Cited by 181Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeuropeptides and Animal PhysiologyNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 77 of the 78 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 47 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Oxytocin Receptors in the Anteromedial Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Promote Stress-Induced Social Avoidance in Female California Mice

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Abstract

Background The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a key regulator of social and emotional behaviors. The effects of OT are context-dependent, and it has been proposed that OT increases the salience of both positive and negative social cues. Here we tested whether the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) mediates anxiogenic effects of OT. Methods First, we studied the effects of systemic administration of an OT receptor (OTR) antagonist L-368,899 on social behavior in male and female California mice exposed to social defeat. We examined the effect of L-368,899 on G protein activation and used EGR1 immunohistochemistry to identify potential sites of OTR action. Finally, we examined the effects of L-368,899 infused in the BNST on behavior. Results A single dose of systemic L-368,899 increased social approach in stressed females and decreased social approach in males naïve to defeat. L-368,899 prevented OT activation of G proteins, and did not activate G-proteins in the absence of OT. Intranasal OT, which reduces social approach in females but not males, increased EGR1 immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and anteromedial BNST in females but not males. Stressed females that received an infusion of L-368,899 in to anteromedial BNST but not the NAc core increased social approach and decreased social vigilance responses. Conclusions Our results suggest that OTR activation in anteromedial BNST induces a vigilance response in which individuals avoid, yet attend to unfamiliar social contexts. Our results suggest that OTR antagonists may have unappreciated therapeutic potential for stress-induced psychiatric disorders.

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TL;DR

Systemic or anteromedial BNST infusion of the oxytocin receptor antagonist L-368,899 rapidly reversed stress-induced social avoidance in female California mice, while systemic L-368,899 reduced social approach in defeat-naïve males. The results suggest OTR activation in the anteromedial BNST promotes vigilance toward unfamiliar social contexts and social avoidance in stressed females.

Key findings

  • In stressed females, systemic L-368,899 at 5 mg/kg increased time in the interaction zone versus saline-treated stressed females (p<0.05, d=1.03) and increased active investigation; stressed females given saline or 1 mg/kg showed reduced interaction (p<0.001, d=1.6 and p=0.02, d=1.1, respectively). In control males, 5 mg/kg L-368,899 reduced time in the interaction zone (p=0.02, d=1.25).
  • Infusion of L-368,899 into the anteromedial BNST, but not the dorsolateral NAc core, increased social approach in stressed females (BNSTam p<0.001, d=1.27; NAcdl d=0.07; misses d=0.12).
  • Intranasal oxytocin increased EGR1 immunoreactivity in females but not males in the anteromedial BNST (p=0.03, d=1.09) and dorsolateral NAc core (p=0.03, d=0.93).
  • Systemic 5 mg/kg L-368,899 eliminated the stress-induced increase in orientation toward the target mouse in females (P<0.01), and BNSTam infusion reduced this vigilance response (P<0.05). L-368,899 fully prevented oxytocin activation of G-proteins and β-arrestin recruitment without activating them alone.

Methods

  • Male and female California mice were assigned to control handling or 3 days of social defeat, with behavioral and receptor-binding analyses conducted two weeks later.
  • Systemic L-368,899 (1 or 5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) was given 30 min before social interaction testing; separate tests included odor preference, OTR autoradiography, EGR1 immunohistochemistry after intranasal oxytocin or systemic L-368,899, and BRET assays for G-protein/β-arrestin coupling.
  • Stressed females received bilateral 200 nl infusions of aCSF or L-368,899 (1 µg per side) into the dorsolateral NAc core or anteromedial BNST before social interaction testing; analyses used two-way ANOVA, planned comparisons with Bonferroni correction, Cohen’s d, Spearman correlations, and 3-way ANOVA for estrous cycle.

Limitations

  • The paper states that further study is needed to identify the downstream effects of OTR activation in the anteromedial BNST.
  • Evident from the text: site-specific infusion experiments were performed only in stressed females, so the circuit-level conclusion is limited to females; several key effects were statistical trends, including the systemic female social interaction stress×drug interaction (p=0.06) and EGR1 sex×drug interactions in BNSTam (p=0.08) and NAcdl (p=0.06).
  • The paper reports no main effects of estrous cycle or interactions with stress or treatment in the social interaction and odor preference tests (Supplementary Table S2), but full procedural details are in supplementary methods not included in the provided text.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.08.024

Cites

77 of 77 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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74 Own result · 29 Not checked yet · 17 Own interpretation · 5 Own method · 1 No basis given

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 20
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 28
42 of 42
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Intranasal OT reduces social interaction in unstressed female California mice.

    “We also found that intranasal OT reduced social interaction in unstressed females, mirroring the effect of social defeat stress.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No study has considered whether sex differences in G-protein activation by a single receptor contributes to sex differences in behavioral effects.

    “To our knowledge, no study has considered whether sex differences in G-protein activation by a single receptor contributes to sex differences in behavioral effects.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No study has systematically compared these ligands in males and females.

    “no study has systematically compared these ligands in males and females.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Little is known about OT-BDNF interactions.

    “but otherwise little is known about OT-BDNF interactions.”
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Metadata

Authors
Duque-Wilckens, N., Steinman, M. Q., Busnelli, M., Chini, B., Yokoyama, S., Pham, M., Laredo, S. A., Hao, R., Perkeybile, A. M., Minie, V. A., Tan, P. B., Bales, K. L., & Trainor, B. C.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Davis (US)
  • University of Milan (IT)
Corresponding author
Trainor, Brian C.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-02
Volume
83
Issue
3
Pages
203-213
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2755709714
Cited by
181
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 15
FWCI
19.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (P51OD011107)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH095253, R01MH103322)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
oxytocin receptor, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, social avoidance, social defeat stress, sex differences, L-368,899, G protein activation, early growth response factor-1, nucleus accumbens core, social vigilance, social approach, anxiety
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Camphanes, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Male, Nucleus Accumbens, Oxytocin, Piperazines, Septal Nuclei, Sex Characteristics, Social Behavior, Stress, Psychological, Receptors, Oxytocin, Mice

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