The DOI matches its Crossref record; 48 of the 48 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Nucleus accumbens oxytocin and dopamine interact to regulate pair bond formation in female prairie voles
Abstract
Although oxytocin (OT) and dopamine (DA) have been implicated in pair bond formation in monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), the nature of potential interactions between these two neurochemical systems and the brain circuits important for such interactions in the regulation of pair bonding have not been explored. Here, we demonstrated that access to both OT and DA D2-type receptors is necessary for pair bond formation, as blockade of either type of receptor prevented partner preferences induced by OT or a D2-type agonist. We also demonstrated that the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is a brain area important for such OT-DA interactions. In NAcc, blockade of OT receptors prevented partner preferences induced by a D2-type agonist whereas blockade of D2-type, but not D1-type, DA receptors blocked OT-induced partner preferences. Together, our data suggest that concurrent activation of OT and DA D2-type receptors in NAcc is essential for pair bond formation in female prairie voles.
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In the citing paper
“It acts as learning signal, helping to imprint details of the partner and to associate those details with positive emotions and relationship-promoting habits (Aragona et al. 2006; Liu and Wang 2003; Curtis et al. 2006).”
From Natural Selection, Childrearing, and the Ethics of Marriage (and Divorce): Building a Case for the Neuroenhancement of Human Relationships (2012) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang 2003
In the citing paper
“whereas the direct injection of OXT into the NAcc (7) does so in females”
From Oxytocin enhances brain reward system responses in men viewing the face of their female partner (2013) · cites this paper as [7]
In the citing paper
“Supporting the notion that OXT-DA interactions might contribute to the OXT-induced effects on social bonding (Young et al., 2014), the systemic administration of a dopaminergic antagonist effectively blocked the partner preference induced by OXT in female prairie voles (Liu and Wang, 2003).”
From Convergence of oxytocin and dopamine signalling in neuronal circuits: Insights into the neurobiology of social interactions across species (2024) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
In the citing paper
“the effects of OT on partner preference in females could be located in the nucleus accumbens and in the prefrontal cortex, but these studies did not include males”
From Vasopressin and oxytocin receptor systems in the brain: Sex differences and sex-specific regulation of social behavior (2016) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
In the citing paper
“In addition, OT injected into the NAC is sufficient to induce pair bonds in female prairie voles in the absence of mating, and interacts with DA D2R to do so (Liu and Wang 2003).”
From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang 2003
In the citing paper
“In monogamous but not polygamous vole species, oxytocin receptors are found in the nucleus accumbens, a neural center associated with reward and reinforcement (Liu and Wang, 2003).”
From Endogenous peripheral oxytocin measures can give insight into the dynamics of social relationships: a review (2014) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
In the citing paper
“In addition to the AVP and OT systems, the neurotransmitter dopamine DA, acting within the NAcc, plays a critical role in social bond formation in both male and female prairie voles [24, 25].”
From The prairie vole: An emerging model organism for understanding the social brain (2010) · cites this paper as [24]
In the citing paper
“Dopamine (DA) acting on D2, but not on D1, receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) promotes partner preference formation in both male and female prairie voles”
From Oxytocin and Social Relationships: From Attachment to Bond Disruption (2017) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang 2003
In the citing paper
“several studies have characterized the role of intra-NAc OR activation in facilitating partner preference formation in female, but not male, prairie voles”
From Oxytocin and Social Relationships: From Attachment to Bond Disruption (2017) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang 2003
In the citing paper
“It appeared that endogenous vasopressin, and not OT, regulated pair bonding in male prairie voles by acting at V1aR receptors in the ventral pallidum and lateral septum (Lim et al., 2004b; Lim and Young, 2004; Liu and Wang, 2003).”
From Central oxytocin receptors mediate mating-induced partner preferences and enhance correlated activation across forebrain nuclei in male prairie voles (2016) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
In the citing paper
“Dopamine is released in the NAcc during mating and an intra-NAcc shell injection of dopamine 2 receptor antagonist inhibit mating-induced partner preference or partner preference induced by OT treatment (Aragona et al. 2003; Liu and Wang 2003; Wang et al. 1999).”
From A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials (2017) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang 2003
In the citing paper
“Dopamine is released in the NAcc during mating and an intra-NAcc shell injection of dopamine 2 receptor antagonist inhibit mating-induced partner preference or partner preference induced by OT treatment (Aragona et al. 2003; Liu and Wang 2003; Wang et al. 1999).”
From A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials (2017) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang 2003
In the citing paper
“Pair bond development is influenced by dopaminergic activity within the nucleus accumbens (Liu and Wang, 2003, Young et al., 1998).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
In the citing paper
“For instance, it appears that both D2 receptors and oxytocin receptors must be stimulated in order to facilitate the formation of partner preferences (Liu and Wang, 2003).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
In the citing paper
“Injection of a D2-receptor antagonist into the nucleus accumbens of female prairie voles can prevent partner preference formation induced by oxytocin and oxytocin antagonists can block partner preference formation induced by D2-receptor agonist administration (Liu and Wang, 2003).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Liu and Wang, 2003
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Metadata
- Authors
- Liu, Y., & Wang, Z. X.
- Affiliations
- Florida State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wang, Z.X
- Venue
- Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-10
- Volume
- 121
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 537-544
- ISSN
- 0306-4522 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2147762584
- Cited by
- 580
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 13.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r29mh054554-06)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 58616, MH54554, MH-66734, R21MH066734, R01MH058616)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Keywords
- oxytocin, dopamine, pair bonding, nucleus accumbens, dopamine D2 receptor, dopamine D1 receptor, mate preferences, monogamy, Microtus ochrogaster, receptor antagonism
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Behavior, Animal, Benzazepines, Arvicolinae, Dopamine, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Administration Routes, Drug Interactions, Female, Hormone Antagonists, Male, Microinjections, Nucleus Accumbens, Oxytocin, Pair Bond, Salicylamides, Stereotaxic Techniques, Time Factors, Infusion Pumps, Implantable, Dopamine Agonists, Dopamine Antagonists, Quinpirole
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