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Wen YX, Fan LY, Yang AY, Zhang YC, Xu C, Wang ZH, Xie WJ, Lu Y, Zhang XY, Zhu JN, Sun A, Li L, Zhang QP. Oxytocinergic neurons, but not oxytocin, are crucial for male penile erection. Neuropharmacology 2023; 235:109576. [PMID: 37164226 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The cumulative evidence suggests that oxytocin is involved in the male sexual behaviors. However, no significant sexual impairments were observed in oxytocin gene knock-out (KO) mice, suggesting that oxytocin is not necessary for sexual behavior in male mice. To better understand the role of oxytocin in male erection, two types of oxytocin gene KO mice were created. In the first type, the oxytocin gene was deleted in the zygote, while in the second type, the oxytocin gene was mutated in adulthood by injecting the CRISPR/Cas9 AAVs. The results showed that disrupting the oxytocin gene at either the embryonic or adult stage did not affect erection, indicating that oxytocin is not necessary for penile erection. Pharmacologically, injecting oxytocin receptor agonist Carbetocin into the VTA of the oxytocin gene KO mice still evoked penile erection. By employing the Oxt-Ires-Cre mice, we found that specifically activating oxytocinergic neurons through chemogenetics strongly induced penile erection, while inhibiting these neurons blocked the erection responses. Furthermore, ablating PVN oxytocinergic neurons abolished the male erection response. In conclusion, although the neuropeptide oxytocin is not essential for male erection, the activity of oxytocinergic neurons is required. Our results might reflect the redundancy in the central nerve system in the sense that many signals contribute to the activation of oxytocinergic neurons to evoke penile erection during sexual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Xiang Wen
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Lin-Yao Fan
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - An-Yong Yang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yan-Chufei Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Chang Xu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zi-Hui Wang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Wen-Jiong Xie
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xiao-Yang Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jing-Ning Zhu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Anyang Sun
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases & Molecular Imaging, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, 201318, China.
| | - Liang Li
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Qi-Peng Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), NJU Institute of AI Biomedicine and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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2
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Ågmo A, Laan E. Sexual incentive motivation, sexual behavior, and general arousal: Do rats and humans tell the same story? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104595. [PMID: 35231490 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sexual incentive stimuli activate sexual motivation and heighten the level of general arousal. The sexual motive may induce the individual to approach the incentive, and eventually to initiate sexual acts. Both approach and the ensuing copulatory interaction further enhance general arousal. We present data from rodents and humans in support of these assertions. We then suggest that orgasm is experienced when the combined level of excitation surpasses a threshold. In order to analyze the neurobiological bases of sexual motivation, we employ the concept of a central motive state. We then discuss the mechanisms involved in the long- and short-term control of that state as well as those mediating the momentaneous actions of sexual incentive stimuli. This leads to an analysis of the neurobiology behind the interindividual differences in responsivity of the sexual central motive state. Knowledge is still fragmentary, and many contradictory observations have been made. Nevertheless, we conclude that the basic mechanisms of sexual motivation and the role of general arousal are similar in rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Ellen Laan
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Pandey A, Bloch G. Krüppel-homologue 1 Mediates Hormonally Regulated Dominance Rank in a Social Bee. Biology (Basel) 2021; 10:biology10111188. [PMID: 34827180 PMCID: PMC8614866 DOI: 10.3390/biology10111188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchies are ubiquitous in invertebrates and vertebrates, but little is known on how genes influence dominance rank. Our gaps in knowledge are specifically significant concerning female hierarchies, particularly in insects. To start filling these gaps, we studied the social bumble bee Bombus terrestris, in which social hierarchies among females are common and functionally significant. Dominance rank in this bee is influenced by multiple factors, including juvenile hormone (JH) that is a major gonadotropin in this species. We tested the hypothesis that the JH responsive transcription factor Krüppel homologue 1 (Kr-h1) mediates hormonal influences on dominance behavior. We first developed and validated a perfluorocarbon nanoparticles-based RNA interference protocol for knocking down Kr-h1 expression. We then used this procedure to show that Kr-h1 mediates the influence of JH, not only on oogenesis and wax production, but also on aggression and dominance rank. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study causally linking a gene to dominance rank in social insects, and one of only a few such studies on insects or on female hierarchies. These findings are important for determining whether there are general molecular principles governing dominance rank across gender and taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul Pandey
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Correspondence: (A.P.); (G.B.)
| | - Guy Bloch
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Correspondence: (A.P.); (G.B.)
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Melis MR, Argiolas A. Oxytocin, Erectile Function and Sexual Behavior: Last Discoveries and Possible Advances. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10376. [PMID: 34638719 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A continuously increasing amount of research shows that oxytocin is involved in numerous central functions. Among the functions in which oxytocin is thought to be involved are those that play a role in social and sexual behaviors, and the involvement of central oxytocin in erectile function and sexual behavior was indeed one of the first to be discovered in laboratory animals in the 1980s. The first part of this review summarizes the results of studies done in laboratory animals that support a facilitatory role of oxytocin in male and female sexual behavior and reveal mechanisms through which this ancient neuropeptide participates in concert with other neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in this complex function, which is fundamental for the species reproduction. The second part summarizes the results of studies done mainly with intranasal oxytocin in men and women with the aim to translate the results found in laboratory animals to humans. Unexpectedly, the results of these studies do not appear to confirm the facilitatory role of oxytocin found in male and female sexual behavior in animals, both in men and women. Possible explanations for the failure of oxytocin to improve sexual behavior in men and women and strategies to attempt to overcome this impasse are considered.
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Čakš Golec T, Balažic J, Kavalar R. Accidental autoerotic death. Rechtsmedizin (Berl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00194-021-00507-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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6
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Fujima S, Yamaga R, Minami H, Mizuno S, Shinoda Y, Sadakata T, Abe M, Sakimura K, Sano Y, Furuichi T. CAPS2 Deficiency Impairs the Release of the Social Peptide Oxytocin, as Well as Oxytocin-Associated Social Behavior. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4524-35. [PMID: 33846232 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3240-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2) regulates dense-core vesicle (DCV) exocytosis to facilitate peptidergic and catecholaminergic transmitter release. CAPS2 deficiency in mice has mild neuronal effects but markedly impairs social behavior. Rare de novo Caps2 alterations also occur in autism spectrum disorder, although whether CAPS2-mediated release influences social behavior remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that CAPS2 is associated with DCV exocytosis-mediated release of the social interaction modulatory peptide oxytocin (OXT). CAPS2 is expressed in hypothalamic OXT neurons and localizes to OXT nerve projection and OXT release sites, such as the pituitary. Caps2 KO mice exhibited reduced plasma albeit increased hypothalamic and pituitary OXT levels, indicating insufficient release. OXT neuron-specific Caps2 conditional KO supported CAPS2 function in pituitary OXT release, also affording impaired social interaction and recognition behavior that could be ameliorated by exogenous OXT administered intranasally. Thus, CAPS2 appears critical for OXT release, thereby being associated with social behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The role of the neuropeptide oxytocin in enhancing social interaction and social bonding behavior has attracted considerable public and neuroscientific attention. A central issue in oxytocin biology concerns how oxytocin release is regulated. Our study provides an important insight into the understanding of oxytocin-dependent social behavior from the perspective of the CAPS2-regulated release mechanism.
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Anpilov S, Shemesh Y, Eren N, Harony-Nicolas H, Benjamin A, Dine J, Oliveira VEM, Forkosh O, Karamihalev S, Hüttl RE, Feldman N, Berger R, Dagan A, Chen G, Neumann ID, Wagner S, Yizhar O, Chen A. Wireless Optogenetic Stimulation of Oxytocin Neurons in a Semi-natural Setup Dynamically Elevates Both Pro-social and Agonistic Behaviors. Neuron 2020; 107:644-655.e7. [PMID: 32544386 PMCID: PMC7447984 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Complex behavioral phenotyping techniques are becoming more prevalent in the field of behavioral neuroscience, and thus methods for manipulating neuronal activity must be adapted to fit into such paradigms. Here, we present a head-mounted, magnetically activated device for wireless optogenetic manipulation that is compact, simple to construct, and suitable for use in group-living mice in an enriched semi-natural arena over several days. Using this device, we demonstrate that repeated activation of oxytocin neurons in male mice can have different effects on pro-social and agonistic behaviors, depending on the social context. Our findings support the social salience hypothesis of oxytocin and emphasize the importance of the environment in the study of social neuromodulators. Our wireless optogenetic device can be easily adapted for use in a variety of behavioral paradigms, which are normally hindered by tethered light delivery or a limited environment. A small, wireless device is used for optogenetic activation in a complex environment PVN oxytocin neurons were activated repeatedly over 2 days in a group setting Repeated activation in a group setting elicited both pro-social and agonistic behavior Findings support the social salience hypothesis of oxytocin neuro-modulation
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Anpilov
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Yair Shemesh
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Noa Eren
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Hala Harony-Nicolas
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Asaf Benjamin
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Julien Dine
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Vinícius E M Oliveira
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Oren Forkosh
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Stoyo Karamihalev
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Rosa-Eva Hüttl
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Noa Feldman
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ryan Berger
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Avi Dagan
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Gal Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Ofer Yizhar
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany.
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Abstract
Oxytocin, a neuropeptide synthesized by the hypothalamus, plays a central role in human social behavior, social cognition, anxiety, mood, stress modulation, and fear learning and extinction. The relationships between oxytocin and psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder have been extensively studied. In this chapter, we focus on the current knowledge about oxytocin and anxiety disorder. We discuss the anxiolytic effects of oxytocin in preclinical and clinical findings, possible related neurobehavioral mechanisms (social cognition, fear learning, and extinction), related neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine systems (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, serotoninergic, and GABAergic systems), and studies regarding plasma levels of oxytocin, genetic and epigenetic findings, and effects of intranasal oxytocin in DSM-5 anxiety disorder (primarily social anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder) patients.
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Semple E, Shalabi F, Hill JW. Oxytocin Neurons Enable Melanocortin Regulation of Male Sexual Function in Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:6310-6323. [PMID: 30756300 PMCID: PMC6684847 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-1514-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The melanocortin pathway has been implicated in both metabolism and sexual function. When the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is knocked out globally, male mice display obesity, low sexual desire, and copulatory difficulties; however, it is unclear whether these phenotypes are interdependent. To elucidate the neuronal circuitry involved in sexual dysfunction in MC4R knockouts, we re-expressed the MC4R in these mice exclusively on Sim1 neurons (tbMC4RSim1 mice) or on a subset of Sim1 neurons, namely oxytocin neurons (tbMC4Roxt mice). The groups were matched at young ages to control for the effects of obesity. Interestingly, young MC4R null mice had no deficits in sexual motivation or erectile function. However, MC4R null mice were found to have an increased latency to reach ejaculation compared to control mice, which was restored in both tbMC4RSim1 and tbMC4Roxt mice. These results indicate that melanocortin signaling via the MC4R on oxytocin neurons is important for normal ejaculation independent of the male's metabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Semple
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Firas Shalabi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Jennifer W Hill
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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10
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Lazzari VM, Zimmermann-Peruzatto JM, Agnes G, Becker RO, de Moura AC, Almeida S, Guedes RP, Giovenardi M. Hippocampal gene expression patterns in oxytocin male knockout mice are related to impaired social interaction. Behav Brain Res 2019; 364:464-468. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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11
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Dhungel S, Rai D, Terada M, Orikasa C, Nishimori K, Sakuma Y, Kondo Y. Oxytocin is indispensable for conspecific-odor preference and controls the initiation of female, but not male, sexual behavior in mice. Neurosci Res 2018; 148:34-41. [PMID: 30502354 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) has been demonstrated to be involved in various social behaviors in mammals. However, OT gene knockout (OTKO) mice can conceive and deliver successfully, though females cannot rear their pups because of lack of lactation. Here, we investigated the sociosexual behavior of both sexes in two experimental setups: olfactory preference for sexual partner's odor and direct social interaction in an enriched condition. In the preference test, mice were given a choice of two airborne odors derived from intact male and receptive female mice, or from intact or castrated male mice. Wild-type (WT) mice significantly preferred opposite-sex odors, whereas OTKO mice showed vigorous but equivalent exploration to all stimuli. In social interactions in the enriched condition, no difference in sexual behavior was found between WT and OTKO males. In contrast, WT female initiated sexual behavior at the second week test, while OTKO females required 4 weeks to receive successful mounts. Neuronal activation by odor stimulation was compared between WT and OTKO mice. The numbers of cFos-immunoreactive cells increased in the medial amygdala and the preoptic area after exposure to opposite-sex odors in WT mice, whereas the increase was suppressed in OTKO mice. We conclude that OT plays an important role in the regulation of olfactory-related social behavior in both male and female mice. The influence of OT was greater in female mice, especially during social interactions involving the acquisition of sexual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Dhungel
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Physiology, Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Dilip Rai
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Misao Terada
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Dokkyo Medical School, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Chitose Orikasa
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Yasuo Sakuma
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan; University of Tokyo Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kondo
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Yamanashi, Japan.
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12
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Russell AL, Tasker JG, Lucion AB, Fiedler J, Munhoz CD, Wu TYJ, Deak T. Factors promoting vulnerability to dysregulated stress reactivity and stress-related disease. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30:e12641. [PMID: 30144202 PMCID: PMC6181794 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Effective coordination of the biological stress response is integral for the behavioural well-being of an organism. Stress reactivity is coordinated by an interplay of the neuroendocrine system and the sympathetic nervous system. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a key role in orchestrating the bodily responses to stress, and the activity of the axis can be modified by a wide range of experiential events. This review focuses on several factors that influence subsequent HPA axis reactivity. Some of these factors include early-life adversity, exposure to chronic stress, immune activation and traumatic brain injury. The central premise is that each of these experiences serves as a general vulnerability factor that accelerates future HPA axis reactivity in ways that make individuals more sensitive to stress challenges, therefore feeding forward into the exacerbation of ongoing (or greater susceptibility toward) future stress-related disease states, especially as they pertain to negative affect and overall brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Russell
- Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jeffrey G Tasker
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Los Angeles
| | - Aldo B Lucion
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences (ICBS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jenny Fiedler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina D Munhoz
- Deparment of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tao-Yiao John Wu
- Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Terrence Deak
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York
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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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14
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Zhou T, Sandi C, Hu H. Advances in understanding neural mechanisms of social dominance. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 49:99-107. [PMID: 29428628 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchy profoundly impacts social animals' survival, physical and mental health and reproductive success. As the measurements of dominance hierarchy in rodents become established, it is now possible to understand the neural mechanism mediating the intrinsic and extrinsic factors determining social hierarchy. This review summarizes the latest advances in assay development for measuring dominance hierarchy in laboratory mice. It also reviews our current understandings on how activity and plasticity of specific neural circuits shape the dominance trait and mediate the 'winner effect'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhou
- Center for Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310013, PR China; Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, PR China
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hailan Hu
- Center for Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310013, PR China.
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15
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Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has a solid reputation as a facilitator of social interactions such as parental and pair bonding, trust, and empathy. The many results supporting a pro-social role of OT have generated the hypothesis that impairments in the endogenous OT system may lead to antisocial behavior, most notably social withdrawal or pathological aggression. If this is indeed the case, administration of exogenous OT could be the "serenic" treatment that psychiatrists have for decades been searching for.In the present review, we list and discuss the evidence for an endogenous "hypo-oxytocinergic state" underlying aggressive and antisocial behavior, derived from both animal and human studies. We furthermore examine the reported effects of synthetic OT administration on aggression in rodents and humans.Although the scientific findings listed in this review support, in broad lines, the link between a down-regulated or impaired OT system activity and increased aggression, the anti-aggressive effects of synthetic OT are less straightforward and require further research. The rather complex picture that emerges adds to the ongoing debate questioning the unidirectional pro-social role of OT, as well as the strength of the effects of intranasal OT administration in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trynke R de Jong
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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16
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Becker RO, Rasia-filho AA, Giovenardi M. Selective deletion of the oxytocin gene remodels the number and shape of dendritic spines in the medial amygdala of males with and without sexual experience. Neurosci Lett 2017; 660:155-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.08.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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17
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Hara Y, Ago Y, Higuchi M, Hasebe S, Nakazawa T, Hashimoto H, Matsuda T, Takuma K. Oxytocin attenuates deficits in social interaction but not recognition memory in a prenatal valproic acid-induced mouse model of autism. Horm Behav 2017; 96:130-136. [PMID: 28942000 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 08/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have reported that oxytocin ameliorates behavioral abnormalities in both animal models and individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the mechanisms underlying the ameliorating effects of oxytocin remain unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of intranasal oxytocin on impairments in social interaction and recognition memory in an ASD mouse model in which animals are prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA). We found that a single intranasal administration of oxytocin restored social interaction deficits for up to 2h in mice prenatally exposed to VPA, but there was no effect on recognition memory impairments. Additionally, administration of oxytocin across 2weeks improved prenatal VPA-induced social interaction deficits for at least 24h. In contrast, there were no effects on the time spent sniffing in control mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that intranasal administration of oxytocin increased c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN), prefrontal cortex, and somatosensory cortex, but not the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions of VPA-exposed mice, suggesting the former regions may underlie the effects of oxytocin. These findings suggest that oxytocin attenuates social interaction deficits through the activation of higher cortical areas and the PVN in an ASD mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Hara
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yukio Ago
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Momoko Higuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shigeru Hasebe
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takanobu Nakazawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hashimoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Division of Bioscience, Institute for Datability Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshio Matsuda
- Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Takuma
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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18
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Kalman E, Keay KA. Hippocampal volume, social interactions, and the expression of the normal repertoire of resident-intruder behavior. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00775. [PMID: 28948073 PMCID: PMC5607542 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Reduced hippocampal volumes are reported in individuals with disrupted emotional coping behaviors in both human clinical conditions and in experimental animal models of these populations. In a number of experimental animal models, it has been shown that social interactions can promote resilience and buffer the negative neural consequences of stimuli that disrupt effective coping. METHODS Hippocampal and dentate gyrus volumes were calculated in 54 male Sprague Dawley rats; (1) single housed (n = 12), (2) single housed and exposed to daily 6-min social interactions testing in a resident-intruder paradigm (n = 11); (3) group housed (n = 12); (4) single housed and sham injured (n = 12); (5) single housed, sham injured, and social interactions tested (n = 7). RESULTS We present data which shows that even a brief daily exposure to a conspecific in resident-intruder social interactions test is sufficient to prevent the reduction in hippocampal volume triggered by single housing. CONCLUSION When considered with previously published data, these findings suggest that the expression of the full repertoire of social, nonsocial, dominance, and submissive behaviors in response to the physical presence of an intruder in the home cage plays a significant role in this maintenance of hippocampal volume.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Kalman
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology) The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Kevin A Keay
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology) The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
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19
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Blitzer DS, Wells TE, Hawley WR. Administration of an oxytocin receptor antagonist attenuates sexual motivation in male rats. Horm Behav 2017; 94:33-39. [PMID: 28596135 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In male rats, oxytocin impacts both sexual arousal and certain types of consummatory sexual behaviors. However, the role of oxytocin in the motivational aspects of sexual behavior has received limited attention. Given the role that oxytocin signaling plays in consummatory sexual behaviors, it was hypothesized that pharmacological attenuation of oxytocin signaling would reduce sexual motivation in male rats. Sexually experienced Long-Evans male rats were administered either an oxytocin receptor antagonist (L368,899 hydrochloride; 1mg/kg) or vehicle control into the intraperitoneal cavity 40min prior to placement into the center chamber of a three-chambered arena designed to assess sexual motivation. During the 20-minute test, a sexually experienced stimulus male rat and a sexually receptive stimulus female rat were separately confined to smaller chambers that were attached to the larger end chambers of the arena. However, physical contact between test and stimulus rats was prevented by perforated dividers. Immediately following the sexual motivation test, test male rats were placed with a sexually receptive female to examine consummatory sexual behaviors. Although both drug and vehicle treated rats exhibited a preference for the female, treatment with an oxytocin receptor antagonist decreased the amount of time spent with the female. There were no differences between drug and vehicle treated rats in either general activity, exploratory behaviors, the amount of time spent near the stimulus male rat, or consummatory sexual behaviors. Extending previous findings, these results indicate that oxytocin receptors are involved in sexual motivation in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- D S Blitzer
- Franklin and Marshall College, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - T E Wells
- Franklin and Marshall College, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - W R Hawley
- Franklin and Marshall College, Department of Psychology, United States; Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychology, United States.
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20
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Hulbert SW, Jiang YH. Cellular and Circuitry Bases of Autism: Lessons Learned from the Temporospatial Manipulation of Autism Genes in the Brain. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:205-18. [PMID: 28271437 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0112-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Transgenic mice carrying mutations that cause Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) continue to be valuable for determining the molecular underpinnings of the disorders. Recently, researchers have taken advantage of such models combined with Cre-loxP and similar systems to manipulate gene expression over space and time. Thus, a clearer picture is starting to emerge of the cell types, circuits, brain regions, and developmental time periods underlying ASDs. ASD-causing mutations have been restricted to or rescued specifically in excitatory or inhibitory neurons, different neurotransmitter systems, and cells specific to the forebrain or cerebellum. In addition, mutations have been induced or corrected in adult mice, providing some evidence for the plasticity and reversibility of core ASD symptoms. The limited availability of Cre lines that are highly specific to certain cell types or time periods provides a challenge to determining the cellular and circuitry bases of autism, but other technological advances may eventually overcome this obstacle.
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21
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Zimmermann-Peruzatto JM, Lazzari VM, Agnes G, Becker RO, de Moura AC, Guedes RP, Lucion AB, Almeida S, Giovenardi M. The Impact of Oxytocin Gene Knockout on Sexual Behavior and Gene Expression Related to Neuroendocrine Systems in the Brain of Female Mice. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2016; 37:803-815. [DOI: 10.1007/s10571-016-0419-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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22
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Freudenberg F, Carreño Gutierrez H, Post AM, Reif A, Norton WHJ. Aggression in non-human vertebrates: Genetic mechanisms and molecular pathways. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:603-40. [PMID: 26284957 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an adaptive behavioral trait that is important for the establishment of social hierarchies and competition for mating partners, food, and territories. While a certain level of aggression can be beneficial for the survival of an individual or species, abnormal aggression levels can be detrimental. Abnormal aggression is commonly found in human patients with psychiatric disorders. The predisposition to aggression is influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and a large number of genes have been associated with aggression in both human and animal studies. In this review, we compare and contrast aggression studies in zebrafish and mouse. We present gene ontology and pathway analyses of genes linked to aggression and discuss the molecular pathways that underpin agonistic behavior in these species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Freudenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Antonia M Post
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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23
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Clipperton-Allen AE, Chen Y, Page DT. Autism-relevant behaviors are minimally impacted by conditional deletion of Pten in oxytocinergic neurons. Autism Res 2016; 9:1248-1262. [PMID: 27220363 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Germline heterozygous mutations in Pten (phosphatase and tensin homolog) are associated with macrocephaly and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Pten germline heterozygous (Pten+/- ) mice approximate these mutations, and both sexes show widespread brain overgrowth and impaired social behavior. Strikingly similar behavior phenotypes have been reported in oxytocin (Oxt) and/or oxytocin receptor (OxtR) knockout mice. Thus, we hypothesized that the behavioral phenotypes of germline Pten+/- mice may be caused by reduced Pten function in Oxt-expressing cells. To investigate this, we tested mice in which Pten was conditionally deleted using oxytocin-Cre (Oxt-Cre+ ; PtenloxP/+ , Oxt-Cre+ ; PtenloxP/loxP ) on a battery including assays of social, repetitive, depression-like, and anxiety-like behaviors. Minimal behavioral abnormalities were found; decreased anxiety-like behavior in the open field test in Oxt-Cre+ ; PtenloxP/loxP males was the only result that phenocopied germline Pten+/- mice. However, Oxt cell size was dramatically increased in Oxt-Cre+ ; PtenloxP/loxP mice in adulthood. Thus, conditional deletion of Pten using Oxt-Cre has a profound effect on Oxt cell structure, but not on ASD-relevant behavior. We interpret these results as inconsistent with our starting hypothesis that reduced Pten function in Oxt-expressing cells causes the behavioral deficits observed in germline Pten+/- mice. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1248-1262. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Youjun Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Damon T Page
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida
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24
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Chu X, Ågmo A. The adrenergic α2-receptor, sexual incentive motivation and copulatory behavior in the male rat. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2016; 144:33-44. [PMID: 26906229 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2016.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Adrenergic α2 antagonists are known to enhance sexual incentive motivation and modify copulatory behavior while agonists are consistently inhibitory. However, many of the drugs employed in earlier studies were of modest specificity for the α2 receptor, and the importance of the different subtypes of this receptor remains completely unknown. In the present series of experiments we determined the effects on sexual incentive motivation and copulatory behavior of additional, highly specific compounds, as well as of agonists selective for each of the three subtypes of the α2 receptor. Sexual incentive motivation and copulatory behavior were evaluated in male rats in well established procedures. Among the α2 antagonists, RX 821002 reliably enhanced sexual incentive motivation while fluparoxan only had a modest effect. In large doses both drugs reduced copulatory behavior. The agonist S 18616 reduced both incentive motivation and copulation. None of the subtype selective agonists (BRL 44408, ARC 239, JP 1302) had any consistent effect. A peripheral α2 antagonist, L 659,066 was also ineffective. Even though there are some differences between α2 antagonists with regard to their effects on sexual incentive motivation and copulatory behavior it seems safe to conclude that antagonism of the adrenergic α2 receptor enhances motivation without any concomitant stimulation of copulatory behavior. It appears that antagonism of a single receptor subtype is insufficient for having this effect. Perhaps non-selective α2 antagonists could be used for the treatment of male sexual dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chu
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
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25
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Romano A, Tempesta B, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Gaetani S. From Autism to Eating Disorders and More: The Role of Oxytocin in Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neurosci 2016; 9:497. [PMID: 26793046 PMCID: PMC4709851 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (oxy) is a pituitary neuropeptide hormone synthesized from the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei within the hypothalamus. Like other neuropeptides, oxy can modulate a wide range of neurotransmitter and neuromodulator activities. Additionally, through the neurohypophysis, oxy is secreted into the systemic circulation to act as a hormone, thereby influencing several body functions. Oxy plays a pivotal role in parturition, milk let-down and maternal behavior and has been demonstrated to be important in the formation of pair bonding between mother and infants as well as in mating pairs. Furthermore, oxy has been proven to play a key role in the regulation of several behaviors associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, including social interactions, social memory response to social stimuli, decision-making in the context of social interactions, feeding behavior, emotional reactivity, etc. An increasing body of evidence suggests that deregulations of the oxytocinergic system might be involved in the pathophysiology of certain neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism, eating disorders, schizophrenia, mood, and anxiety disorders. The potential use of oxy in these mental health disorders is attracting growing interest since numerous beneficial properties are ascribed to this neuropeptide. The present manuscript will review the existing findings on the role played by oxy in a variety of distinct physiological and behavioral functions (Figure 1) and on its role and impact in different psychiatric disorders. The aim of this review is to highlight the need of further investigations on this target that might contribute to the development of novel more efficacious therapies.
Oxytocin regulatory control of different and complex processes. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Romano
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | - Bianca Tempesta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvana Gaetani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
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26
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Veroude K, Zhang-James Y, Fernàndez-Castillo N, Bakker MJ, Cormand B, Faraone SV. Genetics of aggressive behavior: An overview. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171B:3-43. [PMID: 26345359 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) address three types of aggression: frustrative non-reward, defensive aggression and offensive/proactive aggression. This review sought to present the evidence for genetic underpinnings of aggression and to determine to what degree prior studies have examined phenotypes that fit into the RDoC framework. Although the constructs of defensive and offensive aggression have been widely used in the animal genetics literature, the human literature is mostly agnostic with regard to all the RDoC constructs. We know from twin studies that about half the variance in behavior may be explained by genetic risk factors. This is true for both dimensional, trait-like, measures of aggression and categorical definitions of psychopathology. The non-shared environment seems to have a moderate influence with the effects of shared environment being unclear. Human molecular genetic studies of aggression are in an early stage. The most promising candidates are in the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems along with hormonal regulators. Genome-wide association studies have not yet achieved genome-wide significance, but current samples are too small to detect variants having the small effects one would expect for a complex disorder. The strongest molecular evidence for a genetic basis for aggression comes from animal models comparing aggressive and non-aggressive strains or documenting the effects of gene knockouts. Although we have learned much from these prior studies, future studies should improve the measurement of aggression by using a systematic method of measurement such as that proposed by the RDoC initiative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Veroude
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yanli Zhang-James
- Departments of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Noèlia Fernàndez-Castillo
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
| | - Mireille J Bakker
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bru Cormand
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Departments of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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27
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Becker RO, Dall’Oglio A, Rigatto K, Giovenardi M, Rasia-Filho AA. Differently shaped spines increase in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of oxytocin knockout female mice. Neurosci Res 2015; 101:53-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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MacFadyen K, Loveless R, DeLucca B, Wardley K, Deogan S, Thomas C, Peris J. Peripheral oxytocin administration reduces ethanol consumption in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 140:27-32. [PMID: 26519603 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin interacts with mesolimbic dopamine neurons to mediate reward associated with filial behaviors, but also other rewarding behaviors such as eating or taking drugs of abuse. Based on its efficacy to decrease intake of other abused substances, oxytocin administration is implicated as a possible treatment for excessive alcohol consumption. We tested this hypothesis by measuring ethanol intake in male Sprague-Dawley rats injected with oxytocin or saline using two different ethanol self-administration paradigms. First, a dose-response curve was constructed for oxytocin inhibition of fluid intake using a modified drinking-in-the-dark model with three bottles containing .05% saccharine, 10% ethanol in saccharine, and 15% ethanol in saccharine. Doses of oxytocin tested were 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5mg/kg (I.P.). Next, rats received 0.3mg/kg oxytocin preceding operant sessions in which they were trained to lever-press for either plain gelatin or ethanol gelatin in order to compare oxytocin inhibition of ethanol intake versus caloric intake. For the three-bottle choice study, rats consumed significantly less ethanol when treated with the three higher doses of oxytocin on the injection day. In the operant study, 0.3mg/kg oxytocin significantly decreased ethanol gel consumption to a greater extent than plain gel consumption, both in terms of the amount of gel eaten and calories consumed. These data affirm oxytocin's efficacy for decreasing ethanol intake in rats, and confirm clinical studies suggesting oxytocin as a potential treatment for alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaley MacFadyen
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Rebecca Loveless
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Brandon DeLucca
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Krystal Wardley
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Sumeet Deogan
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Cameron Thomas
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Joanna Peris
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Box 100487, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
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Qiao X, Yan Y, Wu R, Tai F, Hao P, Cao Y, Wang J. Sociality and oxytocin and vasopressin in the brain of male and female dominant and subordinate mandarin voles. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2014; 200:149-59. [PMID: 24292210 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-013-0870-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2013] [Revised: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 11/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The dominant-subordinate hierarchy in animals often needs to be established via agonistic encounters and consequently affects reproduction and survival. Differences in brain neuropeptides and sociality among dominant and subordinate males and females remain poorly understood. Here we explore neuropeptide levels and sociality during agonistic encounter tests in mandarin voles. We found that dominant mandarin voles engaged in higher levels of approaching, investigating, self-grooming and exploring behavior than subordinates. Dominant males habituated better to a stimulus vole than dominant females. Dominant males displayed significantly less oxytocin-immunoreactive neurons in the paraventricular nuclei and more vasopressin-immunoreactive neurons in the paraventricular nuclei, supraoptic nuclei, and the lateral and anterior hypothalamus than subordinates. Dominant females displayed significantly more vasopressin-immunoreactive neurons in the lateral hypothalamus and anterior hypothalamus than subordinates. Sex differences were found in the level of oxytocin and vasopressin. These results indicate that distinct parameters related to central nervous oxytocin and vasopressin are associated with behaviors during agonistic encounters in a sex-specific manner in mandarin voles.
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Becker RO, Lazzari VM, Menezes IC, Morris M, Rigatto K, Lucion AB, Rasia-filho AA, Giovenardi M. Sexual behavior and dendritic spine density of posterodorsal medial amygdala neurons in oxytocin knockout female mice. Behav Brain Res 2013; 256:95-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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