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Cited by 244Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorOlfactory and Sensory Function StudiesNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Enhanced social interactions in rats following chronic, centrally infused oxytocin

Witt, Diane M., Winslow, James T., Insel, Thomas R.·1992·Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
DOI 10.1016/0091-3057(92)90418-f
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Abstract

Most studies investigating the behavioral effects of centrally administered oxytocin (OT) have been confined to single acute injections followed by brief behavioral observations lasting up to 90 min. The present study examines the behavioral effects of chronic, centrally administered OT in male rats observed continuously for prolonged periods of time. Either artificial cerebrospinal fluid or OT was centrally infused (via osmotic minipump) to gonadally intact male rats. Behavioral observations were made on males paired with either ovariectomized or estrous females during a 6-h time period. Most striking was the observation that durations of physical contact were doubled in pairs containing OT-infused males, even in the absence of sexual interactions. Also, OT-infused males showed significantly higher levels of anogenital sniffing of females and autogrooming; however, sexual interactions were unaffected by chronic OT. Chronic OT had no effect on body temperature, analgesia, or exploratory behavior in an open field. These findings suggest that chronic OT in male rats has behavioral effects that may significantly enhance adult social (nonsexual) interactions, possibly through alterations in olfactory and somatosensory information processing.

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  • Centrally administered oxytocin facilitates contact-seeking, attachment bond formation, and social memory in rodents.

    “Centrally administered OT facilitates contact-seeking, attachment bond formation, and social memory in rodents (Ferguson et al., 2000; Williams et al., 1992; Witt et al., 1992).”

    From Effects of intranasal oxytocin on social anxiety in males with fragile X syndrome (2012) · cites this paper as Witt et al., 1992

  • Intranasal oxytocin administration in fragile X syndrome may work mechanistically by dampening amygdala reactivity toward socially threatening and anxiety-provoking stimuli, decreasing HPA axis activation, and increasing social motivation.

    “Intranasal OT administration in FXS may work mechanistically by dampening amygdala reactivity toward socially threatening and anxiety-provoking stimuli (Kirsch et al., 2005; Petrovic et al., 2008), decreasing HPA axis activation, and increasing social motivation (Witt et al., 1992).”

    From Effects of intranasal oxytocin on social anxiety in males with fragile X syndrome (2012) · cites this paper as Witt et al., 1992

  • Seminal studies in male-male and male-female rodent pairs have contributed to the notion of OT as a facilitator of affiliative behaviors.

    “While seminal studies in male-male and male-female rodent pairs have contributed to the notion of OT as a facilitator of affiliative behaviors (Lukas et al., 2011, Williams et al., 1994, Witt et al., 1992), recent findings also provide evidence of antisocial effects of OT (van Anders et al., 2013, Bartz et al., 2011, Beery, 2015).”

    From Wireless Optogenetic Stimulation of Oxytocin Neurons in a Semi-natural Setup Dynamically Elevates Both Pro-social and Agonistic Behaviors (2020) · cites this paper as Witt et al., 1992

  • Intranasal oxytocin enhances prosocial and affiliative behaviors in rodents and non-human primates.

    “Intranasal oxytocin is also known to enhance prosocial and affiliative behaviors in rodents (Ferguson et al., 2001; Witt et al., 1992) and non-human primates (Chang and Platt, 2013).”

    From Effects of adverse childhood experiences on the association between intranasal oxytocin and social stress reactivity among individuals with cocaine dependence (2015) · cites this paper as Witt et al., 1992

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Authors
Witt, D. M., Winslow, J. T., & Insel, T. R.
Affiliations
National Institute of Mental Health (US)
Corresponding author
Witt, Diane M.
ORCID
Insel, Thomas R.
Venue
Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1992-11
Volume
43
Issue
3
Pages
855-861
ISSN
0091-3057 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0091-3057(92)90418-f
OpenAlex
W2022479132
Cited by
244
References
29
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 8
FWCI
6.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
oxytocin, social interaction, physical contact, anogenital sniffing, autogrooming, sexual behavior, olfactory processing, somatosensory processing, ovariectomized females, estrous cycle, body temperature, analgesia, exploratory behavior
MeSH terms
Analgesia, Animals, Arousal, Body Temperature Regulation, Estradiol, Exploratory Behavior, Female, Grooming, Injections, Intraventricular, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Motor Activity, Ovariectomy, Oxytocin, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Stimulation, Chemical, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Rats

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