Oxytocin receptor is not required for social attachment in prairie voles.

Prairie voles are among a small group of mammals that display long-term social attachment between mating partners. Many pharmacological studies show that signaling via the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) is critical for the display of social monogamy in these animals. We used CRISPR mutagenesis to generate three different Oxtr-null mutant prairie vole lines.

Cannabinoid receptor Type 1 densities reflect social organization in Microtus.

Across many species, endocannabinoids play an important role in regulating social play, reward, and anxiety. These processes are mediated through at least two distinct cannabinoid receptors (CB), CB1 and CB2. CB1 expression is found in appreciable densities across regions of the brain that integrate memory with socio-spatial information; many of these regions have been directly linked to the neurobiology of pair bonding in monogamous species.

Effects of systemic endocannabinoid manipulation on social and exploratory behavior in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster).

Rationale: Anandamide is an endocannabinoid that contributes to certain aspects of social behavior, like play and reward, by binding to cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1). Most interesting is the recent discovery that anandamide may be mobilized by oxytocin receptor activation under certain contexts, particularly in the nucleus accumbens.

Objectives: Given the established role of oxytocin and the nucleus accumbens in the neurobiology of pair-bonding, we investigated whether systemic administration of brain-permeable modulators of the endocannabinoid system could alter preferential partner contact in both male and female prairie voles.

Titi Monkeys as a Novel Non-Human Primate Model for the Neurobiology of Pair Bonding .

It is now widely recognized that social bonds are critical to human health and well-being. One of the most important social bonds is the attachment relationship between two adults, known as the . The pair bond involves many characteristics that are inextricably linked to quality of health, including providing a secure psychological base and acting as a social buffer against stress.

Early Intranasal Vasopressin Administration Impairs Partner Preference in Adult Male Prairie Voles ().

Research supports a modulatory role for arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the expression of socially motivated behaviors in mammals. The acute effects of AVP administration are demonstrably pro-social across species, providing the justification for an ever-increasing measure of clinical interest over the last decade. Combining these results with non-invasive intranasal delivery results in an attractive system for offering intranasal AVP (IN-AVP) as a therapeutic for the social impairments of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Intranasal Oxytocin May Improve High-Level Social Cognition in Schizophrenia, But Not Social Cognition or Neurocognition in General: A Multilevel Bayesian Meta-analysis.

While there is growing interest in the potential for intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) to improve social cognition and neurocognition (ie, nonsocial cognition) in schizophrenia, the extant literature has been mixed. Here, we perform a Bayesian meta-analysis of the efficacy of IN-OT to improve areas of social and neurocognition in schizophrenia. A systematic search of original research publications identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of IN-OT as a treatment for social and neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia for inclusion.

Localization of oxytocin receptors in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) neocortex.

Early experience and social context interact to alter the phenotype of complex social behaviors. These early experiences can also result in alterations to cortical organization and connections. Given the ability of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) to modulate social and reproductive behavior, OT is likely involved in these cortical processes.