress” biomarker, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) as a measure of health and positive affect, and the social hormone, oxytocin, are increasingly viewed as additional markers of welfare. The introduction of a pair of bull elephants to an existing group of three bull elephants at Denver Zoo presented an opportunity to assess sIgA, oxytocin and cortisol in response to the socialization process. In this study, sIgA varied greatly between individuals and did not correlate with cortisol but did correlate with salivary oxytocin. sIgA and oxytocin concentrations differed the most between social and solo situations during the introduction period compared to before bulls were introduced, and after a stable group had been formed. In contrast to findings in some species, sIgA and oxytocin were higher when housed alone than socially. Nonetheless, these results suggest that sIgA and oxytocin may be involved in social engagement and establishment of new social dynamics, and thus provide more insight into overall welfare states.
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14
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Brooks J, Kano F, Yeow H, Morimura N, Yamamoto S. Testing the effect of oxytocin on social grooming in bonobos. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23444. [PMID: 36214311 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin has attracted research attention due to its role in promoting social bonding. In bonobos and chimpanzees, the two species most closely related to humans, urinary oxytocin is known to correlate with key behaviours related to social bonding such as social grooming in chimpanzees and female-female sexual behaviour in bonobos. However, no study has demonstrated that the administration of oxytocin promotes real-life social interactions in Pan, leaving it unclear whether oxytocin is merely correlated with social behaviors or does affect them in these species. To test this, we administered nebulized oxytocin or saline placebo to a group of female bonobos and subsequently observed changes in their gross behavior during free interaction. We found an overall effect of more frequent grooming in the oxytocin condition. However, on the individual level this effect remained significant for only one participant in our follow-up models, suggesting future work should explore interindividual variation. Our results provide some experimental support for the biobehavioural feedback loop hypothesis, which posits that some functions of the oxytocin system support the formation and maintenance of social bonds through a positive feedback loop; however, further tests with a larger number of individuals are required. Our results, at a minimum, demonstrated that oxytocin affects spontaneous, naturalistic social interactions of at least some female bonobos, adding to accumulating evidence that oxytocin modulates complex social behaviors of Pan.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Brooks
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Kumamoto Sanctuary, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Kano
- Kumamoto Sanctuary, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Hanling Yeow
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Kumamoto Sanctuary, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naruki Morimura
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Kumamoto Sanctuary, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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15
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López-Gutiérrez MF, Mejía-Chávez S, Alcauter S, Portillo W. The neural circuits of monogamous behavior. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:978344. [PMID: 36247729 PMCID: PMC9559370 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.978344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The interest in studying the neural circuits related to mating behavior and mate choice in monogamous species lies in the parallels found between human social structure and sexual behavior and that of other mammals that exhibit social monogamy, potentially expanding our understanding of human neurobiology and its underlying mechanisms. Extensive research has suggested that social monogamy, as opposed to non-monogamy in mammals, is a consequence of the neural encoding of sociosensory information from the sexual partner with an increased reward value. Thus, the reinforced value of the mate outweighs the reward value of mating with any other potential sexual partners. This mechanism reinforces the social relationship of a breeding pair, commonly defined as a pair bond. In addition to accentuated prosocial behaviors toward the partner, other characteristic behaviors may appear, such as territorial and partner guarding, selective aggression toward unfamiliar conspecifics, and biparental care. Concomitantly, social buffering and distress upon partner separation are also observed. The following work intends to overview and compare known neural and functional circuits that are related to mating and sexual behavior in monogamous mammals. We will particularly discuss reports on Cricetid rodents of the Microtus and Peromyscus genus, and New World primates (NWP), such as the Callicebinae subfamily of the titi monkey and the marmoset (Callithrix spp.). In addition, we will mention the main factors that modulate the neural circuits related to social monogamy and how that modulation may reflect phenotypic differences, ultimately creating the widely observed diversity in social behavior.
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16
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Samandra R, Haque ZZ, Rosa MGP, Mansouri FA. The marmoset as a model for investigating the neural basis of social cognition in health and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104692. [PMID: 35569579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Social-cognitive processes facilitate the use of environmental cues to understand others, and to be understood by others. Animal models provide vital insights into the neural underpinning of social behaviours. To understand social cognition at even deeper behavioural, cognitive, neural, and molecular levels, we need to develop more representative study models, which allow testing of novel hypotheses using human-relevant cognitive tasks. Due to their cooperative breeding system and relatively small size, common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) offer a promising translational model for such endeavours. In addition to having social behavioural patterns and group dynamics analogous to those of humans, marmosets have cortical brain areas relevant for the mechanistic analysis of human social cognition, albeit in simplified form. Thus, they are likely suitable animal models for deciphering the physiological processes, connectivity and molecular mechanisms supporting advanced cognitive functions. Here, we review findings emerging from marmoset social and behavioural studies, which have already provided significant insights into executive, motivational, social, and emotional dysfunction associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranshikha Samandra
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Zakia Z Haque
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Marcello G P Rosa
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Australia.
| | - Farshad Alizadeh Mansouri
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Australia.
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17
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Haakenson CM, Balthazart J, Madison FN, Ball GF. The neural distribution of the avian homologue of oxytocin, mesotocin, in two songbird species, the zebra finch and the canary: A potential role in song perception and production. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2402-2414. [PMID: 35599378 PMCID: PMC9283256 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The avian homologue of oxytocin (OT), formerly called mesotocin, influences social behaviors in songbirds and potentially song production. We sought to characterize the distribution of OT peptide in the brain of two songbird species: canaries (Serinus canaria) and zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). To visualize OT, we performed immunocytochemistry using an antibody previously shown to identify OT in avian species. In both canaries and zebra finches, dense OT‐ir perikarya were located in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), preoptic area (POA), supraoptic nucleus (SON), and medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTm). We also observed morphologically distinct OT‐ir cells scattered throughout the mesopallium. OT‐ir fibers were observed in the PVN, ventral medial hypothalamus (VMH), periaqueductal gray (PAG), intercollicular nucleus (ICo), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). We also observed punctate OT‐ir fibers in the song control nucleus HVC. In both male and female canaries, OT‐ir fibers were present in the lateral septum (LS), but innervation was greater in males. We did not observe this sex difference in zebra finches. Much of the OT staining observed is consistent with general distributions within the vertebrate hypothalamus, indicating a possible conserved function. However, some extra‐hypothalamic distributions, such as perikarya in the mesopallium, may be specific to songbirds and play a role in song perception and production. The presence of OT‐ir fibers in HVC and song control nuclei projecting dopaminergic regions provides anatomical evidence in support of the idea that OT can influence singing behavior—either directly via HVC or indirectly via the PAG, VTA, or POA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea M. Haakenson
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park Maryland USA
| | - Jacques Balthazart
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, GIGA Neurosciences University of Liege Liege Belgium
| | - Farrah N. Madison
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park Maryland USA
- Department of Biology Hope College Holland Michigan USA
| | - Gregory F. Ball
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park Maryland USA
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18
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Guoynes CD, Marler CA. Intranasal oxytocin reduces pre-courtship aggression and increases paternal response in California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Physiol Behav 2022; 249:113773. [PMID: 35248556 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide that can facilitate prosocial behavior and decrease social stress and anxiety but can also increase aggression in some contexts. We investigated whether acute pulses of intranasal (IN) OXT influenced social behavior during social challenges that are likely to occur throughout the lifespan of a wild mouse. To test this, we examined the acute effects of IN OXT in the male California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), a monogamous, biparental, and territorial rodent, using a within-subjects longitudinal design. Social challenges included a pre-courtship male-female encounter conducted during the (1) initial aggressive and not the following affiliative phase of courtship, (2) same-sex resident intruder test, and (3) parental care test. Consecutive tests and doses were separated by at least two weeks. Males were treated with intranasal infusions of 0.8 IU/kg OXT or saline controls 5-min before each behavioral test, receiving a total of three treatments of either IN OXT or saline control. We predicted that IN OXT would 1) decrease aggression and increase affiliation during the pre-courtship aggression phase, 2) increase aggression during resident intruder paradigms, and 3) increase paternal care and vocalizations during a paternal care test. As predicted, during pre-courtship aggression with a novel female, IN OXT males displayed less contact aggression than control males, although with no change in affiliative behavior. However, post-pairing, during the resident intruder test, IN OXT males did not differ from control males in contact aggression. During the paternal care test, IN OXT males were quicker to approach their pups than control males but did not differ in vocalizations produced, unlike our previous research demonstrating an effect on vocalizations in females. In summary, during pre-courtship aggression and the paternal care test, IN OXT reduced antisocial behavior; however, during the resident intruder test, IN OXT did not alter antisocial behavior. These data suggest that IN OXT promotes prosocial behavior specifically in social contexts that can lead to affiliation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleigh D Guoynes
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, 1202 W Johnson Street, Madison, WI, 53703 USA.
| | - Catherine A Marler
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, 1202 W Johnson Street, Madison, WI, 53703 USA
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19
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Stendardo M, Renzi C, Pallavi R, Roda N, Gambino V, Casciaro F, Persico G, Giorgio M. The early-life stress induced by oxytocin inhibition in p53 knockout mouse dams increases adulthood tumorigenesis in first and second generations. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2022; 6:e1625. [PMID: 35546267 PMCID: PMC9875680 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life stress due to poor parental care has been suggested to increase cancer risk, though, so far, no experimental evidence established a link between defective parental behavior and spontaneous tumorigenesis in progeny. Essential maternal behavior is regulated, in particular, by the oxytocin (OT) hormonal circuit, which in turn responds to stimuli from the offspring and impinges on the central nervous systems. METHODS By providing L-368,899 OT receptor (OTR) inhibitor to lactating mothers, we set up a model of defective maternal care in p53 knockout mice. RESULTS The progeny of these dams showed, later in life, higher cortisol levels, shortened life span and increased tumorigenic potential of bone marrow cells (BMC). Notably, these phenotypes were transmitted to the following generation. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, the inhibition of OT function in mothers is a novel paradigm of early-life stress that is inherited across generations and increases cancer risk in tumor-prone mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Stendardo
- Experimental Oncology DepartmentIRCCS‐European Institute of OncologyMilanItaly
| | - Chiara Renzi
- University of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
| | - Rani Pallavi
- Experimental Oncology DepartmentIRCCS‐European Institute of OncologyMilanItaly
| | - Niccolò Roda
- Experimental Oncology DepartmentIRCCS‐European Institute of OncologyMilanItaly
| | - Valentina Gambino
- Experimental Oncology DepartmentIRCCS‐European Institute of OncologyMilanItaly
| | | | - Giuseppe Persico
- Experimental Oncology DepartmentIRCCS‐European Institute of OncologyMilanItaly
| | - Marco Giorgio
- Experimental Oncology DepartmentIRCCS‐European Institute of OncologyMilanItaly
- Department of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of PaduaPadovaItaly
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20
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Watanasriyakul WT, Scotti MAL, Carter CS, McNeal N, Colburn W, Wardwell J, Grippo AJ. Social isolation and oxytocin antagonism increase emotion-related behaviors and heart rate in female prairie voles. Auton Neurosci 2022; 239:102967. [PMID: 35240436 PMCID: PMC8974671 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2022.102967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Social isolation influences depression- and anxiety-related disorders and cardiac function. Oxytocin may mediate these conditions through interactions with social behavior, emotion, and cardiovascular function, via central and/or peripheral mechanisms. The present study investigated the influence of oxytocin antagonism using L-368,899, a selective oxytocin receptor antagonist that crosses the blood-brain barrier, on depression- and anxiety-related behaviors and heart rate in prairie voles. This rodent species has translational value for investigating interactions of social stress, behavior, cardiac responses, and oxytocin function. Adult female prairie voles were socially isolated or co-housed with a sibling for 4 weeks. A subset of animals in each housing condition was subjected to 4 sessions of acute L-368,899 (20 mg/kg, ip) or saline administration followed by a depression- or anxiety-related behavioral assessment. A subset of co-housed animals was evaluated for cardiac function following acute administration of L-368,899 (20 mg/kg, ip) and during behavioral assessments. Social isolation (vs. co-housing) increased depression- and anxiety-related behaviors. In isolated animals, L-368,899 (vs. vehicle) did not influence anxiety-related behaviors but exacerbated depression-related behaviors. In co-housed animals, L-368,899 exacerbated depression-related behaviors and increased heart rate at baseline and during behavioral tests. Social isolation produces emotion-related behaviors in prairie voles; central and/or peripheral oxytocin antagonism exacerbates these behavioral signs. Oxytocin antagonism induces depression-relevant behaviors and increases basal and stressor-reactive heart rate in co-housed prairie voles, similar to the consequences of social isolation demonstrated in this model. These results provide translational value for humans who experience behavioral and cardiac consequences of loneliness or social stress.
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21
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Gao Z, Ma X, Zhou X, Xin F, Gao S, Kou J, Becker B, Kendrick KM. Oxytocin Reduces the Attractiveness of Silver-Tongued Men for Women During Mid-Cycle. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:760695. [PMID: 35573309 PMCID: PMC9097854 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.760695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, the neuropeptide oxytocin promotes both attraction toward and bonds with romantic partners, although no studies have investigated whether this extends to the perceived attractiveness of flirtatious language. In a within-subject, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled behavior and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm (https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT03144115), 75 women rated the attractiveness of either a male face alone or paired with a verbal compliment which varied in terms of topic (women or landscapes) and figurativeness (novel or conventional metaphors or literal expressions). Subjects were tested in fertile and luteal phases of their cycle and on both occasions received either 24 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo. Results showed that, whereas under placebo women in the fertile phase rated the facial attractiveness of men producing novel metaphorical compliments higher than in their luteal phase, following oxytocin treatment they did not. Correspondingly, under oxytocin the faces of individuals producing novel metaphorical compliments evoked greater responses in brain regions involved in processing language (middle frontal gyrus) and cognitive and emotional conflict (posterior middle cingulate and dorsal anterior cingulate) but reduced functional connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate and right orbitofrontal and medial frontal gyri. Thus, sex hormones and oxytocin may have opposite effects in regulating mate selection in women during their fertile phase. Novel metaphorical compliments convey a greater sexual than bonding intention and thus while sex hormones at mid-cycle may promote attraction to individuals communicating sexual rather than bonding intent, oxytocin may bias attraction away from such individuals through increasing cognitive and emotional conflict responses toward them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Gao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaole Ma
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- School of Educational Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Fei Xin
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shan Gao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Kou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M. Kendrick
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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22
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Oxytocin promotes social proximity and decreases vigilance in groups of African lions. iScience 2022; 25:104049. [PMID: 35496998 PMCID: PMC9042884 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin modulates mammalian social behavior; however, behavioral responses to intranasal oxytocin can vary across species and contexts. The complexity of social interactions increases with group dynamics, and the impacts of oxytocin on both within- and between-group contexts are unknown. We tested the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin on social and non-social behaviors within in-group and out-group contexts in African lions. We hypothesized that, post intranasal oxytocin administration, lions would be in closer proximity with fellow group members, whereas out-group stimuli could either produce a heightened vigilance response or an attenuated one. Compared to control trials, post oxytocin administration, lions increased their time spent in close proximity (reducing their distance to the nearest neighbor) and decreased vigilance toward out-group intruders (reducing their vocalizations following a roar-playback). These results not only have important implications for understanding the evolution of social circuitry but may also have practical applications for conservation efforts. We administered oxytocin to groups of African lions Relative to control conditions, oxytocin administration enhanced social proximity Oxytocin administration decreased vigilance (roars following roar playback)
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Kitano K, Yamagishi A, Horie K, Nishimori K, Sato N. Helping behavior in prairie voles: A model of empathy and the importance of oxytocin. iScience 2022; 25:103991. [PMID: 35310938 PMCID: PMC8931361 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies suggest that rodents show empathic responses and helping behavior toward others. We examined whether prairie voles would help conspecifics who were soaked in water by opening a door to a safe area. Door-opening latency decreased as task sessions progressed. Female and male voles stayed close to the soaked voles' side at equal rates and opened the door with similar latencies. When the conspecific was not soaked in water, the door-opening latency did not decrease. This suggests that the distress of the conspecific is necessary for learning to open the door and that the door-opening performed by prairie voles corresponds to helping behavior. Additionally, we examined the helping behavior in prairie voles in which oxytocin receptors were genetically knocked out. Oxytocin receptor knockout voles demonstrated less learning of the door-opening behavior and less interest in soaked conspecifics. This suggests that oxytocin is important for the emergence of helping behavior. Prairie voles demonstrated helping behavior toward a cagemate in distress There was no difference in helping behavior depending on the helper’s sex Learning of the helping behavior was prevented when cagemates were not in distress Oxytocin receptor knockout prairie voles demonstrated less helping behavior
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Affiliation(s)
- Kota Kitano
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-8501, Japan
| | - Atsuhito Yamagishi
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-8501, Japan
| | - Kengo Horie
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Katsuhiko Nishimori
- Department of Obesity and Inflammation Research, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Nobuya Sato
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-8501, Japan
- Corresponding author
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24
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Gustison ML, Phelps SM. Individual differences in social attachment: A multi-disciplinary perspective. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12792. [PMID: 35170839 PMCID: PMC8916993 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior varies across both individuals and species. Research to explain this variation falls under the purview of multiple disciplines, each with its own theoretical and empirical traditions. Integration of these disciplinary traditions is key to developing a holistic perspective. Here, we review research on the biology of social attachment, a phenomena in which individuals develop strong affective connections to one another. We provide a historical overview of research on social attachment from psychological, ethological and neurobiological perspectives. As a case study, we describe work on pair-bonding in prairie voles, a socially monogamous rodent. This specific topic takes advantage of many biological perspectives and techniques to explain social bonds. Lastly, we conclude with an overview of multi-dimensional conceptual frameworks that can be used to explain social phenomena, and we propose a new framework for research on individual variation in attachment behavior. These conceptual frameworks originate from philosophy, physics, ethology, cognitive science and neuroscience. The application and synthesis of such frameworks offers a rich opportunity to advance understanding of social behavior and its mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L. Gustison
- Department of Integrative BiologyThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Steven M. Phelps
- Department of Integrative BiologyThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Institute for NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
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25
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Nebl PJ, Gordon AK. The Effect of Female Orgasm Frequency on Female Mate Selection: A Test of Two Hypotheses. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 20:14747049221083536. [PMID: 35261268 PMCID: PMC10303466 DOI: 10.1177/14747049221083536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Female orgasm has been a mystery that psychologists have been attempting to understand for decades. Many have contended that female orgasm is a functionless by-product of male orgasm, while others have argued that female orgasm may be an adaptation in its own right, offering several adaptationist accounts of female orgasm. In the current research, we tested predictions derived from two hypotheses regarding adaptive functions of female orgasm: female orgasm indicates partner mate value or female orgasm promotes long-term, pair bonding. 199 female undergraduates participated in an experiment where they imagined themselves as a member of a romantic relationship provided in a scenario. Within these scenarios, the relationships varied between either short- or long-term and the frequency that the female experienced orgasm during intercourse varied between never, occasionally, and almost always. Participants answered questions regarding relationship satisfaction and perceptions of the fictional relationship. A series of analysis of variance (ANOVAs) indicated that females assigned to conditions of experiencing more frequent orgasms reported greater relationship satisfaction, across both short- and long-term relationships. The relationship between female orgasm frequency and relationship satisfaction was fully mediated by the female's perceived love for her hypothetical partner but not by perceptions of her hypothetical partner's commitment. Taken together, this study provides preliminary support for the hypothesis that female orgasm evolved as a mate-selection tool for females and promotes long-term, pair bonding but does not provide support for the hypothesis that female orgasm evolved as an indicator of male value.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne K. Gordon
- Bowling Green State University, Bowling
Green, United States
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26
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Freeman SM. Using Receptor Autoradiography to Visualize and Quantify Oxytocin and Vasopressin 1a Receptors in the Human and Nonhuman Primate Brain. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2384:105-125. [PMID: 34550571 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1759-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite its development almost 40 years ago, receptor autoradiography remains a regular and reliable practice for the localization of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in brain tissue sections. It is used across many laboratories, institutions, and animal species to characterize and quantify the distribution and density of these receptors at baseline and/or in response to experimental manipulations or lived experience. This powerful tool and the neuroanatomical receptor maps that it generates have allowed researchers to more accurately investigate and understand the neural substrates upon which oxytocin and vasopressin act to affect behavior. Researchers have used these maps to design site-specific pharmacological manipulations and electrophysiological recordings in animal studies to directly probe the underlying neural mechanisms in this system. This methods chapter describes the specific procedures by which a pharmacologically optimized, competitive binding modification to receptor autoradiography can be used to reliably localize oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in the human brain and in the brains of nonhuman primates. The ability to reliably perform receptor autoradiography for these targets in human brain tissue can finally inform our interpretation of past intranasal oxytocin neuroimaging studies and allows us to move past the reliance on transcriptomic studies using brain tissue homogenates so that we can directly investigate the involvement of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in human behavior, physiology, and neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Freeman
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
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27
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The effects of female-male friendships on male postcopulatory levels of oxytocin and vasopressin, and sperm parameters in Macacaarctoides. Theriogenology 2022; 177:63-72. [PMID: 34666204 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Male and female stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides) form close relationships akin to human friendships. Oxytocin and vasopressin modulate these and other social relationships and reproductive behavior and physiology in various mammal species. Besides the behavioral effects of oxytocin, this hormone plays an essential role in the ejaculatory process, favoring sperm transport upward the female reproductive tract. Therefore, we investigated the influence of friendships on postcopulatory serum levels of oxytocin and vasopressin in the stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). In addition, we searched for a correlation between this kind of social relationship and sperm transport in the vagina during the periovulatory and luteal phases. Six female and six male adult macaques having different friendship indices served as experimental animals. Allocated in 57 mating pairs combinations, these animals were allowed to copulate once in the luteal and periovulatory phases. Blood samples were collected from each animal finishing copulation to measure oxytocin and vasopressin. Afterward, we profoundly sedated the females and collected three semen samples from the vagina every 10 min to perform spermatobioscopies. Males' post-copulation oxytocin values increased along with the friendship index, while vasopressin behaves oppositely. Sperm concentration and immotile and motile sperm decreased from one sample to another as male-female closeness increased. Finally, in the periovulatory phase, only in the first vaginal sample, sperm velocities significantly increased with friendship indices. Our results showed that in stump-tailed macaques, heterosexual friendships promote higher postcopulatory oxytocin concentrations and better physiological conditions to males, which probably enhance reproductive success.
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28
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Moresco A, Feltrer-Rambaud Y, Wolfman D, Agnew DW. Reproductive one health in primates. Am J Primatol 2021; 84:e23325. [PMID: 34516669 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
One Health is a collaborative trans-disciplinary approach to health; integrating human, animal, and environmental health. The focus is often on infection disease transmission and disease risk mitigation. However, One Health also includes the multidisciplinary and comparative approach to disease investigation and health of humans, animals, and the environment. One key aspect of environmental/ecosystem health is conservation, the maintenance of healthy, actively reproducing wildlife populations. Reproduction and reproductive health are an integral part of the One Health approach: the comparative aspects of reproduction can inform conservation policies or breeding strategies (in situ and ex situ) in addition to physiology and disease. Differences in reproductive strategies affect the impact poaching and habitat disruption might have on a given population, as well as ex situ breeding programs and the management of zoo and sanctuary populations. Much is known about chimpanzees, macaques, and marmosets as these are common animal models, but there is much that remains unknown regarding reproduction in many other primates. Examining the similarities and differences between and within taxonomic groups allows reasonable extrapolation for decision-making when there are knowledge gaps. For example: (1) knowing that a species has very low reproductive rates adds urgency to conservation policy for that region or species; (2) identifying species with short or absent lactation anestrus allows ex situ institutions to better plan contraception options for specific individuals or prepare for the immediate next pregnancy; (3) recognizing that progestin contraceptives are effective contraceptives, but may be associated with endometrial hyperplasia in some species (in Lemuridae but not great apes) better guides empirical contraceptive choice; (4) recognizing the variable endometriosis prevalence across taxa improves preventive medicine programs. A summary of anatomical variation, endocrinology, contraception, pathology, and diagnostics is provided to illustrate these features and aid in routine physical and postmortem examinations as well as primate management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Moresco
- International Primate Health & Welfare Group, Madrid, Spain.,Reproductive Health Surveillance Program, Morrison, Colorado, USA
| | - Yedra Feltrer-Rambaud
- International Primate Health & Welfare Group, Madrid, Spain.,EAZA Reproductive Management Group, Chester, UK
| | - Darcy Wolfman
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, National Capital Region, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dalen W Agnew
- Reproductive Health Surveillance Program, Morrison, Colorado, USA.,Michigan State University, Lansing, Michigan, USA
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Li C, Wang H, Wang M, Chen C, Bai F, Ban M, Wu C. Oxytocin Attenuates Methamphetamine-Induced Apoptosis via Oxytocin Receptor in Rat Hippocampal Neurons. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:639571. [PMID: 34483895 PMCID: PMC8415150 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.639571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly neurotoxic psychoactive substance that can directly damage the central nervous system through prolonged use. Oxytocin (OT) has attracted much attention because of its neuroprotective effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether OT is neuroprotective against METH-induced damage in rat hippocampal neurons. Our results revealed that pre-incubation with OT significantly prevented the damage of METH to hippocampal neurons, including the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential and the increase of ROS (reactive oxygen species). OT pre-incubation attenuated the up-regulation of Cleaved-Caspase-3 expression and the down-regulation of Bcl-2/Bax expression induced by METH. Pre-incubation with OT prevented the decrease in oxytocin receptor density and P-CREB (phosphorylation of cAMP-response element binding) expression induced by METH in rat hippocampal neurons. Moreover, Pre-incubation of atosiban (ATO) significantly prevented these changes. In conclusion, our study proved that pre-administration of OT could significantly attenuate hippocampal neuron apoptosis induced by METH. Oxytocin receptor activation is involved in the preventive effect of OT on METH-induced apoptosis in rat hippocampal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Haipeng Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chunyun Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Bai
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mengqi Ban
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chunfu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
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30
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Pedretti G, Wirobski G, Range F, Marshall-Pescini S. Artificially elevated oxytocin concentrations in pet dogs are associated with higher proximity-maintenance and gazing towards the owners. Physiol Behav 2021; 237:113451. [PMID: 33974958 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between dogs and their owners is characterized by an affective and enduring bond. It has been suggested that oxytocin might be the underlying mechanism driving this relationship, however evidence is mixed. In this study we tested whether intranasally administered oxytocin (compared to saline) would influence dogs' behavioural synchrony and shared attention towards their owners. Each individuals' pre and post administration oxytocin concentrations (measured in urine) were included in the analyses. Urinary oxytocin concentrations after administrations were positively associated with dogs' duration of social proximity and looking behaviours towards their owners supporting the role of oxytocin in modulating dogs' human-directed social behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Pedretti
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; University of Parma, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, 43126, Italy; University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Science and Environmental Sustainability, Viale delle Scienze 17/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.
| | - Gwendolyn Wirobski
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Range
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah Marshall-Pescini
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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31
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Harshaw C, Lanzkowsky J, Tran AQD, Bradley AR, Jaime M. Oxytocin and 'social hyperthermia': Interaction with β 3-adrenergic receptor-mediated thermogenesis and significance for the expression of social behavior in male and female mice. Horm Behav 2021; 131:104981. [PMID: 33878523 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a critical regulator of multiple facets of energy homeostasis, including brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. Nevertheless, it is unclear what, if any, consequence the thermoregulatory and metabolic effects of OT have for the display of social behavior in adult rodents. Here, we examine the contribution of the OT receptor (OTR) and β3 adrenergic receptor (β3AR) to the increase in body temperature that typically accompanies social interaction (i.e., social hyperthermia; SH) and whether SH relates to the expression of social behavior in adult mice. Specifically, we examined how OTR antagonism via peripheral injection of L-368,899 (10 mg/kg) affects the expression of social behavior in C57BL/6J mice, in the presence of active/agonized versus antagonized β3AR, the receptor known to mediate stress-induced BAT thermogenesis. After drug treatment and a 30 min delay, mice were provided a 10 min social interaction test with an unfamiliar, same-sex conspecific. We hypothesized that OTR and β3AR/BAT interact to influence behavior during social interaction, with at least some effects of OT on social behavior dependent upon OT's thermal effects via β3AR/BAT. We found that OTR-mediated temperature elevation is largely responsible for SH during social interaction in mice-albeit not substantially via β3AR-dependent BAT thermogenesis. Further, our results reveal a complex relationship between OTR, β3AR, social hyperthermia and the display of specific social behaviors, with SH most closely associated with anxiety and/or vigilance-related behaviors-that is, behaviors that antagonize or interfere with the initiation of close, non-agonistic social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Harshaw
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States of America.
| | - Jessica Lanzkowsky
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | | | - Alana Rose Bradley
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Mark Jaime
- Division of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University, Columbus, Columbus, IN, United States of America
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32
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Schaebs FS, Wirobski G, Marshall-Pescini S, Range F, Deschner T. Validation of a commercial enzyme immunoassay to assess urinary oxytocin in humans. Endocr Connect 2021; 10:290-301. [PMID: 33617463 PMCID: PMC8052582 DOI: 10.1530/ec-20-0583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Within the last decade, oxytocin (OT) has attracted a lot of attention in the context of various human social behaviors. Besides its importance in regulating physiological processes in females related to giving birth and lactation, OT is involved in the establishment and maintenance of social relationships, trust and emotion recognition. However, results are not always consistent across studies, which may partly be due to the incomplete validation of methods used to assess OT levels. Carefully validating a method before its use is of crucial importance to ensure that it can be used to accurately, reliably and repeatedly assess OT levels. With this study we evaluated a commercially available Enzyme Immunoassay to assess OT in human urine samples by conducting a careful analytical validation. Results indicate that, with regard to parallelism and immunoreactivity, human urinary OT can be assessed reliably. However, extraction methods need further improvement to optimize measures of accuracy and extraction efficiency, especially in the lower range of the assay system. Tests on OT stability indicate that OT is affected by degradation when stored at 4°C or room temperature. Storing urine samples over longer periods revealed that OT levels are most stable when stored as ethanol extracts at -20°C compared to being stored as samples at -20°C or -80°C. Although some of the validated parameters did not reach the intended quality criteria, this study highlights the importance of such in depth validation procedures and reporting results to make them available to researchers embarking on projects utilizing such methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franka S Schaebs
- Interim Group Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- ZLS, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Gwen Wirobski
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence should be addressed to G Wirobski or T Deschner: or
| | - Sarah Marshall-Pescini
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Range
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Interim Group Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Correspondence should be addressed to G Wirobski or T Deschner: or
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33
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Banerjee D, Vasquez V, Pecchio M, Hegde ML, Ks Jagannatha R, Rao TS. RETRACTED: Biopsychosocial intersections of social/affective touch and psychiatry: Implications of 'touch hunger' during COVID-19. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2021:20764021997485. [PMID: 33622067 DOI: 10.1177/0020764021997485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Debanjan Banerjee
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Velmarini Vasquez
- Centre for Neuroscience, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Panama City, Republic of Panama and Sistema Nacional de Investigación, SENACYT, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Marisin Pecchio
- Centre for Academic Affairs and Collaborations, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Muralidhar L Hegde
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rao Ks Jagannatha
- Centre for Neuroscience, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Panama City, Republic of Panama and Sistema Nacional de Investigación, SENACYT, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Ts Sathyanarayana Rao
- Department of Psychiatry, JSS Medical College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
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Oxytocin in Schizophrenia: Pathophysiology and Implications for Future Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22042146. [PMID: 33670047 PMCID: PMC7926349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a form of mental disorder that is behaviorally characterized by abnormal behavior, such as social function deficits or other behaviors that are disconnected from reality. Dysregulation of oxytocin may play a role in regulating the expression of schizophrenia. Given oxytocin’s role in social cognition and behavior, a variety of studies have examined the potential clinical benefits of oxytocin in improving the psychopathology of patients with schizophrenia. In this review, we highlight the evidence for the role of endogenous oxytocin in schizophrenia, from animal models to human studies. We further discuss the potential of oxytocin as a therapeutic agent for schizophrenia and its implication in future treatment.
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Nowak R, Lévy F, Chaillou E, Cornilleau F, Cognié J, Marnet PG, Williams PD, Keller M. Neonatal Suckling, Oxytocin, and Early Infant Attachment to the Mother. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 11:612651. [PMID: 33628199 PMCID: PMC7897683 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.612651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) promotes maternal care and social affiliation in adults but its importance in infant attachment still remains unknown. True animal models of infant attachment are extremely rare, and the sheep (in complement to non-human primates) is one of the few that provides the opportunity to investigate its neuroendocrinological basis. In the lamb, access to the udder has strong rewarding properties for the establishment of a preferential relationship with the mother. Therefore, the present study explored the possible involvement of OT through its release during close social contacts with the mother. The first experiment revealed that lambs having free access to the udder from birth onward developed, by 12 h of age, a clear preference for their mothers over another maternal ewe. Delaying access to the udder for six, four or even only 2 h starting at birth, by covering the ewe's udder, resulted in the lack of such a preference without affecting general activity. These effects persisted in most cases at 24 h but by 72 h of age a bond with the mother was clearly expressed. Experiment two showed that social interactions with the mother were followed by a release of OT in the plasma when lambs had the possibility to suckle. Non-nutritive interactions were without effects. Preliminary data on two subjects suggested that OT might also increase in the cerebrospinal fluid after suckling. Finally, in the third experiment, oral administration of a non-peptide OT receptor antagonist (L-368-899, Merck) over the first 4 h after birth led to decreased exploration of the mother's body compared to lambs receiving saline, and impaired the expression of a preference for the mother at 24 h. The effects were no longer observed at 48 h. Our findings demonstrate that both delayed access to the mother's udder and OT receptor antagonist alter the onset of mother preference in newborn lambs. This suggests that central OT facilitates the development of filial attachment through its release during suckling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Nowak
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements (PRC), INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Frédéric Lévy
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements (PRC), INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Elodie Chaillou
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements (PRC), INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Fabien Cornilleau
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements (PRC), INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Juliette Cognié
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements (PRC), INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Pierre-Guy Marnet
- Département Productions Animales, Agroalimentaire, Nutrition (P3AN), Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France
| | - Peter D. Williams
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Merck, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Matthieu Keller
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements (PRC), INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
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36
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Lu Q, Hu S. Sex differences of oxytocin and vasopressin in social behaviors. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 180:65-88. [PMID: 34225950 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820107-7.00005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) are known to mediate social cognition and behaviors in a sex-dependent manner. This chapter reviews the sex-dependent influence of OT and VP on social behaviors, focusing on (1) partner preference and sexual orientation, (2) memory modulation, (3) emotion regulation, and (4) trust-related behaviors. Most studies suggest that OT promotes familiar (opposite-sex) partner preference, strengthens memory, relieves anxiety, and increases trust. However, VP-regulated social cognition has been studied less than OT. VP facilitates familiar (opposite-sex) partner preference, enhances memory, induces anxiety, and influences happiness/anger perception. Detailed sex differences of these effects are reviewed. There is a male preponderance in the use of animal models and many study results are too complex to draw firm conclusions. Clarifying the complex interplay between the OT/VP system and sex hormones in the regulation of social behaviors is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China; Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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37
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Coen CW, Bennett NC, Holmes MM, Faulkes CG. Neuropeptidergic and Neuroendocrine Systems Underlying Eusociality and the Concomitant Social Regulation of Reproduction in Naked Mole-Rats: A Comparative Approach. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:59-103. [PMID: 34424513 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The African mole-rat family (Bathyergidae) includes the first mammalian species identified as eusocial: naked mole-rats. Comparative studies of eusocial and solitary mole-rat species have identified differences in neuropeptidergic systems that may underlie the phenomenon of eusociality. These differences are found in the oxytocin, vasopressin and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) systems within the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and lateral septal nucleus. As a corollary of their eusociality, most naked mole-rats remain pre-pubertal throughout life because of the presence of the colony's only reproductive female, the queen. To elucidate the neuroendocrine mechanisms that mediate this social regulation of reproduction, research on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis in naked mole-rats has identified differences between the many individuals that are reproductively suppressed and the few that are reproductively mature: the queen and her male consorts. These differences involve gonadal steroids, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-1 (GnRH-1), kisspeptin, gonadotrophin-inhibitory hormone/RFamide-related peptide-3 (GnIH/RFRP-3) and prolactin. The comparative findings in eusocial and solitary mole-rat species are assessed with reference to a broad range of studies on other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clive W Coen
- Reproductive Neurobiology, Division of Women's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Melissa M Holmes
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christopher G Faulkes
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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38
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Oxytocin receptor binding in the titi monkey hippocampal formation is associated with parental status and partner affiliation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17301. [PMID: 33057124 PMCID: PMC7560868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74243-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Social cognition is facilitated by oxytocin receptors (OXTR) in the hippocampus, a brain region that changes dynamically with pregnancy, parturition, and parenting experience. We investigated the impact of parenthood on hippocampal OXTR in male and female titi monkeys, a pair-bonding primate species that exhibits biparental care of offspring. We hypothesized that in postmortem brain tissue, OXTR binding in the hippocampal formation would differ between parents and non-parents, and that OXTR density would correlate with frequencies of observed parenting and affiliative behaviors between partners. Subjects were 10 adult titi monkeys. OXTR binding in the hippocampus (CA1, CA2/3, CA4, dentate gyrus, subiculum) and presubiculum layers (PSB1, PSB3) was determined using receptor autoradiography. The average frequency of partner affiliation (Proximity, Contact, and Tail Twining) and infant carrying were determined from longitudinal observations (5-6 per day). Analyses showed that parents exhibited higher OXTR binding than non-parents in PSB1 (t(8) = - 2.33, p = 0.048), and that OXTR binding in the total presubiculm correlated negatively with Proximity (r = - 0.88) and Contact (r = - 0.91), but not Tail Twining or infant carrying. These results suggest that OXTR binding in the presubiculum supports pair bonding and parenting behavior, potentially by mediating changes in hippocampal plasticity.
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Ataei Mehr B, Garner SR, Neff BD. Effect of isotocin on shoaling behaviour of the Guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Anim Cogn 2020; 23:827-831. [PMID: 32303866 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01381-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Pro-social effects of oxytocin and its homologues are well-documented in birds and mammals. However, in fishes, the effect of isotocin, the homologue of oxytocin, on social behaviour is less clear. Studies in fishes have generally shown no effect of isotocin on social behaviours or even an anti-social effect. In our study, we measured association preference for conspecifics in 92 adult guppies (46 females and 46 males), half of which were injected with isotocin and the other half with an isotocin antagonist. We found that individuals injected with isotocin spent 29% more time associating with conspecifics than individuals injected with an isotocin antagonist. The effect of isotocin on association time did not differ between males and females. Our study provides some of the first evidence of a pro-social effects of isotocin in a fish and suggests that in fishes, isotocin may have a homologous role to oxytocin, at least in promoting shoaling behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Ataei Mehr
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Shawn R Garner
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Bryan D Neff
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
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40
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Singletary B, Tecot S. Multimodal pair-bond maintenance: A review of signaling across modalities in pair-bonded nonhuman primates. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23105. [PMID: 32011759 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Only a handful of primate species exhibit the social relationship of pair-bonding. Efficient communication is critical for behavioral coordination within pair-bonds to maintain proximity and respond appropriately to extra-pair individuals, and possibly coordinate infant care. The use of complex signaling across modalities may help individuals improve communicative outcomes. We review many ways that pair-bonded species use signals to communicate and maintain bonds, though little previous research has taken a truly multimodal approach within a single species. We make a call for further investigation into pair-bonded communication using a multimodal approach to better understand how these species use all their senses to build, maintain, and advertise their bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stacey Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.,Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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41
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Duque JF, Rasmussen T, Rodriguez A, Stevens JR. The role of mesotocin on social bonding in pinyon jays. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan F. Duque
- University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska
- Arcadia University Glenside Pennsylvania
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42
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Huck M, Di Fiore A, Fernandez-Duque E. Of Apples and Oranges? The Evolution of “Monogamy” in Non-human Primates. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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43
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Robinson KJ, Bosch OJ, Levkowitz G, Busch KE, Jarman AP, Ludwig M. Social creatures: Model animal systems for studying the neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12807. [PMID: 31679160 PMCID: PMC6916380 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of animals with conspecifics, termed social behaviour, has a major impact on the survival of many vertebrate species. Neuropeptide hormones modulate the underlying physiology that governs social interactions, and many findings concerning the neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behaviours have been extrapolated from animal models to humans. Neurones expressing neuropeptides show similar distribution patterns within the hypothalamic nucleus, even when evolutionarily distant species are compared. During evolution, hypothalamic neuropeptides and releasing hormones have retained not only their structures, but also their biological functions, including their effects on behaviour. Here, we review the current understanding of the mechanisms of social behaviours in several classes of animals, such as worms, insects and fish, as well as laboratory, wild and domesticated mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J. Robinson
- Sea Mammal Research UnitScottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Oliver J. Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular NeurobiologyUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | | | - Andrew P. Jarman
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Mike Ludwig
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Centre for NeuroendocrinologyDepartment of ImmunologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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Hennessy MB, Tai F, Carter KA, Watanasriyakul WT, Gallimore DM, Molina AL, Schiml PA. Central oxytocin alters cortisol and behavioral responses of guinea pig pups during isolation in a novel environment. Physiol Behav 2019; 212:112710. [PMID: 31629763 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin plays key roles in social bonding and stress reduction, and thus appears to be a likely mediator of maternal buffering of infant stress responses. In the guinea pig, the presence of the mother in a threatening environment buffers cortisol elevations as well as active (vocalizing) and passive (e.g. crouching) responses typical of isolation in this species; yet, effects of OT in guinea pig pups under any conditions have not been reported. Here, we examined the ability of intracerebroventricular (ICV) OT to moderate plasma cortisol levels and behavior in guinea pig pups isolated in a brightly lit, novel environment, and the ability of a highly selective OT antagonist (OTA) to reduce buffering by the mother. We found that ICV OT moderated cortisol levels and vocalizations, but increased time spent in the crouched stance, particularly in females. In addition, OT modulated other ongoing behaviors in a sex-dependent fashion. In females, OT reduced duration of walking and rearing, and increased time spent quiet, while in males OT increased duration of rearing. OTA, however, was without effect on cortisol levels or behavior. These findings, including sex differences in response, extend results from other species to the guinea pig. Further, while demonstrating that exogenous OT is sufficient to reduce biobehavioral stress responses typical of isolated guinea pig infants, the results suggest that endogenous OT is not necessary for maternal buffering of infant responses in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Hennessy
- Department of Psychology, Wright State University, 335 Fawcett Hall, 3640 Col Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435, United States.
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China; Cognition Neuroscience and Learning Division, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, China
| | - Kendra A Carter
- Department of Psychology, Wright State University, 335 Fawcett Hall, 3640 Col Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435, United States
| | - W Tang Watanasriyakul
- Department of Psychology, Wright State University, 335 Fawcett Hall, 3640 Col Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435, United States
| | - Darci M Gallimore
- Department of Psychology, Wright State University, 335 Fawcett Hall, 3640 Col Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435, United States
| | - Andrea L Molina
- Department of Psychology, Wright State University, 335 Fawcett Hall, 3640 Col Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435, United States
| | - Patricia A Schiml
- Department of Psychology, Wright State University, 335 Fawcett Hall, 3640 Col Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435, United States
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Abstract
Abstract
Allogrooming provides a window into the social lives of many group-living mammals and birds. The fitness benefits of allogrooming are encouraged by proximate mechanisms that make it physiologically rewarding for both actors and receivers. However, receivers might not always benefit from allogrooming. Some allogrooming decisions might be the actor’s response to cues of the recipient’s need. Other decisions might only be caused by the actor’s motivational state. To test these ideas, we studied what triggers allogrooming in common vampire bats. In test 1, subjects that had experimentally disturbed and wetted fur were more likely to be allogroomed, even when controlling for increased self-grooming. In test 2, allogrooming rates were elevated not only by receiver self-grooming (a cue for receiver need) but also by the actor’s previous self-grooming. Both effects were significantly greater than the effect of self-grooming by third parties. Interestingly, we detected a negative interaction: the positive effect of receiver need on allogrooming was smaller when the actor was previously self-grooming. This is consistent with the hypothesis that there are “receiver-driven” allogrooming decisions, which are responses to recipient need, and “actor-driven” decisions, which are not. We predict that receiver-driven allogrooming will bestow greater benefits to recipients compared with actor-driven allogrooming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Narizano
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Apartado, Republic of Panama
| | - Gerald G Carter
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Apartado, Republic of Panama
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Berg MR, Heagerty A, Coleman K. Oxytocin and pair compatibility in adult male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e23031. [PMID: 31361040 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Pair housing is considered one of the best ways of promoting psychological wellbeing for caged macaques. However, incompatible partnerships can result in stress or aggression. Though previous studies have analyzed the role of variables such as age, weight, gender, and temperament on pair compatibility, few have examined the relationship between physiological parameters and pair compatibility. Oxytocin is known to promote prosocial nonsexual behavior in various primate species and may serve as an indicator of pair compatibility. In this study, we examined the association between peripheral oxytocin levels and prosocial behaviors in isosexual pairs of male rhesus macaques. We hypothesized that animals that demonstrated high levels of prosocial behaviors would have higher oxytocin levels than those showing low levels of the behavior. In addition, to elucidate the relationship between oxytocin and compatibility, we compared peripheral oxytocin between the highly affiliative animals and single-housed males identified as having multiple unsuccessful pair attempts with multiple partners. We collected plasma oxytocin on 40 pairs of monkeys that had lived together for at least 1 month and 20 single-housed animals. Further, we simultaneously collected behavioral data on the pairs, recording prosocial interactions (e.g., groom, play). Oxytocin varied among individuals, but was highly correlated between members of a pair (r = 0.58, p < .001). Additionally, prosocial behavior was positively correlated with plasma oxytocin (r = 0.38, p < .02). However, contrary to our expectations, oxytocin did not differ between single and highly affiliative pair-housed animals (F(1,38) = 0.71, p = .40). Our results suggest that oxytocin may be associated with the quality of isosexual pairs of male macaques. More work is needed to determine the nature of this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R Berg
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Allison Heagerty
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Kristine Coleman
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon
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Fischer EK, Nowicki JP, O'Connell LA. Evolution of affiliation: patterns of convergence from genomes to behaviour. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180242. [PMID: 31154971 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Affiliative behaviours have evolved many times across animals. Research on the mechanisms underlying affiliative behaviour demonstrates remarkable convergence across species spanning wide evolutionary distances. Shared mechanisms have been identified with genomic approaches analysing genetic variants and gene expression differences as well as neuroendocrine and molecular approaches exploring the role of hormones and signalling molecules. We review the genomic and neural basis of pair bonding and parental care across diverse taxa to shed light on mechanistic patterns that underpin the convergent evolution of affiliative behaviour. We emphasize that mechanisms underlying convergence in complex phenotypes like affiliation should be evaluated on a continuum, where signatures of convergence may vary across levels of biological organization. In particular, additional comparative studies within and across major vertebrate lineages will be essential in resolving when and why shared neural substrates are repeatedly targeted in the independent evolution of affiliation, and how similar mechanisms are evolutionarily tuned to give rise to species-specific variations in behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue 'Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 95305 , USA
| | - Jessica P Nowicki
- Department of Biology, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 95305 , USA
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Carp SB, Taylor JH, French JA. Dopamine receptor manipulation does not alter patterns of partner preference in long-term marmoset pairs. Physiol Behav 2019; 204:290-296. [PMID: 30853621 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between socially monogamous mates is dynamic and regulated by neurobiological influences. Research in rodent models has indicated a key role for the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) and its receptors (DAR) in mediating the formation and maintenance of monogamous bonds. DAR activation was pharmacologically manipulated in marmosets housed in long-term pairs. Marmosets exposed to DAR manipulation were tested in a partner preference test under two social conditions: one in which their mate could visually observe their interactions with an opposite-sex individual, and one in which their pair mate could not visually observe these interactions. Marmosets displayed a spatial preference for the mate compared to an unfamiliar conspecific, however, they displayed a sexual preference for an unfamiliar conspecific over their mate. D1R manipulation had no impact on marmoset partner preference. However, activation of D2Rs reduced the time marmosets spent in contact with either stimulus animal, indicating a decrease in social interest, but did not reduce time spent in proximity to the stimulus animals nor number of sexual solicitations. Additionally, social context (visibility of the mate) did not influence marmoset behavior. These findings suggest that D2Rs may be involved in regulating generalized, but not partner-specific, social interest in marmoset monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Carp
- Department of Psychology, Callitrichid Research Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68182, United States.
| | - Jack H Taylor
- Department of Psychology, Callitrichid Research Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68182, United States
| | - Jeffrey A French
- Department of Psychology, Callitrichid Research Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68182, United States
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Kelly EM. Committed for the long haul: Do nonapeptides regulate long-term pair maintenance in zebra finches? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 276:86-92. [PMID: 30690035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The nonapeptides (oxytocin, vasopressin, and their non-mammalian homologs) regulate a number of social behaviors across vertebrates including monogamous pair bonds in mammals. Recent work on zebra finches has shown an important role for these neurohormones in establishing avian pair bonds as well. However, studies on the role of nonapeptides in maintaining pair bonds after pair formation are lacking. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of an oxytocin receptor antagonist (OTA) on pair maintenance behaviors in the monogamous zebra finch. I injected established zebra finch pairs over three days with either 5 μg of an OTA or a vehicle control, and separated the partners for one hour, after which partners were reunited and their reunion recorded on video for 30 min. Videos were then coded to measure singing, affiliative (allopreening, clumping, following), and aggressive (pecking) behaviors. These behaviors were also measured both on the day before injections to establish a pre-treatment level and two days after the last injection. Control and antagonist treated birds did not differ in the amount of time spent clumping or the frequency of pecking across the experiment. However, both male and female zebra finches that received OTA significantly reduced the amount of time spent following their partner. Females given the OTA treatment reduced allopreening and males given the OTA treatment reduced the frequency of singing bouts directed at their partners relative to controls. These results suggest that the nonapeptides play a role in regulating some, but not all, pair maintenance behaviors in experienced zebra finches.
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Affiliation(s)
- E McKenna Kelly
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Plank Institute, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Seeley G. Mudd Hall, 215 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States.
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50
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Smith MF, Leverett KL, Wilson BJ, Brosnan SF. Capuchin monkeys (
Sapajus
[
Cebus
]
apella
) play Nash equilibria in dynamic games, but their decisions are likely not influenced by oxytocin. Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e22973. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie F. Smith
- Department of Psychology Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia
- Language Research Center Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia
| | | | - Bart J. Wilson
- Economic Science Institute Chapman University Orange California
- Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy Chapman University Orange California
| | - Sarah F. Brosnan
- Department of Psychology Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia
- Language Research Center Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia
- Neuroscience Institute and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia
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