Cited by 173Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAnimal Behavior and ReproductionNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Neurobiological mechanisms of social attachment and pair bonding

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Johnson, Zachary V, Young, Larry J·2015·Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Species have evolved diverse social behavior and mating strategies in response to selective forces in their environments. While promiscuity is the predominant mating strategy across most vertebrate taxa, convergent evolution of monogamous mating systems has occurred multiple times across distant lineages. Monogamous behavior is thought to be facilitated by a neurobiological capacity to form and maintain selective social attachments, or pair bonds, with a mating partner. The neural mechanisms of pair bonding behavior have been investigated most rigorously in Microtine rodents, which exhibit diverse social organizations. These studies have highlighted mesolimbic dopamine pathways, social neuropeptides (oxytocin and vasopressin), and other neural systems as integral factors in the formation, maintenance, and expression of pair bonds.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.01.009

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  • In monogamous prairie voles, oxytocin and vasopressin interact with the dopamine system to facilitate pair bond formation between mates.

    “In monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), OT and AVP interact with the dopamine system to facilitate the formation of pair bonds between mates (2,6).”
  • Oxytocin receptor signaling influences several social behaviors in animals, including maternal care and bonding, social reward and gregariousness, social recognition, and pair bonding in monogamous species.

    “OXTR affects a range of social behaviors in animals including maternal nurturing and bonding (1, 2), social reward and gregariousness (3, 4), social recognition (5), and pair bonding in monogamous species (6–8).”
  • In prairie voles, OXTR is enriched in mesolimbic reward regions including the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex, which are part of a neural network for pair bonding.

    “In a socially monogamous rodent, the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), OXTR is enriched in important MLR regions such as the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) that constitute part of a neural network for pair bonding (6, 8, 34).”
  • Central OTRs exhibit extraordinarily diverse expression patterns that are associated with individual and species differences in social behavior.

    “Central OTRs exhibit extraordinarily diverse expression patterns that are associated with individual and species differences in social behavior.”

    From Oxytocin receptors modulate a social salience neural network in male prairie voles (2017) · cites this paper as Johnson and Young, 2015

  • Central distribution patterns and region-specific densities of OTRs have undergone rapid evolutionary divergence between closely related species of birds and mammals that exhibit divergent social behavior.

    “Central distribution patterns and region-specific densities of OT receptors (OTRs) have undergone rapid evolutionary divergence between closely related species of birds and mammals that exhibit divergent social behavior”

    From Oxytocin receptors modulate a social salience neural network in male prairie voles (2017) · cites this paper as Johnson and Young, 2015

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Authors
Johnson, Z. V., & Young, L. J.
Affiliations
Emory University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Johnson, Zachary V
  • Young, Larry J
Venue
Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-06
Volume
3
Pages
38-44
ISSN
2352-1546 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1963831028
Cited by
169
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 13
FWCI
3.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (R01MH096983, 1P50MH100023, OD P51OD11132)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
pair bonding, social attachment, monogamy, monogamous mating system, mesolimbic dopamine system, oxytocin, vasopressin, microtine rodents, mating strategies, convergent evolution

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