Oxytocin and the oxytocin receptor underlie intrastrain, but not interstrain, social recognition
Open accessAbstract
We studied three lines of oxytocin (Oxt) and oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) knockout (KO) male mice [Oxt(-/-), total Oxtr(-/-) and partial forebrain Oxtr (Oxtr(FB/FB))] with established deficits in social recognition to further refine our understanding of their deficits with regard to stimulus female's strain. We used a modified social discrimination paradigm in which subjects are singly housed only for the duration of the test. Additionally, stimulus females are singly housed throughout testing and are presented within corrals for rapid comparison of investigation by subject males. Wild-type (WT) males from all three lines discriminated between familiar and novel females of three different strains (C57BL/6, BALB/c and Swiss-Webster). No KO males discriminated between familiar and novel BALB/c or C57BL/6 females. Male Oxt(-/-) and Oxtr(-/-) mice, but not Oxtr(FB/FB) mice, discriminated between familiar and novel Swiss-Webster females. As this might indicate a global deficit in individual recognition for Oxtr(FB/FB) males, we examined their ability to discriminate between females from different strains and compared performance with Oxtr(-/-) males. WT and KO males from both lines were able to distinguish between familiar and novel females from different strains, indicating the social recognition deficit is not universal. Instead, we hypothesize that the Oxtr is involved in 'fine' intrastrain recognition, but is less important in 'broad' interstrain recognition. We also present the novel finding of decreased investigation across tests, which is likely an artifact of repeated testing and not because of stimulus female's strain or age of subject males.
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OTR knock-out mice display significant deficits in social recognition.
“Similarly, OTR knock-out mice also display significant deficits in social recognition [69; 70; 71; 72].”
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 [69]
Social recognition in OT knock-out male mice is severely impaired.
“For example, social recognition in OT knock-out male mice is severely impaired [68; 69].”
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 [69]
The brain areas in which alterations of OXT receptors were found are involved in the regulation of social recognition.
“The brain areas in which we found alterations of OXT receptors are involved in the regulation of social recognition.”
From Chronic and acute intranasal oxytocin produce divergent social effects in mice (2014) · cites this paper as Macbeth et al, 2009
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- Authors
- Macbeth, A. H., Lee, H. ‐., Edds, J., & Young, W. S.
- Affiliations
- United States Department of Health and Human Services (US)
- Corresponding author
- Young, W. S.
- Venue
- Genes, Brain and Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-07
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 558-567
- ISSN
- 1601-183X (ISSN-L)
- 1601-1848
- PMC
- PMC2746010
- OpenAlex
- W1997705671
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 8.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Genes Brain & Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (Z01-MH-002498-20, Z01MH002498)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
- Keywords
- oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, social recognition, social discrimination, knockout mice, individual recognition, mouse strain differences
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Brain Chemistry, Female, Male, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Oxytocin, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Sex Characteristics, Social Behavior, Species Specificity, Receptors, Oxytocin, Mice, Knockout, Mice
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