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Cited by 211Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorMemory and Neural MechanismsOlfactory and Sensory Function Studies

Oxytocin mediates rodent social memory within the lateral septum and the medial amygdala depending on the relevance of the social stimulus: male juvenile versus female adult conspecifics

Lukas, Michael, Toth, Iulia, Veenema, Alexa H., Neumann, Inga D.·2013·Psychoneuroendocrinology
DOI 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.018
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Abstract

Brain oxytocin (OXT) plays an important role in short-term social memory in laboratory rodents. Here we monitored local release of OXT and its functional involvement in the maintenance and retrieval of social memory during the social discrimination test. We further assessed, if the local effects of OXT within the medial amygdala (MeA) and lateral septum (LS) on social discrimination abilities were dependent on the biological relevance of the social stimulus, thus comparing male juvenile versus adult female conspecifics. OXT release was increased in the LS of male rats during the retrieval, but not during the acquisition or maintenance, of social memory for male juvenile stimuli. Blockade of OXT activity by intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of a specific OXT receptor antagonist (OXTR-A, rats: 0.75 μg/5 μl, mice: 2 μg/2 μl) immediately after acquisition of social memory impaired the maintenance of social memory, and consequently discrimination abilities during retrieval of social memory. In contrast, ICV OXTR-A was without effect when administered 20 min prior to retrieval of social memory in both species. Non-social memory measured in the object discrimination test was not affected by ICV OXTR-A in male mice, indicating that brain OXT is mainly required for memory formation in a social context. The biological relevance of the social stimulus seems to importantly determine social memory abilities, as male rats recognized a previously encountered female adult stimulus for at least 2h (versus 60 min for male juveniles), with a region-dependent contribution of endogenous OXT; while bilateral administration of OXTR-A into the MeA (0.1 μg/1 μl) impaired social memory for adult females only, administration of OXTR-A into the LS via retrodialysis (10 μg/ml, 1.0 μl/min) impaired social memory for both male juveniles and female adults. Overall, these results indicate that brain OXT is a critical mediator of social memory in male rodents and that, depending on the biological relevance of the social stimulus, distinct brain regions are recruited to mediate its effects.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.018

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  • The same dose of OTR-A impaired social recognition when injected into the lateral septum.

    “Likewise, the same dose of OTR-A impaired social recognition when injected into the lateral septum (Lukas et al., 2013)”

    From Sex-specific modulation of juvenile social play behavior by vasopressin and oxytocin depends on social context (2014) · cites this paper as Lukas et al., 2013

  • The dose of OTR antagonist used impaired social recognition in adult male rats and in juvenile male rats.

    “even though the dose that we used impaired social recognition in adult male rats (Lukas et al., 2013) and in juvenile male rats (Veenema, unpublished observation).”

    From Sex-specific modulation of juvenile social play by vasopressin (2013) · cites this paper as Lukas et al., 2013

  • ICV administration of an OTR antagonist impaired social recognition in both male and female rats.

    “ICV administration of an OTR antagonist impaired social recognition in both male (Lukas et al., 2013) and female (Engelmann et al., 1998) rats.”

    From Vasopressin and oxytocin receptor systems in the brain: Sex differences and sex-specific regulation of social behavior (2016) · cites this paper as Lukas et al., 2013

  • Oxytocin activity in the septum and amygdala is required for social memory.

    “Utilizing the three-chamber social memory assay in rodents, it was found that OXT activity in the septum and amygdala is required for social memory [43,70].”

    From Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors (2023) · cites this paper as [70]

  • OXT is released within the brain as relationships form and facilitates experience-dependent social adaptations including formation of social memories, establishment of mating-induced pair bonds, and maternal responsiveness.

    “OXT is released within the brain as relationships form and it facilitates experience-dependent social adaptations including the formation of social memories 14,15, the establishment of mating-induced pair bonds 2 and maternal responsiveness 16.”

    From Social experience alters oxytocinergic modulation in the nucleus accumbens of female prairie voles (2022) · cites this paper as [15]

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Authors
Lukas, M., Toth, I., Veenema, A. H., & Neumann, I. D.
Affiliations
University of Regensburg (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-06
Volume
38
Issue
6
Pages
916-926
ISSN
0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.018
OpenAlex
W2105088884
Cited by
211
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 1
FWCI
15.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Regensburg Publication Server (University of Regensburg) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
Keywords
oxytocin, social memory, lateral septum, medial amygdala, social discrimination, memory retrieval, memory maintenance, sex differences, retrodialysis, object discrimination, rats, mice
MeSH terms
Amygdala, Animals, Cues, Discrimination, Psychological, Female, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Ornipressin, Oxytocin, Septal Nuclei, Receptors, Oxytocin, Mice, Rats, Infusions, Intraventricular, Social Discrimination

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