Oxytocin and vasopressin neural networks: Implications for social behavioral diversity and translational neuroscience
Open accessAbstract
Oxytocin- and vasopressin-related systems are present in invertebrate and vertebrate bilaterian animals, including humans, and exhibit conserved neuroanatomical and functional properties. In vertebrates, these systems innervate conserved neural networks that regulate social learning and behavior, including conspecific recognition, social attachment, and parental behavior. Individual and species-level variation in central organization of oxytocin and vasopressin systems has been linked to individual and species variation in social learning and behavior. In humans, genetic polymorphisms in the genes encoding oxytocin and vasopressin peptides and/or their respective target receptors have been associated with individual variation in social recognition, social attachment phenotypes, parental behavior, and psychiatric phenotypes such as autism. Here we describe both conserved and variable features of central oxytocin and vasopressin systems in the context of social behavioral diversity, with a particular focus on neural networks that modulate social learning, behavior, and salience of sociosensory stimuli during species-typical social contexts.
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OT binds to the OT receptor (OTR), and AVP binds to one of two AVP receptor (AVPR) subtypes: AVPR1A or AVPR1B, the central distribution of which can differ substantially by sex, age, and species.
“OT binds to the OT receptor (OTR), and AVP binds to one of two AVP receptor (AVPR) subtypes: AVPR1A or AVPR1B, the central distribution of which can differ substantially by sex, age, and species (5).”
From Endocrine Disruption of Vasopressin Systems and Related Behaviors (2017) · cites this paper as [5]
The OT/AVP-like receptors section (page unavailable) identifies OTR, V1aR and V1bR as the principal receptors studied in mammalian nervous tissue and describes differences in central receptor expression by sex and species. It does not establish that receptor distribution differs by age. It also notes that OT- and AVP-like ligands can bind across receptor types, so the claim's binding description is simplified. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDifferences in the region-specific distribution of AVPRs and/or OTRs have been linked to individual and species variation in prosocial phenotypes including social attachment, parental behavior, and social anxiety, as have genetic polymorphisms in AVP, OT, and/or their receptors.
“Differences in the region-specific distribution of AVPRs and/or OTRs have been linked to individual and species variation in prosocial phenotypes including social attachment, parental behavior, and social anxiety, as have genetic polymorphisms in AVP, OT, and/or their receptors.”
From Endocrine Disruption of Vasopressin Systems and Related Behaviors (2017) · cites this paper as [5]
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredExtensive research has established that oxytocin modulates social behavior across species, including humans.
“Extensive research has established the potent ability of the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) to modulate social behavior across species, including humans1.”
From Effect of age and autism spectrum disorder on oxytocin receptor density in the human basal forebrain and midbrain (2018) · cites this paper as [1]
Endogenous release of OT and AVP in the brain may be the result of neuropeptide release from synaptic and/or non-synaptic regions of neurons.
“The endogenous release of OT and AVP in the brain may be the result of neuropeptide release from synaptic and/or non-synaptic regions of neurons, although the relative roles of these forms of release in different populations of OT and AVP-containing cells are controversial [93; 94; 95; 96].”
From Cross-talk among oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin receptors: Relevance for basic and clinical studies of the brain and periphery (2018) · cites this paper as [93]
OT is a key regulator of social and emotional behaviors.
“Oxytocin (OT) is an evolutionary conserved neuropeptide that is a key regulator of social and emotional behaviors (1–4).”
From Oxytocin receptors in the anteromedial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis promote stress-induced social avoidance in female California mice (2018) · cites this paper as [3]
Oxytocin is a key neuromodulator for the regulation of social behaviors and a target for treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
“Oxytocin (OXT) is a key neuromodulator for the regulation of social behaviors 9,10, and a target for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders 11–13.”
From Social experience alters oxytocinergic modulation in the nucleus accumbens of female prairie voles (2022) · cites this paper as [10]
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References 188 · Cited by 242
- Authors
- Johnson, Z. V., & Young, L. J.
- Affiliations
- Georgia Institute of Technology (US)
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Johnson, Zachary V.
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-05
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- Pt A
- Pages
- 87-98
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5407410
- OpenAlex
- W2607245472
- Cited by
- 242
- References
- 188
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 46 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 5.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (R01MH096983, 1P50MH100023)
- 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 › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- oxytocin, vasopressin, artificial neural networks, social behavior, social learning, conspecific recognition, social attachment, parental behavior, genetic polymorphism, oxytocin receptor, vasopressin receptor, autism spectrum disorder, interindividual variability, species variation, translational neuroscience
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Autistic Disorder, Humans, Nerve Net, Oxytocin, Social Behavior, Vasopressins
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