Study summary · research use only
Oxytocin signaling regulates maternally directed behavior during early life
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This study in mice examined oxytocin's role in pup social behavior during acute maternal separation and reunion. Oxytocin neuron activity increased during maternal separation, and separated pups emitted more ultrasonic vocalizations upon reunion, modulated by nipple attachment behavior. Blocking the oxytocin receptor during separation attenuated these effects, and optogenetic silencing of oxytocin neurons during separation disrupted vocal behavior during both separation and reunion. The authors describe these findings as showing a role for oxytocin in context-dependent vocal communication in mouse pups.
Abstract
Oxytocin is essential in shaping social behavior across the lifespan. Although the role of oxytocin signaling in parental care has been widely investigated, little is known about its function in social behavior during early life. We studied the role of oxytocin in mouse pup social behavior during acute separation from the mother as well as upon reunion. The activity of oxytocin neurons was increased by acute maternal separation. Behaviorally, maternally separated pups emitted more ultrasonic vocalizations upon reunion, which were further modulated by nipple attachment behavior. These effects were attenuated by blocking the oxytocin receptor during maternal separation. Optogenetic silencing of oxytocin neurons during maternal separation disrupted vocal behavior during separation and reunion. Our findings reveal an important role of oxytocin in context-dependent vocal communication in mouse pups.
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