Cited by 296Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorOlfactory and Sensory Function StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Facilitation of Affiliation and Pair-Bond Formation by Vasopressin Receptor Gene Transfer into the Ventral Forebrain of a Monogamous Vole

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Pitkow, Lauren J., Sharer, Catherine A., Ren, Xianglin, Insel, Thomas R., Terwilliger, Ernest F., Young, Larry J.·2001·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Behaviors associated with monogamy, including pair-bond formation, are facilitated by the neuropeptide vasopressin and are prevented by a vasopressin receptor [V1a receptor (V1aR)] antagonist in the male prairie vole. The neuroanatomical distribution of V1aR dramatically differs between monogamous and nonmonogamous species. V1aR binding is denser in the ventral pallidal region of several unrelated monogamous species compared with nonmonogamous species. Because the ventral pallidum is involved in reinforcement and addiction, we hypothesize that V1aR activation in this region promotes pair-bond formation via a mechanism similar to conditioning. Using an adeno-associated viral vector to deliver the V1aR gene, we increased the density of V1aR binding in the ventral pallial region of male prairie voles. These males exhibited increased levels of both anxiety and affiliative behavior compared with control males. In addition, males overexpressing the V1aR in the ventral pallidal region, but not control males, formed strong partner preferences after an overnight cohabitation, without mating, with a female. These data demonstrate a role for ventral pallidal V1aR in affiliation and social attachment and provide a potential molecular mechanism for species differences in social organization.

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Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.21-18-07392.2001

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  • Viral-mediated increases in VP AVPR1a expression induce partner preferences and increase affiliative behaviors in sexually naïve male prairie voles and also lead to partner preference formation in non-monogamous meadow voles.

    “Conversely, viral-mediated increases in VP AVPR1a expression induce partner preferences and increase affiliative behaviors in male prairie voles that are sexually naïve and, interestingly, also lead to partner preference formation in non-monogamous meadow voles [138,146].”

    From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [146]

    The Animals and treatment section (p. 2) identifies the male prairie voles as sexually naive, and the Results (p. 3) report increased affiliative behavior and partner preferences after V1aR gene transfer. But the Discussion (p. 4) proposes testing whether the same approach produces partner preferences in meadow voles; it does not report that result. (LLM, conf=0.92)

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  • Partner preference formation in prairie voles is modulated by the VP system acting in the LS and ventral pallidum and by the OT system acting in the NAc and prefrontal cortex.

    “partner preference formation in prairie voles is modulated by the VP system acting in the LS and ventral pallidum (Liu et al., 2001; Pitkow et al., 2001; Lim & Young, 2004) and by the OT system acting in the NAc and prefrontal cortex (Young et al., 2001; Liu and Wang, 2003).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Panksepp J (1998) Affective neuroscience (Davidson RJ, Ekman P, Scherer K, eds). New York: Oxford UP.

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Authors
Pitkow, L. J., Sharer, C. A., Ren, X., Insel, T. R., Terwilliger, E. F., & Young, L. J.
Affiliations
  • Emory University (US)
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2001-09-15
Volume
21
Issue
18
Pages
7392-7396
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2127294078
Cited by
295
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 18
FWCI
30.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (9876754)
  • U.S. Public Health Service (58824, 56897)
  • National Institute of Mental Health
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
vasopressin V1a receptor, pair bonding, monogamy, Microtus ochrogaster, ventral pallidum, affiliative behavior, anxiety, mate preferences, social attachment, neuropeptide signaling
MeSH terms
Dependovirus, Animals, Anxiety, Autoradiography, Choice Behavior, Arvicolinae, Genetic Vectors, Globus Pallidus, Male, Pair Bond, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Social Facilitation, Prosencephalon, Receptors, Vasopressin, Maze Learning, Gene Transfer, Horizontal

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