Effects of oxytocin on GABA signalling in the foetal brain during delivery
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) exerts multiple effects in the adult central nervous system. However, little is known about the effects of OXT on foetal neurons during delivery, at the time when a surge of OXT occurs. In a recent study, the effects of OXT on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling have been reported in foetal and newborn rats. In the immature rat hippocampal and neocortical neurons at birth, endogenous OXT induced a switch in the action of GABA from excitatory to inhibitory. This excitatory-to-inhibitory switch was caused by a switch in the polarity of the GABAergic responses from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing, reflecting a decrease in the intracellular chloride concentration. The effects of OXT were mimicked and occluded by bumetanide, a selective blocker of the chloride co-transporter NKCC1, suggesting that the effects of OXT involve inhibition of NKCC1. Neuronal death caused by anoxic-aglycaemic episodes was substantially delayed in the foetal hippocampus by endogenous OXT. These findings suggest that OXT plays important role in the preparation of the foetal brain to delivery.
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Oxytocin supports the critical transition from excitatory to inhibitory GABA functioning, catalyzing neurons to undergo electrophysical changes, critical for the infant's survival because the oxytocin-dependent GABA transition protects the fetal brain from hypoxic conditions that otherwise might take place during parturition.
“Oxytocin supports the critical transition from excitatory to inhibitory functioning, catalyzing neurons to undergo electrophysical changes, critical for the infant’s survival because the oxytocin-dependent GABA transition protects the fetal brain from hypoxic conditions that otherwise might take place during parturition.”
From The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development (2023) · cites this paper as Khazipov et al., 2008
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- Authors
- KHAZIPOV, R., TYZIO, R., & BENARI, Y.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Progress in Brain Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Published
- 2008
- Volume
- 170
- Pages
- 243-257
- ISSN
- 0079-6123 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2164028065
- Cited by
- 77
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 13.45
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Progress in brain research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- oxytocin, GABA signalling, fetal brain, delivery, intracellular chloride, NKCC1, bumetanide, hippocampus, neocortex, childbirth preparation, immature neurons
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Brain, Female, Fetus, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Humans, Labor, Obstetric, Lactation, Neuroglia, Neurons, Oxytocin, Pregnancy, Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters, Delivery, Obstetric, Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 2
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