Organizational effects of oxytocin on serotonin innervation
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) has an organizational effect within the central nervous system and can have long-lasting effects on the expression of social behavior. OT has recently been implicated in modulating the release of serotonin through activation of receptors in the raphe nuclei. Here we test the hypothesis that OT can have an organizational effect on the serotonergic system. Male prairie voles received an intraperitoneal injection on postnatal day 1 with 3.0 or .3 µg OT, an OT antagonist, or a saline control. Brains were collected on day 21 and immunostained for serotonin. Serotonin axons were quantified in the anterior hypothalamus, cortical amygdala, medial amygdala, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and ventromedial hypothalamus. Males treated with 3.0 µg OT displayed significantly higher serotonin axon length densities in the anterior hypothalamus, cortical amygdala, and the ventromedial hypothalamus than control males. These results support the hypothesis that OT has an organizational effect on the serotonin system during the neonatal period, and that these effects are site-specific.
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Studies in numerous species provide converging evidence that oxytocin during development can have permanent effects on the brain and behavior.
“Yet, in the last 12 years, there has been a resurgence of research in this area, with studies in numerous species providing converging evidence that Oxt during development can have permanent effects on the brain and behavior (3, 13–29) (see Table 1).”
From Oxytocin during Development: Possible Organizational Effects on Behavior (2015) · cites this paper as [21]
In male prairie voles, neonatal oxytocin administration results in increases in serotonergic axon density in the anterior hypothalamus, cortical amygdala, and ventromedial hypothalamus at postnatal day 21.
“In male prairie voles, neonatal Oxt administration also results in increases in serotonergic axon density in the anterior hypothalamus, cortical amygdala, and VMH at PND21 (21)”
From Oxytocin during Development: Possible Organizational Effects on Behavior (2015) · cites this paper as [21]
Oxytocin can increase the density and length of 5-HT axons during development.
“Evidence suggests that oxytocin can increase the density and length of 5-HT axons during development”
From The oxytocin receptor represents a key hub in the GPCR heteroreceptor network: Potential relevance for brain and behavior (2022) · cites this paper as Eaton et al., 2012
The involvement of RTK in the 5-HT and oxytocin receptor-receptor interactions is indicated by evidence that oxytocin can increase the density and length of 5-HT axons during development.
“which indicates the involvement of RTK in the 5-HT and oxytocin receptor-receptor interactions (Eaton et al., 2012).”
From The oxytocin receptor represents a key hub in the GPCR heteroreceptor network: Potential relevance for brain and behavior (2022) · cites this paper as Eaton et al., 2012
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- Authors
- Eaton, J. L., Roache, L., Nguyen, K. N., Cushing, B. S., Troyer, E., Papademetriou, E., & Raghanti, M. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Akron (US)
- University of Illinois Chicago (US)
- Kent State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Raghanti, Mary Ann
- Venue
- Developmental Psychobiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-05-18
- Volume
- 54
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 92-97
- ISSN
- 0012-1630 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-2302
- OpenAlex
- W2088333812
- Cited by
- 63
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 8.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Psychobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 01992, K01MH001992)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Keywords
- oxytocin, organizational effects, serotonin innervation, serotonergic system, Microtus ochrogaster, anterior hypothalamus, cortical amygdala, medial amygdala, paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamus, social behavior, raphe nuclei
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Arvicolinae, Male, Neurons, Oxytocin, Serotonin
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