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Cited by 295Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeuropeptides and Animal PhysiologyHypothalamic control of reproductive hormones

The magnocellular oxytocin system, the fount of maternity: Adaptations in pregnancy

Russell, John A, Leng, Gareth, Douglas, Alison J·2003·Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
DOI 10.1016/s0091-3022(02)00104-8
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Abstract

Oxytocin secretion from the posterior pituitary gland is increased during parturition, stimulated by the uterine contractions that forcefully expel the fetuses. Since oxytocin stimulates further contractions of the uterus, which is exquisitely sensitive to oxytocin at the end of pregnancy, a positive feedback loop is activated. The neural pathway that drives oxytocin neurons via a brainstem relay has been partially characterised, and involves A2 noradrenergic cells in the brainstem. Until close to term the responsiveness of oxytocin neurons is restrained by neuroactive steroid metabolites of progesterone that potentiate GABA inhibitory mechanisms. As parturition approaches, and this inhibition fades as progesterone secretion collapses, a central opioid inhibitory mechanism is activated that restrains the excitation of oxytocin cells by brainstem inputs. This opioid restraint is the predominant damper of oxytocin cells before and during parturition, limiting stimulation by extraneous stimuli, and perhaps facilitating optimal spacing of births and economical use of the store of oxytocin accumulated during pregnancy. During parturition, oxytocin cells increase their basal activity, and hence oxytocin secretion increases. In addition, the oxytocin cells discharge a burst of action potentials as each fetus passes through the birth canal. Each burst causes the secretion of a pulse of oxytocin, which sharply increases uterine tone; these bursts depend upon auto-stimulation by oxytocin released from the dendrites of the magnocellular neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. With the exception of the opioid mechanism that emerges to restrain oxytocin cell responsiveness, the behavior of oxytocin cells and their inputs in pregnancy and parturition is explicable from the effects of hormones of pregnancy (relaxin, estrogen, progesterone) on pre-existing mechanisms, leading through relative quiescence at term inter alia to net increase in oxytocin storage, and reduced auto-inhibition by nitric oxide generation. Cyto-architectonic changes in parturition, involving evident retraction of glial processes between oxytocin cells so they get closer together, are probably a response to oxytocin neuron activation rather than being essential for their patterns of firing in parturition.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s0091-3022(02)00104-8

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  • In rats, 1-2 ng of oxytocin given intracerebroventricularly facilitates suckling-induced bursting, while maternal behavior requires about 400 ng; partner preference in voles requires 10-100 ng/h, and maternal behavior in sheep requires 5 μg intracerebroventricularly.

    “In lactating rats, suckling evokes bursts of action potentials in oxytocin cells that result in pulsatile oxytocin secretion, and this bursting is facilitated by 1-2ng oxytocin i.c.v.(26).Effects on maternal behavior in the rat need much higher doses (~400ng) (4).Partner preference effects in voles require infusions of oxytocin at 10-100ng/h (5), and, to stimulate maternal behavior in sheep, it”

    From Intranasal Oxytocin: Myths and Delusions (2016) · cites this paper as [26]

  • Carter et al. claimed a biological validation for the ELISA in reporting that breastfeeding in women lowered salivary concentrations of oxytocin; because suckling-induced oxytocin release is indispensable for milk let-down in mammals, it is difficult to understand how such an anomalous observation qualifies as a validation.

    “Finally, Carter et al. 119 claimed a biological validation for the ELISA in reporting that breastfeeding in women lowered salivary concentrations of oxytocin. Because suckling‐induced oxytocin release is indispensable for milk let‐down in mammals 123, it is difficult to understand how such an anomalous observation qualifies as a validation.”

    From Measuring Oxytocin and Vasopressin: Bioassays, Immunoassays and Random Numbers (2016) · cites this paper as [123]

  • There are indications for a positive feedback system in the context of labor during child birth, and it is hypothesized in the context of affiliation and cooperation.

    “There are indications for this in the context of labor during child birth (Russell et al., 2003), and this is hypothesized, for example, in the context of affiliation (Uvnäs-Moberg, 1998) and cooperation (see De Dreu, 2012).”

    From Endogenous peripheral oxytocin measures can give insight into the dynamics of social relationships: a review (2014) · cites this paper as Russell et al., 2003

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Authors
Russell, J. A., Leng, G., & Douglas, A. J.
Affiliations
University of Edinburgh (GB)
Corresponding author
Russell, John A
ORCID
Leng, Gareth
Venue
Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2003-01
Volume
24
Issue
1
Pages
27-61
ISSN
0091-3022 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0091-3022(02)00104-8
OpenAlex
W1972511187
Cited by
295
References
335
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 9
FWCI
2.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
Keywords
oxytocin, magnocellular neurons, childbirth, pregnancy, neurohypophysis, uterine contraction, positive feedback loop, brainstem, GABAergic inhibition, opioid inhibition, supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, nitric oxide, relaxin, estrogen, birth spacing
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Mice, Transgenic, Neurons, Nitric Oxide, Olfactory Bulb, Oxytocin, Pituitary Gland, Posterior, Pregnancy, Uterus, Opioid Peptides, Feedback, Physiological, Parturition, Mice, Rats

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