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Borland JM. The effects of different types of social interactions on the electrophysiology of neurons in the nucleus accumbens in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024:105809. [PMID: 39004323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105809] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
BORLAND, J.M., The effects of different types of social interactions on the electrophysiology of neurons in the nucleus accumbens in rodents, NEUROSCI BIOBEH REV 21(1) XXX-XXX, 2024.-Sociality shapes an organisms' life. The nucleus accumbens is a critical brain region for mental health. In the following review, the effects of different types of social interactions on the physiology of neurons in the nucleus accumbens is synthesized. More specifically, the effects of sex behavior, aggression, social defeat, pair-bonding, play behavior, affiliative interactions, parental behaviors, the isolation from social interactions and maternal separation on measures of excitatory synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling and factors of transcription and translation in neurons in the nucleus accumbens in rodent models are reviewed. Similarities and differences in effects depending on the type of social interaction is then discussed. This review improves the understanding of the molecular and synaptic mechanisms of sociality.
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Rappeneau V, Castillo Díaz F. Convergence of oxytocin and dopamine signalling in neuronal circuits: Insights into the neurobiology of social interactions across species. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105675. [PMID: 38608828 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105675] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Social behaviour is essential for animal survival, and the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) critically impacts bonding, parenting, and decision-making. Dopamine (DA), is released by ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons, regulating social cues in the mesolimbic system. Despite extensive exploration of OXT and DA roles in social behaviour independently, limited studies investigate their interplay. This narrative review integrates insights from human and animal studies, particularly rodents, emphasising recent research on pharmacological manipulations of OXT or DA systems in social behaviour. Additionally, we review studies correlating social behaviour with blood/cerebral OXT and DA levels. Behavioural facets include sociability, cooperation, pair bonding and parental care. In addition, we provide insights into OXT-DA interplay in animal models of social stress, autism, and schizophrenia. Emphasis is placed on the complex relationship between the OXT and DA systems and their collective influence on social behaviour across physiological and pathological conditions. Understanding OXT and DA imbalance is fundamental for unravelling the neurobiological underpinnings of social interaction and reward processing deficits observed in psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Rappeneau
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstr. 31, Regensburg 93053, Germany.
| | - Fernando Castillo Díaz
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstr. 31, Regensburg 93053, Germany
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3
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Cid-Jofré V, Bahamondes T, Zúñiga Correa A, Ahumada Arias I, Reyes-Parada M, Renard GM. Psychostimulants and social behaviors. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1364630. [PMID: 38725665 PMCID: PMC11079219 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1364630] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence from animal models and human studies indicates that psychostimulants can significantly affect social behaviors. This is not surprising considering that the neural circuits underlying the regulation and expression of social behaviors are highly overlapped with those targeted by psychostimulants, which in most cases have strong rewarding and, consequently, addictive properties. In the present work, we provide an overview regarding the effects of illicit and prescription psychostimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, methylphenidate or modafinil, upon social behaviors such as social play, maternal behavior, aggression, pair bonding and social cognition and how psychostimulants in both animals and humans alter them. Finally, we discuss why these effects can vary depending on numerous variables such as the type of drug considered, acute versus long-term use, clinical versus recreational consumption, or the presence or absence of concomitant risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeska Cid-Jofré
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Tamara Bahamondes
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Agustina Zúñiga Correa
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ivalú Ahumada Arias
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Reyes-Parada
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
| | - Georgina M. Renard
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
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4
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Lee-Cheong S, Ludgate SA, Epp TCM, Schütz CG. The effectiveness of oxytocin in the treatment of stimulant use disorders: a systematic review. Behav Pharmacol 2023; 34:381-392. [PMID: 37462158 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this review is to examine human study evidence on the effectiveness of oxytocin in this patient population. Despite stimulant use disorder being a major public health concern, there are no validated pharmacological treatments. Psychosocial interventions show limited effectiveness especially in the more severe cases of stimulant use disorder, whereas animal models suggest that oxytocin may be a useful treatment. METHODS A literature search using Medline, Embase, and PsychInfo was undertaken. Search results were subsequently imported into Covidence to identify relevant studies. RESULTS Six studies were included in this review, two of which were pilot studies. Although oxytocin was well tolerated across studies, no study showed a statistically significant reduction in reported cocaine use or cravings. One study suggested oxytocin increased the desire to use cocaine, although the population of participants should be taken into consideration. In contrast, one study showed a trend towards reduced self-reported cocaine use. CONCLUSION Available research does not support the use of oxytocin in the management of stimulant use disorder; however, included studies are small in sample size and limited in number. There were several noteworthy findings unrelated to this review's primary and secondary outcomes, which are of interest and warrant further research. We provide suggestions for future studies in this area of research. Considering the limited data available at this time, further studies are required before any definitive conclusions can be made regarding the use of oxytocin in stimulant use disorder management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Lee-Cheong
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
- Department of Public Health, King's College London, Strand, London, UK
| | - Sacha A Ludgate
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Tanisse C M Epp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
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Waddell NJ, Liu Y, Chitaman JM, Kaplan GJ, Wang Z, Feng J. Transcription and DNA methylation signatures of paternal behavior in hippocampal dentate gyrus of prairie voles. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11020. [PMID: 37419920 PMCID: PMC10328943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37521-2] [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] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), parental behaviors not only occur in mothers and fathers, but also exist in some virgin males. In contrast, the other virgin males display aggressive behaviors towards conspecific pups. However, little is known about the molecular underpinnings of this behavioral dichotomy, such as gene expression changes and their regulatory mechanisms. To address this, we profiled the transcriptome and DNA methylome of hippocampal dentate gyrus of four prairie vole groups, namely attacker virgin males, parental virgin males, fathers, and mothers. While we found a concordant gene expression pattern between parental virgin males and fathers, the attacker virgin males have a more deviated transcriptome. Moreover, numerous DNA methylation changes were found in pair-wise comparisons among the four groups. We found some DNA methylation changes overlapping with transcription differences, across gene-bodies and promoter regions. Furthermore, the gene expression changes and methylome alterations are selectively enriched in certain biological pathways, such as Wnt signaling, which suggest a canonical transcription regulatory role of DNA methylation in paternal behavior. Therefore, our study presents an integrated view of prairie vole dentate gyrus transcriptome and epigenome that provides a DNA epigenetic based molecular insight of paternal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Waddell
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Javed M Chitaman
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Graham J Kaplan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
| | - Jian Feng
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
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Walsh JJ, Christoffel DJ, Malenka RC. Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:79-89. [PMID: 35701550 PMCID: PMC9700801 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Positive, prosocial interactions are essential for survival, development, and well-being. These intricate and complex behaviors are mediated by an amalgamation of neural circuit mechanisms working in concert. Impairments in prosocial behaviors, which occur in a large number of neuropsychiatric disorders, result from disruption of the coordinated activity of these neural circuits. In this review, we focus our discussion on recent findings that utilize modern approaches in rodents to map, monitor, and manipulate neural circuits implicated in a variety of prosocial behaviors. We highlight how modulation by oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in specific brain regions is critical for regulation of adaptive prosocial interactions. We then describe how recent findings have helped elucidate pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the social deficits that accompany neuropsychiatric disorders. We conclude by discussing approaches for the development of more efficacious and targeted therapeutic interventions to ameliorate aberrant prosocial behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Walsh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
| | - Daniel J Christoffel
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305-5453, USA.
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7
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Liu Y, Pan Y, Curtis TJ, Wang Z. Amphetamine exposure alters behaviors, and neuronal and neurochemical activation in the brain of female prairie voles. Neuroscience 2022; 498:73-84. [PMID: 35798262 PMCID: PMC9420825 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that 3-day d-amphetamine (AMPH) treatment effectively induced conditioned place preferences (CPP) and impaired pair bonding behaviors in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Using this established animal model and treatment regimen, we examined the effects of the demonstrated threshold rewarding dose of AMPH on various behaviors and their potential underlying neurochemical systems in the brain of female prairie voles. Our data show that 3-day AMPH injections (0.2 mg/kg/day) impaired social recognition and decreased depressive-like behavior in females without affecting their locomotion and anxiety-like behaviors. AMPH treatment also decreased neuronal activation indicated by the labeling of the early growth response protein 1 (Egr-1) as well as the number of neurons double-labeled for Egr-1 and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) in the brain. Further, AMPH treatment decreased the number of neurons double-labeled for Egr-1 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) but did not affect oxytocinergic neurons in the PVN or cell proliferation and neurogenesis markers in the DG. These data not only demonstrate potential roles of the brain CRH and dopamine systems in mediating disrupted social recognition and depressive-like behaviors by AMPH in female prairie voles, but also further confirm the utility of the prairie vole model for studying interactions between psychostimulants and social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Yongliang Pan
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Thomas J Curtis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74107, USA
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
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8
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Biggs LM, Hammock EAD. Oxytocin via oxytocin receptor excites neurons in the endopiriform nucleus of juvenile mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11401. [PMID: 35794163 PMCID: PMC9259672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15390-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) modulates social behaviors across species and may play a developmental role for these behaviors and their mediating neural pathways. Despite having high, stable levels of OXT receptor (OXTR) ligand binding from birth, endopiriform nucleus (EPN) remains understudied. EPN integrates olfactory and gustatory input and has reciprocal connections with several limbic areas. Because the role of OXTR signaling in EPN is unknown, we sought to provide anatomical and electrophysiological information about OXTR signaling in mouse EPN neurons. Using in situ hybridization, we found that most EPN neurons co-express Oxtr mRNA and the marker for VGLUT1, a marker for glutamatergic cells. Based on high levels of OXTR ligand binding in EPN, we hypothesized that oxytocin application would modulate activity in these cells as measured by whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Bath application of OXT and an OXTR specific ligand (TGOT) increased the excitability of EPN neurons in wild-type, but not in OXTR-knockout (KO) tissue. These results show an effect of OXT on a mainly VGLUT1+ cell population within EPN. Given the robust, relatively stable OXTR expression in EPN throughout life, OXTR in this multi-sensory and limbic integration area may be important for modulating activity in response to an array of social or other salient stimuli throughout the lifespan and warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M Biggs
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A D Hammock
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
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9
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Yaw AM, Glass JD, Prosser RA, Caldwell HK. Paternal Cocaine in Mice Alters Social Behavior and Brain Oxytocin Receptor Density in First Generation Offspring. Neuroscience 2022; 485:65-77. [PMID: 35063583 PMCID: PMC8866213 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.010] [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: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that the damaging effects of drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, can extend beyond the user to their offspring. While most preclinical models of the generational effects of cocaine abuse have focused on maternal effects, we, and others, report distinct effects on offspring sired by fathers treated with cocaine prior to breeding. However, little is known about the effects of paternal cocaine use on first generation (F1) offspring's social behaviors. Here, we expand upon our model of oral self-administered paternal cocaine use to address the idea that paternal cocaine alters first generation offspring social behaviors through modulation of the oxytocin system. F1 cocaine-sired males displayed unaltered social recognition vs. non-cocaine sired controls but showed increased investigation times that were not related to altered olfaction. Paternal cocaine did not alter F1 male-aggression behavior or depression-like behaviors, but cocaine-sired males did display decreased anxiety-like behaviors. Female F1 behavior was similarly examined, but there were no effects of paternal cocaine. Cocaine-sired male mice also exhibited localized oxytocin receptor expression differences vs. controls in several brain regions regulating social behavior. These results provide evidence for effects of paternal cocaine exposure on social behaviors in male offspring with associated alterations in central oxytocin transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Yaw
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio 44242,Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, United States
| | - J. David Glass
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio 44242
| | - Rebecca A. Prosser
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, and the NeuroNET Research Center, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Heather K. Caldwell
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio 44242,Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, United States,Corresponding Author Dr. Heather K. Caldwell, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, OH 44242, 330-672-3636,
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10
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Poisson CL, Engel L, Saunders BT. Dopamine Circuit Mechanisms of Addiction-Like Behaviors. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:752420. [PMID: 34858143 PMCID: PMC8631198 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.752420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Addiction is a complex disease that impacts millions of people around the world. Clinically, addiction is formalized as substance use disorder (SUD), with three primary symptom categories: exaggerated substance use, social or lifestyle impairment, and risky substance use. Considerable efforts have been made to model features of these criteria in non-human animal research subjects, for insight into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Here we review evidence from rodent models of SUD-inspired criteria, focusing on the role of the striatal dopamine system. We identify distinct mesostriatal and nigrostriatal dopamine circuit functions in behavioral outcomes that are relevant to addictions and SUDs. This work suggests that striatal dopamine is essential for not only positive symptom features of SUDs, such as elevated intake and craving, but also for impairments in decision making that underlie compulsive behavior, reduced sociality, and risk taking. Understanding the functional heterogeneity of the dopamine system and related networks can offer insight into this complex symptomatology and may lead to more targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carli L. Poisson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Liv Engel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Benjamin T. Saunders
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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11
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Birnbaum GE, Kanat-Maymon Y, Slotter EB, Luchies LB. Sexual Desire Mediates the Relationship-Promoting Effects of Perceived Partner Mate Value. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:3733-3755. [PMID: 34727283 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02060-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although sexual desire for one's partner is theorized to serve as a gut-level indicator of partner mate value that motivates investment in valued partners, there is scant empirical evidence to support this hypothesis. Five studies addressed this possibility, examining whether experiencing sexual desire encouraged the enactment of relationship-promoting behaviors and whether perceptions of partner mate value motivated this proposed process. In a pilot study and Study 1, participants relived an activity they experienced with their partner, which was either sexual or non-sexual. Then, participants rated their desire to engage in sex and other non-sexual relationship-promoting activities with their partner (pilot study) and their partner's responsiveness to personal disclosures. Participants' enacted responsiveness was also evaluated by judges (Study 1). Results showed that experiences of desire enhanced relationship-promoting tendencies. Using experimental, daily experiences, and longitudinal methods, Studies 2-4 extended these findings, indicating that both manipulated and perceived partner mate value predicted desire, which, in turn, was associated with engagement in relationship-promoting behaviors. These findings demonstrate that sexual desire functions as a mechanism encouraging investment in partners who are perceived to be worth pursuing and retaining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurit E Birnbaum
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, P.O. Box 167, 46150, Herzliya, Israel.
| | - Yaniv Kanat-Maymon
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, P.O. Box 167, 46150, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Erica B Slotter
- Department of Psychology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Laura B Luchies
- Center for Social Research, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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12
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Che X, Cai J, Liu Y, Xu T, Yang J, Wu C. Oxytocin signaling in the treatment of drug addiction: Therapeutic opportunities and challenges. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 223:107820. [PMID: 33600854 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Despite great advances were achieved in understanding the neurobiology of drug addiction, the therapeutic options are severely limited, with poor effectiveness and serious side effects. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) is well known for its effects on uterine contraction, sexual/maternal behaviors, social affiliation, stress and learning/memory by interacting with the OXT receptor and other neuromodulators. Emerging evidence suggests that the acute or chronic exposure to drugs can affect the OXT system. Additionally, OXT administration can ameliorate a wide range of abused drug-induced neurobehavioral changes. Overall, OXT not only suppresses drug reward in the binge stage of drug addiction, but also reduces stress responses and social impairments during the withdrawal stage and, finally, prevents drug/cue/stress-induced reinstatement. More importantly, clinical studies have also shown that OXT can exert beneficial effects on reducing substance use disorders of a series of drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, alcohol, cannabis and nicotine. Thus, the present review focuses on the role of OXT in treating drug addiction, including the preclinical and clinical therapeutic potential of OXT and its analogs on the neurobiological perspectives of drugs, to provide a better insight of the efficacy of OXT as a clinical addiction therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohang Che
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacodynamics Evaluation of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Jialing Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Yueyang Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacodynamics Evaluation of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Tianyu Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Jingyu Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacodynamics Evaluation of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China.
| | - Chunfu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacodynamics Evaluation of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China.
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13
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Loth MK, Donaldson ZR. Oxytocin, Dopamine, and Opioid Interactions Underlying Pair Bonding: Highlighting a Potential Role for Microglia. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6046188. [PMID: 33367612 PMCID: PMC7787427 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pair bonds represent some of the strongest attachments we form as humans. These relationships positively modulate health and well-being. Conversely, the loss of a spouse is an emotionally painful event that leads to numerous deleterious physiological effects, including increased risk for cardiac dysfunction and mental illness. Much of our understanding of the neuroendocrine basis of pair bonding has come from studies of monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), laboratory-amenable rodents that, unlike laboratory mice and rats, form lifelong pair bonds. Specifically, research using prairie voles has delineated a role for multiple neuromodulatory and neuroendocrine systems in the formation and maintenance of pair bonds, including the oxytocinergic, dopaminergic, and opioidergic systems. However, while these studies have contributed to our understanding of selective attachment, few studies have examined how interactions among these 3 systems may be essential for expression of complex social behaviors, such as pair bonding. Therefore, in this review, we focus on how the social neuropeptide, oxytocin, interacts with classical reward system modulators, including dopamine and endogenous opioids, during bond formation and maintenance. We argue that an understanding of these interactions has important clinical implications and is required to understand the evolution and encoding of complex social behaviors more generally. Finally, we provide a brief consideration of future directions, including a discussion of the possible roles that glia, specifically microglia, may have in modulating social behavior by acting as a functional regulator of these 3 neuromodulatory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith K Loth
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Zoe R Donaldson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Correspondence: Zoe R. Donaldson, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder, 347 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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14
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Salles J, Lacassagne E, Eddiry S, Franchitto N, Salles JP, Tauber M. What can we learn from PWS and SNORD116 genes about the pathophysiology of addictive disorders? Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:51-59. [PMID: 33082508 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00917-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Addictive disorders have been much investigated and many studies have underlined the role of environmental factors such as social interaction in the vulnerability to and maintenance of addictive behaviors. Research on addiction pathophysiology now suggests that certain behavioral disorders are addictive, one example being food addiction. Yet, despite the growing body of knowledge on addiction, it is still unknown why only some of the individuals exposed to a drug become addicted to it. This observation has prompted the consideration of genetic heritage, neurodevelopmental trajectories, and gene-environment interactions in addiction vulnerability. Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder in which children become addicted to food and show early social impairment. PWS is caused by the deficiency of imprinted genes located on the 15q11-q13 chromosome. Among them, the SNORD116 gene was identified as the minimal gene responsible for the PWS phenotype. Several studies have also indicated the role of the Snord116 gene in animal and cellular models to explain PWS pathophysiology and phenotype (including social impairment and food addiction). We thus present here the evidence suggesting the potential involvement of the SNORD116 gene in addictive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Salles
- Université de Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France.,CHU de Toulouse, Service de psychiatrie et psychologie, psychiatrie Toulouse, F-31000, Toulouse, France.,Inserm Unité 1043, CNRS 5828, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France.,CHU de Toulouse, Institut des Handicaps Neurologiques, Psychiatriques et Sensoriels, F-31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Emmanuelle Lacassagne
- Inserm Unité 1043, CNRS 5828, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Sanaa Eddiry
- Inserm Unité 1043, CNRS 5828, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Nicolas Franchitto
- Université de Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France.,CHU de Toulouse, Service d'addictologie clinique, urgences réanimation médecine, F-31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Salles
- Inserm Unité 1043, CNRS 5828, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Maithé Tauber
- Université de Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France. .,Inserm Unité 1043, CNRS 5828, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, F-31000, Toulouse, France. .,CHU de Toulouse, Institut des Handicaps Neurologiques, Psychiatriques et Sensoriels, F-31000, Toulouse, France. .,CHU de Toulouse, Centre de référence du Syndrome de Prader-Willi et autres syndromes avec troubles du comportement alimentaire, Unité d'endocrinologie, obésités, maladies osseuses, génétique et gynécologie médicale, F-31000, Toulouse, France.
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15
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Ferreyra E, Pasquetta L, Ramirez A, Wille-Bille A, Molina JC, Miranda-Morales RS. Biparental care in C57BL/6J mice: effects on adolescent behavior and alcohol consumption. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:1841-1850. [PMID: 32173769 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05501-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Social attachment plays an important role in offspring development. Different parenting experiences during lactation may shape offspring behavior and later alcohol use. OBJECTIVES We tested the hypothesis that differential rearing conditions (single mother, SM or biparental, BP) in the non-monogamous C57BL/6J mice may affect (1) parental behavior during lactation, (2) adolescent behavior, and (3) adolescent initiation of alcohol drinking. METHODS Mice were reared in SM or BP (cohabitation of father-mother since copulation) condition until weaning (postnatal day, PND, 21). Litters from both conditions were filmed during PNDs 6, 9, and 12 and an ethogram was made taking into account nest-, pup-, or self-directed behaviors. At PNDs, 28-29 adolescent animals were evaluated in a modified version of the concentric square field for measurement of behavioral patterns. Other groups of adolescents were tested in a 4-h daily, two-bottle choice alcohol consumption test (10% alcohol vs. water) during 3 weeks (4 days per week). RESULTS Single mothers spent less time in the nest, left unattended the nest more times, displayed more self-directed and less pup-directed behaviors than BP parents. SM-reared adolescents displayed more anxiogenic-like and less risk-associated behaviors than BP counterparts. The alcohol consumption test indicated a strong effect of rearing condition. Since the fifth day of test, SM adolescents consumed more quantities of alcohol than BP adolescents. CONCLUSIONS During single-mother parenting, pups are left unattended more often, and during adolescence, these organisms exhibited increased anxiety responses. This behavioral phenotype may act as a risk factor for alcohol initiation during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Ferreyra
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Lucila Pasquetta
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Abraham Ramirez
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Aranza Wille-Bille
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan Carlos Molina
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Roberto Sebastián Miranda-Morales
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina.
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16
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Peris J, Steck MR, Krause EG. Oxytocin treatment for alcoholism: Potential neurocircuitry targets. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108091. [PMID: 32304701 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108091] [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: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) has gained considerable interest in recent years as a potential treatment for alcoholism and other substance use disorders. Evidence continues to mount that OT administered either centrally, peripherally or intranasally can decrease ethanol intake in both humans and animal models. The potential mechanisms for the ability of OT to decrease ethanol reward, and importantly, cue- and stress-induced ethanol relapse, are explored by reviewing the specific neuronal circuits involved in mediating these actions and their sensitivity to OT. In addition to dopamine neurons that project from ventral tegmental area (VTA) to nucleus accumbens (NAc) to signal positively reinforcing events, OT receptors (OxTR) are also expressed by dopamine neurons that project from VTA to brain regions that can convey aversive properties of a stimulus. Moreover, OxTR are expressed by non-dopaminergic neurons in the VTA, such as GABA and glutamate neurons, which can both modulate the activity of dopamine VTA neurons locally (in opposite directions) or can project to other brain regions, including the NAc, where it can alter either positive reinforcement or aversion caused by ethanol. The ability of OT to regulate limbic circuitry and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is discussed as a potential mechanism for the ability of OT to inhibit ethanol-induced negative reinforcement. Together, understanding the diversity and complexity of OT regulation of ethanol reward may contribute to more effective use of OT as pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Peris
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Madeline R Steck
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Eric G Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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17
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Social Stimuli Induce Activation of Oxytocin Neurons Within the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus to Promote Social Behavior in Male Mice. J Neurosci 2020; 40:2282-2295. [PMID: 32024781 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1515-18.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is critical for the expression of social behavior across a wide array of species; however, the role of this system in the encoding of socially relevant information is not well understood. In the present study, we show that chemogenetic activation of OT neurons within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) of male mice (OT-Ires-Cre) enhanced social investigation during a social choice test, while chemogenetic inhibition of these neurons abolished typical social preferences. These data suggest that activation of the OT system is necessary to direct behavior preferentially toward social stimuli. To determine whether the presence of a social stimulus is sufficient to induce activation of PVH-OT neurons, we performed the first definitive recording of OT neurons in awake mice using two-photon calcium imaging. These recordings demonstrate that social stimuli activate PVH-OT neurons and that these neurons differentially encode social and nonsocial stimuli, suggesting that PVH-OT neurons may act to convey social salience of environmental stimuli. Finally, an attenuation of social salience is associated with social disorders, such as autism. We therefore also examined possible OT system dysfunction in a mouse model of autism, Shank3b knock-out (KO) mice. Male Shank3b KO mice showed a marked reduction in PVH-OT neuron number and administration of an OT receptor agonist improved social deficits. Overall, these data suggest that the presence of a social stimulus induces activation of the PVH-OT neurons to promote adaptive social behavior responses.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Although the oxytocin (OT) system is well known to regulate a diverse array of social behaviors, the mechanism in which OT acts to promote the appropriate social response is poorly understood. One hypothesis is that the presence of social conspecifics activates the OT system to generate an adaptive social response. Here, we selectively recorded from OT neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) to show that social stimulus exposure indeed induces activation of the OT system. We also show that activation of the OT system is necessary to promote social behavior and that mice with abnormal social behavior have reduced numbers of PVH-OT neurons. Finally, aberrant social behavior in these mice was rescued by administration of an OT receptor agonist.
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18
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Walcott AT, Ryabinin AE. Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Pair Bond Maintenance and Potential Neural Substrates in Female Prairie Voles. Alcohol Alcohol 2020; 54:353-360. [PMID: 31062856 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agz041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Discordant heavy alcohol use is a risk factor for disruption of intimate partner relationships. Modeling these relationships in prairie voles indicates that biological effects of alcohol can contribute to this risk. In particular, alcohol consumption disrupted an established preference for a female partner in male prairie voles if the partner was drinking water, but not if the partner was drinking alcohol. The current study investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on pair bonds in female prairie voles. METHODS Female and male prairie voles established pair bonds during 1 week of cohabitation. Following cohabitation, females and their partners were put into mesh-divided cages where they were given access to 10% ethanol and water or only water for 1 week. Pair bonds in female prairie voles were tested using the partner preference test (PPT). Following the PPT, we examined oxytocin, vasopressin and FosB immunoreactivity across several brain regions. RESULTS Female prairie voles consumed more alcohol if their male partner was also drinking alcohol, but not if their partner was drinking water. During PPT, females preferred their partner over a stranger, regardless of their partner's drinking status. Alcohol consumption decreased oxytocin immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and increased FosB immunoreactivity in the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus. CONCLUSIONS Established partner preference in female prairie voles is resistant to alcohol consumption. This finding suggests that the risk for disruption of intimate partner relationships in females is not mediated by a decreased motivation to be with their partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre T Walcott
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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19
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Potretzke S, Ryabinin AE. The Prairie Vole Model of Pair-Bonding and Its Sensitivity to Addictive Substances. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2477. [PMID: 31780991 PMCID: PMC6851057 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is an extensively studied model for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying social affiliations and pair bonds. With clearly observed face and construct validity, this species offers translational insights into mechanisms involved in intimate relationships in humans. Moreover, the prairie vole model promises to advance our understanding – as well as allow for predictions – of the effects of extraneous factors (not normally encountered in nature) on such relationships. This mini review describes some of the neurobiological mechanisms regulating social affiliation in prairie voles, followed by an overview of the effects of alcohol and other drugs of abuse on formation and maintenance of pair-bonds. Based on available literature, we demonstrate that the effects of such extraneous factors on formation and maintenance of pair-bonds are sex-dependent, as well as dependent on the specific nature of the addictive drug. In turn, the lack of similarities in effects of different addictive substances on pair-bond formation suggests that these substances engage different neurocircuits that may or may not overlap with neurocircuits involved in various social behaviors. This lack of consistency of effects across studied drugs of abuse indicates the need to further examine the effects of individual drugs on affiliative behaviors. We highlight the deficiencies in this field of research, particularly the sparsity of studies on effects of drugs of abuse on the maintenance of established bonds. Future investigations in this field could help design strategies to help afflicted individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Potretzke
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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20
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Lee MR, Rohn MC, Zanettini C, Coggiano MA, Leggio L, Tanda G. Effect of systemically administered oxytocin on dose response for methylphenidate self-administration and mesolimbic dopamine levels. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1455:173-184. [PMID: 31074517 PMCID: PMC10014164 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) alters behaviors related to the administration of drugs of abuse, including stimulants. OT also plays a key role in social bonding, which involves an interaction between OT and dopamine (DA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The nature of the interaction between OT and DA in the striatum in the context of psychostimulants is unclear. We investigated the effect of OT, delivered intraperitoneally, on the methylphenidate (MP) dose-response function for self-administration in rats. Food was used as a control condition. In a microdialysis study, we measured the effect of intraperitoneal OT on MP-stimulated striatal DA levels. Systemic OT pretreatment caused a downward shift in the MP dose-response function for self-administration, while having no effect on motor activity. OT also caused a reduction in food self-administration, although a significantly higher dose of OT was required for this effect compared with that required for a reduction of MP self-administration. Systemic OT pretreatment caused a potentiation of MP-stimulated DA levels in the NAc shell but not in the core. The significance of these findings is discussed, including the potential of OT as a therapeutic agent for addictive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary R. Lee
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Basic Research and National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Matthew C.H. Rohn
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Basic Research and National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Claudio Zanettini
- Medications Development Program, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Mark A. Coggiano
- Medications Development Program, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Basic Research and National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Medications Development Program, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Gianluigi Tanda
- Medications Development Program, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
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21
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Li Q, Zhang B, Cao H, Liu W, Guo F, Shen F, Ye B, Liu H, Li Y, Liu Z. Oxytocin Exerts Antidepressant-like effect by potentiating dopaminergic synaptic transmission in the mPFC. Neuropharmacology 2019; 162:107836. [PMID: 31682854 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and dopamine (DA) are two important elements that are closely related to mental and reward processes in the brain. OT controlled DA functional regulation contributes to various behaviours such as social reward, social cognition and emotion-related behaviours. Previous studies indicated that diminished dopaminergic transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is correlated with the pathophysiology of depression. However, the interaction of OT and DA and their roles in antidepressant effects still require further exploration. Here, we investigated the antidepressant effect of OT through local mPFC administration, and further explored the underlying mechanisms that indicated that OT could strengthen dopaminergic synaptic transmission with OT receptor (OTR) activation dependent in the mPFC. Our results showed that local administration of OT in the mPFC exerts antidepressant (-like) effects in both naïve and social defeat stress (SDS) depressive animal model. Mechanism study suggested that OT enhances DA level with OTR activation dependent, and elevated mPFC DA levels might further enhance excitatory synaptic transmission by activating the D1/PKA/DARPP32 intracellular signalling pathway in the mPFC. Hence, our study revealed that the activation of OTR strengthens excitatory synaptic transmission via the potentiation of dopaminergic synaptic transmission, especially via D1R activation dependent, in the mPFC, which may be the underlying mechanism of antidepressant (-like) effects mediated by OT. With specifically activation of the D1/PKA/DAPRR32 signalling pathway, our results may augment the important role of OT in reward circuits in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China.
| | - Hang Cao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Fei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fuyi Shen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Binglu Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Shanghai Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yang Li
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China; Anesthesia and Brain Function Research Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, China.
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22
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He Z, Young L, Ma XM, Guo Q, Wang L, Yang Y, Luo L, Yuan W, Li L, Zhang J, Hou W, Qiao H, Jia R, Tai F. Increased anxiety and decreased sociability induced by paternal deprivation involve the PVN-PrL OTergic pathway. eLife 2019; 8:44026. [PMID: 31084703 PMCID: PMC6516825 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early adverse experiences often have devastating consequences. However, whether preweaning paternal deprivation (PD) affects emotional and social behaviors and their underlying neural mechanisms remain unexplored. Using monogamous mandarin voles, we found that PD increased anxiety-like behavior and attenuated social preference in adulthood. PD also decreased the number of oxytocin (OT)-positive neurons projecting from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and reduced the levels of the medial prefrontal cortex OT receptor protein in females and of the OT receptor and V1a receptor proteins in males. Intra-prelimbic cortical OT injections reversed the PD-induced changes in anxiety-like behavior and social preferences. Optogenetic activation of the prelimbic cortex OT terminals from PVN OT neurons reversed the PD-induced changes in emotion and social preference behaviors, whereas optogenetic inhibition was anxiogenic and impaired social preference in naive voles. These findings demonstrate that PD increases anxiety-like behavior and attenuates social preferences through the involvement of PVN OT neuron projections to the prelimbic cortex. Parental care early in life is essential for normal development of the brain in humans and some other animals. It also lays the ground work for healthy behaviors later in life. Many studies have looked at the importance of a mother’s care, but less attention has been paid to the role played by fathers. Research shows that children who grow up without a father are at risk of emotional and behavioral problems later in life. But it is not clear how missing a father’s care affects brain development. Oxytocin, a chemical produced by a part of the brain called the paraventricular nucleus, plays a key role in parental bonding. Another part of the brain called the prelimbic cortex regulates many emotions and many complex behaviors. Studying animals, like the mandarin vole, that form strong bonds with both parents is one way to learn more about how the loss of paternal care affects oxytocin or emotional and behavioral health. Now, He et al. show that mandarin voles raised without a father are more anxious and socialize less with other voles than those raised with a father. The voles deprived of paternal care also have fewer oxytocin-producing cells in the paraventricular nucleus and fewer receptors for oxytocin in the prelimbic cortex. Injecting oxytocin into the prelimbic cortex eliminated the anxious and antisocial behavior seen in the voles lacking paternal care. Using a technique called optogenetics to restore the release of oxytocin in the prelimbic cortex reduced anxious behavior and restored normal social interactions. Using the same approach to interfere with communication between the paraventricular nucleus and prelimbic cortex in voles raised with a father also triggered anxious and antisocial behavior. The experiments reveal that fathers play an important role in brain and behavioral development in mandarin voles. He et al. show that a lack of paternal care leads to deficits in oxytocin and a poor communication between the paraventricular nucleus and prelimbic cortex that contribute to emotional and social abnormalities in the voles. More studies are needed to determine father’s care has similar effects in humans. But if this relationship is confirmed, it might lead scientists to develop new strategies for treating psychiatric disorders in people deprived of paternal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Larry Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, United States.,Center for Social Neural Networks, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Xin-Ming Ma
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, United States
| | - Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Luo Luo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Qiao
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
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23
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Oxytocin attenuates phencyclidine hyperactivity and increases social interaction and nucleus accumben dopamine release in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:295-305. [PMID: 30120410 PMCID: PMC6300530 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0171-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The pituitary neuropeptide oxytocin promotes social behavior, and is a potential adjunct therapy for social deficits in schizophrenia and autism. Oxytocin may mediate pro-social effects by modulating monoamine release in limbic and cortical areas, which was investigated herein using in vivo microdialysis, after establishing a dose that did not produce accompanying sedative or thermoregulatory effects that could concomitantly influence behavior. The effects of oxytocin (0.03-0.3 mg/kg subcutaneous) on locomotor activity, core body temperature, and social behavior (social interaction and ultrasonic vocalizations) were examined in adult male Lister-hooded rats, using selective antagonists to determine the role of oxytocin and vasopressin V1a receptors. Dopamine and serotonin efflux in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens of conscious rats were assessed using microdialysis. 0.3 mg/kg oxytocin modestly reduced activity and caused hypothermia but only the latter was attenuated by the V1a receptor antagonist, SR49059 (1 mg/kg intraperitoneal). Oxytocin at 0.1 mg/kg, which did not alter activity and had little effect on temperature, significantly attenuated phencyclidine-induced hyperactivity and increased social interaction between unfamiliar rats without altering the number or pattern of ultrasonic vocalizations. In the same rats, oxytocin (0.1 mg/kg) selectively elevated dopamine overflow in the nucleus accumbens, but not prefrontal cortex, without influencing serotonin efflux. Systemic oxytocin administration attenuated phencyclidine-induced hyperactivity and increased pro-social behavior without decreasing core body temperature and selectively enhanced nucleus accumbens dopamine release, consistent with activation of mesocorticolimbic circuits regulating associative/reward behavior being involved. This highlights the therapeutic potential of oxytocin to treat social behavioral deficits seen in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.
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24
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Strathearn L, Mertens CE, Mayes L, Rutherford H, Rajhans P, Xu G, Potenza MN, Kim S. Pathways Relating the Neurobiology of Attachment to Drug Addiction. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:737. [PMID: 31780957 PMCID: PMC6857543 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders constitute a significant public health problem in North America and worldwide. Specifically, substance addictions in women during pregnancy or in the postpartum period have adverse effects not only on the mother, but also on mother-infant attachment and the child's subsequent development. Additionally, there is growing evidence suggesting that parental addiction may be transmitted intergenerationally, where the child of parents with addiction problems is more likely to experience addiction as an adult. The current review takes a developmental perspective and draws from animal and human studies to examine how compromised early experience, including insecure attachment, early abuse/neglect, and unresolved trauma, may influence the development of neurobiological pathways associated with addictions, ultimately increasing one's susceptibility to addictions later in life. We approach this from three different levels: molecular, neuroendocrine and behavioral; and examine the oxytocin affiliation system, dopamine reward system, and glucocorticoid stress response system in this regard. Increased understanding of these underlying mechanisms may help identify key targets for early prevention efforts and inform needed intervention strategies related to both insecure attachment and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lane Strathearn
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Carol E Mertens
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Linda Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Helena Rutherford
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Purva Rajhans
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Guifeng Xu
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and the National Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sohye Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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25
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Goncalves TM, Southey BR, Rodriguez-Zas SL. Interplay Between Amphetamine and Activity Level in Gene Networks of the Mouse Striatum. Bioinform Biol Insights 2018; 12:1177932218815152. [PMID: 30559594 PMCID: PMC6291885 DOI: 10.1177/1177932218815152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The psychostimulant amphetamine can be prescribed to ameliorate the symptoms of narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and to facilitate weight loss. This stimulant can also have negative effects including toxicity and addiction risk. The impact of amphetamine on gene networks is partially understood and this study addresses this gap in consideration of the physical activity. The striata of mice exposed to either amphetamine or saline treatment were compared in a mouse line selected for home cage physical overactivity, a phenotype that can be mitigated with amphetamine, and in a contemporary control line using RNA-seq. Genes presenting opposite expression patterns between treatments across lines included a pseudogene of coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix domain containing 2 gene (Chchd2), ribonuclease P RNA component H1 (Rpph1), short stature homeobox 2 (Shox2), transient receptor potential melastatin 6 (Trpm6), and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 9 (Tnfrsf9). Genes presenting consistent treatment patterns across lines, albeit at different levels of significance included cholecystokinin (Cck), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (Vip), arginine vasopressin (Avp), oxytocin/neurophysin (Oxt), thyrotropin releasing hormone (Trh), neurotensin (Nts), angiotensinogen (Agt), galanin (Gal), prolactin receptor (Prlr), and calcitonin receptor (Calcr). Potassium inwardly rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 6 (Kcnj6), and retinoic acid-related (RAR)-related orphan receptor alpha (Rora) were similarly differentially expressed between treatments across lines. Functional categories enriched among the genes presenting line-dependent amphetamine effect included genes coding for neuropeptides and associated with memory and neuroplasticity and synaptic signaling, energy, and redox processes. A line-dependent association between amphetamine exposure and the synaptic signaling genes neurogranin (Nrgn) and synaptic membrane exocytosis 1(Rims1) was highlighted in the gene networks. Our findings advance the understanding of molecular players and networks affected by amphetamine in support of the development of activity-targeted therapies that may capitalize on the benefits of this psychostimulant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tassia M Goncalves
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Bruce R Southey
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sandra L Rodriguez-Zas
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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26
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Xin F, Zhou F, Zhou X, Ma X, Geng Y, Zhao W, Yao S, Dong D, Biswal BB, Kendrick KM, Becker B. Oxytocin Modulates the Intrinsic Dynamics Between Attention-Related Large-Scale Networks. Cereb Cortex 2018; 31:1848-1860. [PMID: 30535355 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention and salience processing have been linked to the intrinsic between- and within-network dynamics of large-scale networks engaged in internal (default network [DN]) and external attention allocation (dorsal attention network [DAN] and salience network [SN]). The central oxytocin (OXT) system appears ideally organized to modulate widely distributed neural systems and to regulate the switch between internal attention and salient stimuli in the environment. The current randomized placebo (PLC)-controlled between-subject pharmacological resting-state fMRI study in N = 187 (OXT, n = 94; PLC, n = 93; single-dose intranasal administration) healthy male and female participants employed an independent component analysis approach to determine the modulatory effects of OXT on the within- and between-network dynamics of the DAN-SN-DN triple network system. OXT increased the functional integration between subsystems within SN and DN and increased functional segregation of the DN with both attentional control networks (SN and DAN). Whereas no sex differences were observed, OXT effects on the DN-SN interaction were modulated by autistic traits. Together, the findings suggest that OXT may facilitate efficient attention allocation by modulating the intrinsic functional dynamics between DN components and large-scale networks involved in external attentional demands (SN and DAN).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xin
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaole Ma
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Yayuan Geng
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Shuxia Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Debo Dong
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Bharat B Biswal
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
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Abstract
In this chapter, we introduce a new area of social pharmacology that encompasses the study of the role of neuromodulators in modulating a wide range of social behaviors and brain function, with the interplay of genetic and epigenetic factors. There are increasing evidences for the role of the neuropeptide oxytocin in modulating a wide range of social behaviors, in reducing anxiety, and in impacting the social brain network. Oxytocin also promotes social functions in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and reduces anxiety and fear in anxiety disorders. In this chapter, we will emphasize the importance of integrating basic research and clinical human research in determining optimal strategies for drug discoveries for social dysfunctions and anxiety disorders. We will highlight the significance of adopting a precision medicine approach to optimize targeted treatments with oxytocin in neuropsychiatry. Oxytocin effects on social behavior and brain function can vary from one individual to another based on external factors, such as heterogeneity in autism phenotype, childhood experiences, personality, attachment style, and oxytocin receptor polymorphisms. Hence, targeted therapies for subgroups of patients can help alleviating some of the core symptoms and lead to a better future for these patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissar Andari
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Rene Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical Psychology Division, NEMO (Neuromodulation of Emotion) Research Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Larry J Young
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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28
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Zanos P, Georgiou P, Weber C, Robinson F, Kouimtsidis C, Niforooshan R, Bailey A. Oxytocin and opioid addiction revisited: old drug, new applications. Br J Pharmacol 2018; 175:2809-2824. [PMID: 28378414 PMCID: PMC6016632 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid addiction has devastating health and socio-economic consequences, and current pharmacotherapy is limited and often accompanied by side effects, thus novel treatment is warranted. Traditionally, the neurohypophyseal peptide oxytocin (OT) is known for its effects on mediating reward, social affiliation and bonding, stress and learning and memory. There is now strong evidence that OT is a possible candidate for the treatment of drug addiction and depression-addiction co-morbidities. This review summarizes and critically discusses the preclinical evidence surrounding the consequences of pharmacological manipulation of the oxytocinergic system on opioid addiction-related processes, as well as the effects of opioids on the OT system at different stages of the addiction cycle. The mechanisms underlying the effects of OT on opioid addiction, including OT' interaction with the monoaminergic, glutamatergic, opioidergic systems and its effect on the amygdala, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and on memory consolidation of traumatic memories, are also reviewed. We also review clinical evidence on the effects of intranasal OT administration on opioid-dependent individuals and discuss the therapeutic potential along with the limitations that accompany OT-based pharmacotherapies. Review of these studies clearly indicates that the OT system is profoundly affected by opioid use and abstinence and points towards the OT system as an important target for developing pharmacotherapies for the treatment of opioid addiction and co-existing affective disorders, thereby preventing relapse. Therefore, there is a clear need for clinical studies assessing the efficacy of OT-based pharmacotherapies in opioid addiction. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Areas of Opioid Pharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.14/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panos Zanos
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Maryland School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Polymnia Georgiou
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Maryland School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Carol Weber
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
| | - Fiona Robinson
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation TrustChertseySurreyUK
| | | | | | - Alexis Bailey
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
- Institute of Medical and Biomedical EducationSt George's University of LondonLondonUK
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29
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Jurek B, Neumann ID. The Oxytocin Receptor: From Intracellular Signaling to Behavior. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:1805-1908. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00031.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 408] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The many facets of the oxytocin (OXT) system of the brain and periphery elicited nearly 25,000 publications since 1930 (see FIGURE 1 , as listed in PubMed), which revealed central roles for OXT and its receptor (OXTR) in reproduction, and social and emotional behaviors in animal and human studies focusing on mental and physical health and disease. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of OXT expression and release, expression and binding of the OXTR in brain and periphery, OXTR-coupled signaling cascades, and their involvement in behavioral outcomes to assemble a comprehensive picture of the central and peripheral OXT system. Traditionally known for its role in milk let-down and uterine contraction during labor, OXT also has implications in physiological, and also behavioral, aspects of reproduction, such as sexual and maternal behaviors and pair bonding, but also anxiety, trust, sociability, food intake, or even drug abuse. The many facets of OXT are, on a molecular basis, brought about by a single receptor. The OXTR, a 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor capable of binding to either Gαior Gαqproteins, activates a set of signaling cascades, such as the MAPK, PKC, PLC, or CaMK pathways, which converge on transcription factors like CREB or MEF-2. The cellular response to OXT includes regulation of neurite outgrowth, cellular viability, and increased survival. OXTergic projections in the brain represent anxiety and stress-regulating circuits connecting the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or the medial prefrontal cortex. Which OXT-induced patterns finally alter the behavior of an animal or a human being is still poorly understood, and studying those OXTR-coupled signaling cascades is one initial step toward a better understanding of the molecular background of those behavioral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Jurek
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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30
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Brodmann K, Gruber O, Goya-Maldonado R. Intranasal Oxytocin Selectively Modulates Large-Scale Brain Networks in Humans. Brain Connect 2018; 7:454-463. [PMID: 28762756 PMCID: PMC5647506 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence indicates that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) alters the neural correlates of socioemotional and salience processing. Yet the effects of OT over important large-scale networks involved in these processes, such as the default mode (DM), ventral attention (VA), and cingulo-opercular (CO) networks, remain unknown. Therefore, we conducted a placebo-controlled crossover study with intranasal 24 IU OT in 38 healthy male subjects using a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm to investigate its impact over these three networks candidates. To understand the underlying mechanisms of the neuropeptide, we compared the intranetwork connectivity for each network candidate and also the internetwork connectivity across all networks between both treatment conditions. Based on the relevance of interindividual factors for OT effects, we correlated individual network changes with behavioral performance in a decision-making task and with impulsivity scores. Our results show that OT mainly alters connectivity in the VA, on one side reducing the coupling to regions that typically form the nodes of DM, an introspective and self-referential network, and on the other side increasing the coupling to the edges of the CO, which is involved in salience processing. The results of the internetwork analyses confirmed the specificity of the OT effects. Indeed, we observed significant correlations with the erroneous performance during decision-making but not with the obtained impulsivity scores. Overall, our data support that the modulation of functional connectivity within the VA is a basic mechanism by which OT directs attentional resources from internal to external cues, preparing the brain for context-dependent salience processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Brodmann
- 1 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Center , Göttingen, Germany .,2 Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Medicina Molecular , Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Oliver Gruber
- 1 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Center , Göttingen, Germany .,3 Section for Experimental Psychopathology and Neuroimaging, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg University , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roberto Goya-Maldonado
- 1 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Center , Göttingen, Germany .,4 The Systems Neuroscience and Imaging in Psychiatry (SNIP) Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center , Göttingen, Germany
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31
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Abstract
Severe impairment of social interaction is a core symptom of numerous psychiatric disorders. Oxytocin (OT) has been shown to be involved in various aspects of social behavior related to reproduction, but little is known about its effects on nonreproductive social interaction between adults or the neuroanatomical location where OT exerts its action. Here, we examined the nucleus accumbens, a region of the brain containing high levels of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) and comprising an important node in the neural circuitry possibly related to social interaction. Behavioral effects of a local microinfusion of OT (0.1, 1, and 10 ng/side) and an oxytocin receptor antagonist (OTR-A) (1, 10, and 100 ng/side) were evaluated in naturally high social and low social female and male monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus) using the social preference paradigm and open-field tests. The results showed that administration of 1 ng/side OT increased social preference; however, this effect was not apparent at lower or higher doses. OT did not alter anxiety-like behavior or total locomotion. Microinfusions of a selective OTR-A at 10 and 100 ng doses reduced social approach behavior; a dose of 1 ng had no effect. In conclusion, our results suggest that accumbal OT and OTR-A regulate social preferences in voles in a dose-dependent manner.
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32
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Bowen MT, Neumann ID. Rebalancing the Addicted Brain: Oxytocin Interference with the Neural Substrates of Addiction. Trends Neurosci 2017; 40:691-708. [PMID: 29128108 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Drugs that act on the brain oxytocin (OXT) system may provide a much-needed treatment breakthrough for substance-use disorders. Targeting the brain OXT system has the potential to treat addiction to all major classes of addictive substance and to intervene across all stages of the addiction cycle. Emerging evidence suggests that OXT is able to interfere with such a wide range of addictive behaviours for such a wide range of addictive substances by rebalancing core neural systems that become dysregulated over the course of addiction. By improving our understanding of these interactions between OXT and the neural substrates of addiction, we will not only improve our understanding of addiction, but also our ability to effectively treat these devastating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Bowen
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW, Australia; The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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33
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Pedersen CA. Oxytocin, Tolerance, and the Dark Side of Addiction. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:239-274. [PMID: 29056153 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorders blight the lives of millions of people and inflict a heavy financial burden on society. There is a compelling need for new pharmacological treatments as current drugs have limited efficacy and other major drawbacks. A substantial number of animal and recent clinical studies indicate that the neuropeptide, oxytocin, is a particularly promising therapeutic agent for human addictions, especially alcohol use disorders. In preliminary trials, we found that oxytocin administered by the intranasal route, which produces some neuropeptide penetration into the CNS, potently blocked withdrawal and reduced alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers. A considerable body of earlier animal studies demonstrated that oxytocin inhibits tolerance to alcohol, opioids, and stimulants as well as withdrawal from alcohol and opioids. Based on these preclinical findings and our clinical results, we hypothesize that oxytocin may exert therapeutic effects in substance dependence by the novel mechanism of diminishing established tolerance. A newer wave of studies has almost unanimously found that oxytocin decreases self-administration of a number of addictive substances in several animal models of addiction. Reduction of established tolerance should be included among the potential explanations of oxytocin effects in these studies and changes in tolerance should be examined in future studies in relationship to oxytocin influences on acquisition and reinstatement of self-administration as well as extinction of drug seeking. Oxytocin efficacy in reducing anxiety and stress responses as well as established tolerance suggests it may be uniquely effective in reducing negative reinforcement (Koob's "dark side" of addiction) that maintains chronic substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cort A Pedersen
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
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34
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Kim SC, Lee JE, Kang SS, Yang HS, Kim SS, An BS. The regulation of oxytocin and oxytocin receptor in human placenta according to gestational age. J Mol Endocrinol 2017; 59:235-243. [PMID: 28694300 DOI: 10.1530/jme-16-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a peptide hormone that plays a central role in the regulation of parturition and lactation. OXT signaling is mediated by OXT receptor (OXTR), which shows species- and tissue-specific expressions and gene regulation. In the present study, we examined the synthesis of OXT and OXTR in human placenta tissue according to gestational age. A total of 48 placentas were divided into early preterm, late preterm and term groups depending on gestational age, and expression of OXT and OXTR was evaluated. First, OXT and OXTR mRNA and protein were detected in normal placenta tissue via Q-PCR, Dot-blot and Western blot assay. Both OXT and OXTR levels in normal placenta increased gradually in the late stage of pregnancy, suggesting that local OXT may play a critical role in the function of the placenta. To determine the regulatory mechanism of OXT, placental BeWo cells were administrated estrogen (E2) or progesterone (P4), and expression of OXT and OXTR was tested. The mRNA and protein levels of OXT and OXTR were upregulated by E2 but blocked by co-treatment with P4 In order to confirm the estrogen receptor (ESR)-mediated signaling, we administrated ESR antagonists together with E2 to BeWo cells. As a result, both OXT and OXTR were significantly altered by ESR1 antagonist (MPP) while moderately regulated by ESR2 antagonist (PHTPP). These results suggest that OXT and OXTR are controlled mainly by E2 in the placenta via ESR1 and thus may play physiological functions in the human placenta during the late stage of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Chul Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyBiomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan, Korea
| | - Jae-Eon Lee
- Department of Biomaterials ScienceCollege of Natural Resources and Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
| | - Seong Soo Kang
- Department of Veterinary SurgeryCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Hoe-Saeng Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyMedical College, Dongguk University, Jung-gu, Korea
| | - Sun Suk Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyBiomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan, Korea
| | - Beum-Soo An
- Department of Biomaterials ScienceCollege of Natural Resources and Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea
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35
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Lei K, Liu Y, Smith AS, Lonstein JS, Wang Z. Effects of pair bonding on parental behavior and dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens in male prairie voles. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 46:2276-2284. [PMID: 28858415 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Male parental care is a vital behavior for the development as well as the physical and mental well-being of the young. However, little is known about the neurochemical regulation of male parental behavior, mainly due to the lack of appropriate animal models. In this study, we used the socially monogamous male prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) to investigate the effect of pair-bonding experience on paternal behavior and dopamine (DA) signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in the brain. We compared sexually naïve males with males that were pair bonded with a female for two weeks. Our data showed that pair-bonded males displayed enhanced paternal behavior, particularly in pup licking/grooming, associated with increased DA type-1 receptor (D1R) protein expression in the NAcc, compared to sexually naïve males. Site-specific brain microdialysis revealed a significant, but transient, increase in DA release in the NAcc associated with pup exposure in both groups of the males. Further, pharmacological blockade of D1R in the NAcc decreased pup licking/grooming in the pair-bonded males. Together, our data demonstrate that pair-bonding experience with a female facilitated male parental behavior via NAcc D1R mediation in male prairie voles.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Lei
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Y Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - A S Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - J S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Z Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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Sabihi S, Dong SM, Maurer SD, Post C, Leuner B. Oxytocin in the medial prefrontal cortex attenuates anxiety: Anatomical and receptor specificity and mechanism of action. Neuropharmacology 2017; 125:1-12. [PMID: 28655609 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies in animals and humans have established that oxytocin (OT) reduces anxiety. In rats, the prelimbic (PL) subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is among the brain areas implicated in the anxiolytic actions of OT. However, questions remain about the anatomical and receptor specificity of OT and its mechanism of action. Here we assessed whether the regulation of anxiety by mPFC OT is restricted to the PL subregion and evaluated whether oxytocin receptor (OTR) activation is required for OT to have an anxiolytic effect. We also examined whether OT interacts with GABA in the mPFC to reduce anxiety and investigated the extent to which OT in the mPFC affects activation of mPFC GABA neurons as well as neuronal activation in the amygdala, a primary target of the mPFC which is part of the neural network regulating anxiety. We found that OT reduced anxiety-like behavior when delivered to the PL, but not infralimbic or anterior cingulate subregions of the mPFC. The anxiolytic effect of OT in the PL mPFC was blocked by pretreatment with an OTR, but not a vasopressin receptor, antagonist as well as with a GABAA receptor antagonist. Lastly, administration of OT to the PL mPFC was accompanied by increased activation of GABA neurons in the PL mPFC and altered neuronal activation of the amygdala following anxiety testing. These results demonstrate that OT in the PL mPFC attenuates anxiety-related behavior and may do so by engaging GABAergic neurons which ultimately modulate downstream brain regions implicated in anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Sabihi
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Shirley M Dong
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Skyler D Maurer
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Caitlin Post
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Benedetta Leuner
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; The Ohio State University, Department of Neuroscience, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; The Ohio State University, Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group, Columbus, OH 43210, United States.
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Birnbaum GE. The Fragile Spell of Desire: A Functional Perspective on Changes in Sexual Desire Across Relationship Development. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2017. [PMID: 28645226 DOI: 10.1177/1088868317715350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The sexual behavioral system evolved to motivate reproductive acts by arousing sexual desire. Building on the idea that this system has also been "exploited" by evolutionary processes to promote enduring bonds between romantic partners, the present article introduces an integrative model that delineates the functional significance of sexual desire in relationship formation and maintenance. This model explains why individuals' sexual reaction to their partner is context-dependent, clarifying how changes in the nature of interdependence over the course of relationships alter the ways in which specific predictors of sexual desire tend to promote (or inhibit) desire and thereby affect relationship depth and stability. The model postulates that although desire influences the development of attachment bonds, the contribution that it makes varies over the course of relationships. The model also provides new insight regarding fundamental but unresolved issues in human sexuality, such as the vulnerability of sexual desire and the desire-intimacy paradox.
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Oxytocin Acts in Nucleus Accumbens to Attenuate Methamphetamine Seeking and Demand. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:949-958. [PMID: 28110822 PMCID: PMC5432412 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence indicates that oxytocin, an endogenous peptide well known for its role in social behaviors, childbirth, and lactation, is a promising addiction pharmacotherapy. We employed a within-session behavioral-economic (BE) procedure in rats to examine oxytocin as a pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine (meth) addiction. The BE paradigm was modeled after BE procedures used to assess motivation for drugs in humans with addiction. The same BE variables assessed across species have been shown to predict later relapse behavior. Thus, the translational potential of preclinical BE studies is particularly strong. METHODS We tested the effects of systemic and microinfused oxytocin on demand for self-administered intravenous meth and reinstatement of extinguished meth seeking in male and female rats using a BE paradigm. Correlations between meth demand and meth seeking were assessed. RESULTS Female rats showed greater demand (i.e., motivation) for meth compared with male rats. In both male and female rats, meth demand predicted reinstatement of meth seeking, and systemic oxytocin decreased demand for meth and attenuated reinstatement to meth seeking. Oxytocin was most effective at decreasing meth demand and seeking in rats with the strongest motivation for drug. Finally, these effects of systemic oxytocin were mediated by actions in the nucleus accumbens. CONCLUSIONS Oxytocin decreases meth demand and seeking in both sexes, and these effects depend on oxytocin signaling in the nucleus accumbens. Overall, these data indicate that development of oxytocin-based therapies may be a promising treatment approach for meth addiction in humans.
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King CE, Griffin WC, Luderman LN, Kates MM, McGinty JF, Becker HC. Oxytocin Reduces Ethanol Self-Administration in Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:955-964. [PMID: 28212464 PMCID: PMC5404956 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive ethanol (EtOH) consumption remains an important health concern and effective treatments are lacking. The central oxytocin system has emerged as a potentially important therapeutic target for alcohol and drug addiction. These studies tested the hypothesis that oxytocin reduces EtOH consumption. METHODS Male C57BL/6J mice were given access to EtOH (20% v/v) using a model of binge-like drinking ("drinking in the dark") that also included the use of lickometer circuits to evaluate the temporal pattern of intake as well as 2-bottle choice drinking in the home cage. In addition, EtOH (12% v/v) and sucrose (5% w/v) self-administration on fixed- and progressive-ratio schedules were also evaluated. A wide range of systemically administered oxytocin doses were tested (0 to 10 mg/kg) in these models. RESULTS Oxytocin (0, 0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg) dose dependently reduced EtOH consumption (maximal 45% reduction) in the binge drinking model, with lower effective doses having minimal effects on general locomotor activity. Oxytocin's effect was blocked by pretreatment with an oxytocin receptor antagonist, and the pattern of contacts (licks) at the EtOH bottle suggested a reduction in motivation to drink EtOH. Oxytocin decreased 2-bottle choice drinking without altering general fluid intake. Oxytocin also reduced operant responding for EtOH and sucrose in a dose-related manner. However, oxytocin decreased responding and motivation (breakpoint values) for EtOH at doses that did not alter responding for sucrose. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that oxytocin reduces EtOH consumption in different models of self-administration. The effects are not likely due to a general sedative effect of the neuropeptide. Further, oxytocin reduces motivation for EtOH at doses that do not alter responding for a natural reward (sucrose). While some evidence supports a role for oxytocin receptors in mediating these effects, additional studies are needed to further elucidate underlying mechanisms. Nevertheless, these results support the therapeutic potential of oxytocin as a treatment for alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E. King
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - William C. Griffin
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Lauryn N. Luderman
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Malcolm M. Kates
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Jacqueline F. McGinty
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Howard C. Becker
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425
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Peters ST, Bowen MT, Bohrer K, McGregor IS, Neumann ID. Oxytocin inhibits ethanol consumption and ethanol-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Addict Biol 2017; 22:702-711. [PMID: 26810371 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol (EtOH) is one of the most widely abused recreational drugs and is arguably the most harmful. However, current treatment options for alcohol-use disorders generally have limited efficacy and poor uptake in the community. In this context, the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) has emerged as a promising potential treatment option for a number of substance-use disorders, including alcoholism. The utility of OXT in reducing consumption of and craving for a wide range of substances may lie in its ability to modulate drug-induced neurochemical effects within the mesolimbic dopamine pathway. However, the impact of OXT on EtOH actions in this pathway has yet to be explored. Here, we reveal that an acute intracerebroventricular (icv) infusion of OXT (1 µg/5 µl) attenuated voluntary EtOH (20 percent) self-administration after chronic intermittent access to EtOH for 59 days (28 drinking sessions) in male Wistar rats. Next, we demonstrated that an acute intraperitoneal (ip) injection of EtOH (1.5 g/kg, 15 percent w/v) increased dopamine release within the nucleus accumbens in both EtOH-naive rats and rats that had received 10 daily ip injections of EtOH. Icv OXT completely blocked the EtOH-induced dopamine release in both EtOH-naive and chronically treated rats. The attenuation of EtOH-induced dopamine release by OXT may help to explain the reduced EtOH self-administration observed following icv OXT infusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian T. Peters
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology; University of Regensburg; Germany
- Current address: Department of Neurology; University Clinic Regensburg; Germany
| | | | - Kathrin Bohrer
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology; University of Regensburg; Germany
| | | | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology; University of Regensburg; Germany
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Birnbaum GE, Mizrahi M, Kaplan A, Kadosh D, Kariv D, Tabib D, Ziv D, Sadeh L, Burban D. Sex Unleashes Your Tongue: Sexual Priming Motivates Self-Disclosure to a New Acquaintance and Interest in Future Interactions. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2017; 43:706-715. [DOI: 10.1177/0146167217695556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research has demonstrated the contribution of sexual activity to the quality of ongoing relationships. Nevertheless, less attention has been given to how activation of the sexual system affects relationship-initiation processes. Three studies used complementary methodologies to examine the effect of sexual priming on self-disclosure, a relationship-promoting behavior. In Study 1, participants were subliminally exposed to sexual stimuli (vs. neutral stimuli), and then disclosed over Instant Messenger a personal event to an opposite-sex stranger. Results showed that merely thinking about sex, even without being aware of it, encouraged self-disclosure. Study 2 replicated these findings in relatively naturalistic conditions (live face-to-face interactions following supraliminal video priming). Study 3 extended these findings, indicating that sexual priming facilitated self-disclosure, which, in turn, increased interest in future interactions with the stranger. Together, these findings suggest that activation of the sexual system encourages the use of strategies that allow people to become closer to potential partners.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Dana Kariv
- Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel
| | | | | | - Lihi Sadeh
- Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel
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Bowen MT, Neumann ID. The Multidimensional Therapeutic Potential of Targeting the Brain Oxytocin System for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2017; 35:269-287. [PMID: 28942596 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2017_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin is released both into the blood and within the brain in response to reproductive stimuli, such as birth, suckling and sex, but also in response to social interaction and stressors. Substance use disorders, or addictions, are chronic, relapsing brain disorders and are one of the major causes of global burden of disease. Unfortunately, current treatment options for substance use disorders are extremely limited and a treatment breakthrough is sorely needed. There is mounting preclinical evidence that targeting the brain oxytocin system may provide that breakthrough. Substance use disorders are characterised by a viscous cycle of bingeing and intoxication, followed by withdrawal and negative affect, and finally preoccupation and anticipation that triggers relapse and further consumption. Administration of oxytocin has been shown to have a potential therapeutic benefit at each stage of this addiction cycle for numerous drugs of abuse. This multidimensional therapeutic utility is likely due to oxytocin's interactions with key biological systems that underlie the development and maintenance of addiction. Only a few human trials of oxytocin in addicted populations have been completed with the results thus far being mixed. There are numerous other trials underway, and the results are eagerly awaited. However, the ability to fully harness the potential therapeutic benefit of targeting the brain oxytocin system may depend on the development of molecules that selectively stimulate the oxytocin system, but that have superior pharmacokinetic properties to oxytocin itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Bowen
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Walcott AT, Ryabinin AE. Alcohol's Effects on Pair-Bond Maintenance in Male Prairie Voles. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:226. [PMID: 29204125 PMCID: PMC5698799 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol abuse can have devastating effects on social relationships. In particular, discrepant patterns of heavy alcohol consumption are associated with increased rates of separation and divorce. Previous studies have attempted to model these effects of alcohol using socially monogamous prairie voles. These studies showed that alcohol consumption can inhibit the formation of pair bonds in this species. While these findings indicated that alcohol's effects on social attachments can involve biological mechanisms, the formation of pair bonds does not properly model long-term human attachments. To overcome this caveat, this study explored whether discordant or concordant alcohol consumption between individuals within established pairs affects maintenance of pair bonds in male prairie voles. Male and female prairie voles were allowed to form a pair bond for 1 week. Following this 1-week cohabitation period, males received access to 10% continuous ethanol; meanwhile, their female partners had access to either alcohol and water or just water. When there was a discrepancy in alcohol consumption, male prairie voles showed a decrease in partner preference (PP). Conversely, when concordant drinking occurred, males showed no inhibition in PP. Further analysis revealed a decrease in oxytocin immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of alcohol-exposed males that was independent of the drinking status of their female partners. On the other hand, only discordant alcohol consumption resulted in an increase of FosB immunoreactivity in the periaqueductal gray of male voles, a finding suggesting a potential involvement of this brain region in the effects of alcohol on maintenance of pair bonds. Our studies provide the first evidence that alcohol has effects on established pair bonds and that partner drinking status plays a large role in these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre T Walcott
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Tabbaa M, Paedae B, Liu Y, Wang Z. Neuropeptide Regulation of Social Attachment: The Prairie Vole Model. Compr Physiol 2016; 7:81-104. [PMID: 28135000 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c150055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Social attachments are ubiquitous among humans and integral to human health. Although great efforts have been made to elucidate the neural underpinnings regulating social attachments, we still know relatively little about the neuronal and neurochemical regulation of social attachments. As a laboratory animal research model, the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) displays behaviors paralleling human social attachments and thus has provided unique insights into the neural regulation of social behaviors. Research in prairie voles has particularly highlighted the significance of neuropeptidergic regulation of social behaviors, especially of the roles of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP). This article aims to review these findings. We begin by discussing the role of the OT and AVP systems in regulating social behaviors relevant to social attachments, and thereafter restrict our discussion to studies in prairie voles. Specifically, we discuss the role of OT and AVP in adult mate attachments, biparental care, social isolation, and social buffering as informed by studies utilizing the prairie vole model. Not only do these studies offer insight into social attachments in humans, but they also point to dysregulated mechanisms in several mental disorders. We conclude by discussing these implications for human health. © 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:81-104, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal Tabbaa
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Brennan Paedae
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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45
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Vaht M, Kurrikoff T, Laas K, Veidebaum T, Harro J. Oxytocin receptor gene variation rs53576 and alcohol abuse in a longitudinal population representative study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:333-341. [PMID: 27716573 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxytocin is an important regulator of social relationships and has been implicated in development of substance use and addiction. We examined the association of a variance in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR rs53576 polymorphism) with alcohol use in a population-representative sample, and potential moderation by social functioning. METHODS The analysis was carried out on the older birth cohort of the longitudinal Estonian Children Personality Behaviour and Health Study (ECPBHS), a cohort of initially 15 years old children (original n=593) recalled at ages 18 and 25. In all data collection waves the participants reported the frequency of consuming alcoholic beverages. Psychiatric interview was carried out at age 25 to assess the lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders. Adverse social interactions with teachers, classmates and family members were self-reported at ages 15 and 18. The minor (A) allele frequency was 0.37. RESULTS Males homozygous for the A allele (suggested to be associated with less efficient oxytocinergic functioning) were more frequent alcohol consumers at ages 15 and 18 and also more likely to have had alcohol abuse or addiction by age 25 compared to male G allele carriers. Alcohol use was not associated with the OXTR genotype in females. Both male and female AA homozygotes who had reported less favourable relations with their teachers at age 15 more likely had alcohol use disorder. CONCLUSIONS OXTR rs53576 polymorphism is associated with alcohol use and prevalence of alcohol use disorders in males, and this may be moderated by inferior interpersonal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariliis Vaht
- Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Triin Kurrikoff
- Division of Sociology, Department of Social Studies, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kariina Laas
- Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Toomas Veidebaum
- National Institute for Health Development, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Harro
- Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia.
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46
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Lieberwirth C, Wang Z. The neurobiology of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2016; 40:8-13. [PMID: 27290660 PMCID: PMC5072360 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Enduring social bonds play an essential role in human society. These bonds positively affect psychological, physiological, and behavioral functions. Here, we review the recent literature on the neurobiology, particularly the role of oxytocin and dopamine, of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering effects on stress responses, from studies utilizing the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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47
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Baracz SJ, Cornish JL. The neurocircuitry involved in oxytocin modulation of methamphetamine addiction. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 43:1-18. [PMID: 27546878 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The role of oxytocin in attenuating the abuse of licit and illicit drugs, including the psychostimulant methamphetamine, has been examined with increased ferocity in recent years. This is largely driven by the potential application of oxytocin as a pharmacotherapy. However, the neural mechanisms by which oxytocin modulates methamphetamine abuse are not well understood. Recent research identified an important role for the accumbens core and subthalamic nucleus in this process, which likely involves an interaction with dopamine, glutamate, GABA, and vasopressin. In addition to providing an overview of methamphetamine, the endogenous oxytocin system, and the effects of exogenous oxytocin on drug abuse, we propose a neural circuit through which exogenous oxytocin modulates methamphetamine abuse, focusing on its interaction with neurochemicals within the accumbens core and subthalamic nucleus. A growing understanding of exogenous oxytocin effects at a neurochemical and neurobiological level will assist in its evaluation as a pharmacotherapy for drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Baracz
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Jennifer L Cornish
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
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48
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Peris J, MacFadyen K, Smith JA, de Kloet AD, Wang L, Krause EG. Oxytocin receptors are expressed on dopamine and glutamate neurons in the mouse ventral tegmental area that project to nucleus accumbens and other mesolimbic targets. J Comp Neurol 2016; 525:1094-1108. [PMID: 27615433 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) circuitry determines which behaviors are positively reinforcing and therefore should be encoded in the memory to become a part of the behavioral repertoire. Natural reinforcers, like food and sex, activate this pathway, thereby increasing the likelihood of further consummatory, social, and sexual behaviors. Oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in mediating natural reward and OT-synthesizing neurons project to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc); however, direct neuroanatomical evidence of OT regulation of DA neurons within the VTA is sparse. To phenotype OT-receptor (OTR) expressing neurons originating within the VTA, we delivered Cre-inducible adeno-associated virus that drives the expression of fluorescent marker into the VTA of male mice that had Cre-recombinase driven by OTR gene expression. OTR-expressing VTA neurons project to NAc, prefrontal cortex, the extended amygdala, and other forebrain regions but less than 10% of these OTR-expressing neurons were identified as DA neurons (defined by tyrosine hydroxylase colocalization). Instead, almost 50% of OTR-expressing cells in the VTA were glutamate (GLU) neurons, as indicated by expression of mRNA for the vesicular GLU transporter (vGluT). About one-third of OTR-expressing VTA neurons did not colocalize with either DA or GLU phenotypic markers. Thus, OTR expression by VTA neurons implicates that OT regulation of reward circuitry is more complex than a direct action on DA neurotransmission. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:1094-1108, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Peris
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kaley MacFadyen
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Justin A Smith
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Annette D de Kloet
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Eric G Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Age and sex differences in oxytocin and vasopressin V1a receptor binding densities in the rat brain: focus on the social decision-making network. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:981-1006. [PMID: 27389643 PMCID: PMC5334374 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) regulate various social behaviors via activation of the OT receptor (OTR) and the AVP V1a receptor (V1aR) in the brain. Social behavior often differs across development and between the sexes, yet our understanding of age and sex differences in brain OTR and V1aR binding remains incomplete. Here, we provide an extensive analysis of OTR and V1aR binding density throughout the brain in juvenile and adult male and female rats, with a focus on regions within the social decision-making network. OTR and V1aR binding density were higher in juveniles than in adults in regions associated with reward and socio-spatial memory and higher in adults than in juveniles in key regions of the social decision-making network and in cortical regions. We discuss possible implications of these shifts in OTR and V1aR binding density for the age-specific regulation of social behavior. Furthermore, sex differences in OTR and V1aR binding density were less numerous than age differences. The direction of these sex differences was region-specific for OTR but consistently higher in females than in males for V1aR. Finally, almost all sex differences in OTR and V1aR binding density were already present in juveniles and occurred in regions with denser binding in adults compared to juveniles. Possible implications of these sex differences for the sex-specific regulation of behavior, as well potential underlying mechanisms, are discussed. Overall, these findings provide an important framework for testing age- and sex-specific roles of OTR and V1aR in the regulation of social behavior.
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Hostetler CM, Phillips TJ, Ryabinin AE. Methamphetamine Consumption Inhibits Pair Bonding and Hypothalamic Oxytocin in Prairie Voles. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158178. [PMID: 27380172 PMCID: PMC4933333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (MA) abuse has been linked to violence, risk-taking behaviors, decreased sexual inhibition, and criminal activity. It is important to understand mechanisms underlying these drug effects for prevention and treatment of MA-associated social problems. Previous studies have demonstrated that experimenter-administered amphetamine inhibits pair bonding and increases aggression in monogamous prairie voles. It is not currently known whether similar effects on social behaviors would be obtained under conditions during which the drug is voluntarily (actively) administered. The current study investigated whether MA drinking affects pair bonding and what neurocircuits are engaged. In Experiment 1, we exposed male and female voles to 4 days each of 20 and 40 mg/L MA under a continuous 2-bottle choice (2BC) procedure. Animals were housed either singly or in mesh-divided cages with a social partner. Voles consumed MA in a drinking solution, but MA drinking was not affected by either sex or housing condition. In Experiment 2, we investigated whether MA drinking disrupts social bonding by measuring aggression and partner preference formation following three consecutive days of 18-hour/day access to 100 mg/L MA in a 2BC procedure. Although aggression toward a novel opposite-sex animal was not affected by MA exposure, partner preference was inhibited in MA drinking animals. Experiment 3 examined whether alterations in hypothalamic neuropeptides provide a potential explanation for the inhibition of partner preference observed in Experiment 2. MA drinking led to significant decreases in oxytocin, but not vasopressin, in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. These experiments are the first investigation into how voluntary pre-exposure to MA affects the development of social attachment in a socially monogamous species and identify potential neural circuits involved in these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M. Hostetler
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tamara J. Phillips
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Andrey E. Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
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