Inhibition of post-partum maternal behaviour in the rat by injecting an oxytocin antagonist into the cerebral ventricles
Abstract
Endogenous oxytocin released into the brain at parturition may stimulate the onset of maternal behaviour. In this study an attempt was made to block spontaneous maternal behaviour following natural delivery in Wistar rats by the injection of an antagonist of oxytocin into the cerebral ventricles. The analogue antagonist, d(CH2)5-8-ornithine-vasotocin, was administered by injection into a chronically implanted cannula in the right lateral ventricle at hourly intervals, beginning immediately after the expulsion of the first pup. The antagonist did not interfere with the normal progress of parturition or birth-related behaviours. After delivery of the last pup, mothers rested for 40 min in the test cage with the pups having been removed. Four pups and standard nesting material were then presented. Latency to pup carrying and duration of pup manipulation, nest building, and time spent on the nest with the pups, as well as duration of autogrooming and general activity were determined. Saline-injected controls started gathering the pups immediately and usually showed all elements of maternal behaviour within 10 min. Antagonist-treated mothers showed a marked delay in the onset of pup grouping and other maternal behaviours. At the end of 1 h, two out of six mothers had not yet picked up a single infant. Pups left overnight with their mothers were gathered into the nest and suckled, and no long-term effects of the antagonist were evident on retesting. The effectiveness of oxytocin antagonist in suppressing the rapid onset of post-partum maternal behaviour supports the hypothesis that centrally released oxytocin is involved in this process. It is noteworthy that these effects were obtained in Wistar rats, a strain in which oxytocin has failed to accelerate responsiveness to pups in virgin females. J. Endocr. (1987) 112, 275–282
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Peripheral and central release are dissociated under certain circumstances.
“This separation of projection targets is supported by microdialysis studies showing that peripheral and central release are dissociated under certain circumstances [128-130].”
From Oxytocin and the Neural Mechanisms Regulating Social Cognition and Affiliative Behavior (2009) · cites this paper as [128]
OT is released centrally and peripherally during birth; centrally released OT is necessary for rapid onset of maternal behavior in virgin rats and sufficient to induce it.
“OT is released centrally and peripherally during birth, and centrally released OT is both necessary for the rapid onset of maternal behavior in virgin rats, and sufficient to induce it (Pedersen and Prange 1979; Fahrbach et al 1985; van Leengoed et al 1987; Borrow and Cameron 2012).”
From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as van Leengoed et al 1987
Inhibition of postpartum maternal behavior was affected in rats by injecting them with an OT-receptor antagonist (van Leengoed et al., 1987).
“Conversely, inhibition of postpartum maternal behavior was affected in rats by injecting them with an OT-receptor antagonist (van Leengoed et al., 1987).”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as van Leengoed et al., 1987
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Landgraf, R., & Neumann, I. D. (2004) · Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2004.05.001 · Cited by 1,059 · see citing works
The oxytocin receptor: from intracellular signaling to behavior
Jurek, B., & Neumann, I. D. (2018) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.00031.2017 · Cited by 999 · see citing works
Oxytocin and the Neural Mechanisms Regulating Social Cognition and Affiliative Behavior
Ross, H. E., & Young, L. J. (2009) · Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.05.004 · Cited by 856 · see citing works
Oxytocin is required for nursing but is not essential for parturition or reproductive behavior.
Nishimori, K., Young, L. J., Guo, Q., Wang, Z., Insel, T. R., & Matzuk, M. M. (1996) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.93.21.11699 · Cited by 734 · see citing works
Champagne, F., Diorio, J., Sharma, S., & Meaney, M. J. (2001) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.221224598 · Cited by 707 · see citing works
Nelson, E. E., & Panksepp, J. (1998) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(97)00052-3 · Cited by 688 · see citing works
Neuropeptidergic regulation of affiliative behavior and social bonding in animals
Lim, M. M., & Young, L. J. (2006) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.06.028 · Cited by 624 · see citing works
Insel, T. R. (1992) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/0306-4530(92)90073-g · Cited by 487 · see citing works
Pedersen, C. A., Caldwell, J. D., Walker, C., Ayers, G., & Mason, G. A. (1994) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.108.6.1163 · Cited by 475 · see citing works
The Role of Placental Hormones in Mediating Maternal Adaptations to Support Pregnancy and Lactation
Napso, T., Yong, H. E. J., Lopez-Tello, J., & Sferruzzi-Perri, A. N. (2018) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.01091 · Cited by 470 · see citing works
Bosch, O. J., & Neumann, I. D. (2012) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.11.002 · Cited by 400 · see citing works
Lukas, M., Toth, I., Reber, S. O., Slattery, D. A., Veenema, A. H., & Neumann, I. D. (2011) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2011.95 · Cited by 403 · see citing works
Neumann, I. D. (2002) · Progress in brain research · doi:10.1016/s0079-6123(02)39014-9 · Cited by 387 · see citing works
Oxytocin, motherhood and bonding
Kendrick, K. M. (2000) · Experimental Physiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-445x.2000.tb00014.x · Cited by 378 · see citing works
Skrundz, M., Bolten, M., Nast, I., Hellhammer, D. H., & Meinlschmidt, G. (2011) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2011.74 · Cited by 349 · see citing works
Neumann, I., Russell, J. A., & Landgraf, R. (1993) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/0306-4522(93)90285-n · Cited by 337 · see citing works
Neural control of maternal behaviour and olfactory recognition of offspring
Kendrick, K. M., Da Costa, A. P. C., Broad, K. D., Ohkura, S., Guevara, R., Lévy, F., & Keverne, E. B. (1997) · Brain Research Bulletin · doi:10.1016/s0361-9230(97)00218-9 · Cited by 311 · see citing works
The social deficits of the oxytocin knockout mouse
Winslow, J. T., & Insel, T. R. (2002) · Neuropeptides · doi:10.1054/npep.2002.0909 · Cited by 307 · see citing works
Burkett, J. P., & Young, L. J. (2012) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-012-2794-x · Cited by 307 · see citing works
Olazábal, D. E., & Young, L. J. (2006) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.04.017 · Cited by 289 · see citing works
Swain, J. E., Kim, P., Spicer, J., Ho, S. S., Dayton, C. J., Elmadih, A., & Abel, K. M. (2014) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2014.03.007 · Cited by 290 · see citing works
Brain vasopressin is an important regulator of maternal behavior independent of dams’ trait anxiety
Bosch, O. J., & Neumann, I. D. (2008) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0807412105 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
Lesions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus disrupt the initiation of maternal behavior
Insel, T. R., & Harbaugh, C. R. (1989) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/0031-9384(89)90234-5 · Cited by 250 · see citing works
Oxytocin and social motivation
Gordon, I., Martin, C., Feldman, R., & Leckman, J. F. (2011) · Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2011.07.007 · Cited by 211 · see citing works
Tribollet, E., Audigier, S., Dubois-Dauphin, M., & Dreifuss, J. J. (1990) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0006-8993(90)90232-z · Cited by 203 · see citing works
Febo, M., Numan, M., & Ferris, C. F. (2005) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3604-05.2005 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
Maternal behavior deficits in nulliparous oxytocin knockout mice
Pedersen, C. A., Vadlamudi, S. V., Boccia, M. L., & Amico, J. A. (2006) · Genes, Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1111/j.1601-183x.2005.00162.x · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Oxytocin Control of Maternal Behavior Regulation by Sex Steroids and Offspring Stimuli<sup>a</sup>
PEDERSEN, C. A. (1997) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1997.tb51916.x · Cited by 172 · see citing works
Yamasue, H., Yee, J. R., Hurlemann, R., Rilling, J. K., Chen, F. S., Meyer-Lindenberg, A., & Tost, H. (2012) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3327-12.2012 · Cited by 149 · see citing works
Maternal behavior and developmental psychopathology
Leckman, J. F., & Herman, A. E. (2002) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(01)01277-x · Cited by 139 · see citing works
The role of central oxytocin in obsessive compulsive disorder and related normal behavior
Leckman, J. F., Goodman, W. K., North, W. G., Chappell, P. B., Price, L. H., Pauls, D. L., Anderson, G. M., Riddle, M. A., McDougle, C. J., Barr, L. C., et al. (1994) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/0306-4530(94)90021-3 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
The maternal brain: an organ with peripartal plasticity
Hillerer, K. M., Jacobs, V. R., Fischer, T., & Aigner, L. (2014) · Neural Plasticity · doi:10.1155/2014/574159 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Oxytocin and vasopressin: genetics and behavioral implications
Caldwell, H. K., & Young, W. S. (2006) · Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-30381-9_25 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Impairments in the Initiation of Maternal Behavior in Oxytocin Receptor Knockout Mice
Rich, M. E., deCárdenas, E. J., Lee, H.-J., & Caldwell, H. K. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098839 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Gene targeting approaches to neuroendocrinology: oxytocin, maternal behavior, and affiliation
Young, L. J., Winslow, J. T., Wang, Z., Gingrich, B., Guo, Q., Matzuk, M. M., & Insel, T. R. (1997) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1006/hbeh.1997.1377 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Sabihi, S., Dong, S. M., Durosko, N. E., & Leuner, B. (2014) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00258 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Flexibility and adaptation of the neural substrate that supports maternal behavior in mammals
Olazábal, D. E., Pereira, M., Agrati, D., Ferreira, A., Fleming, A. S., González-Mariscal, G., Lévy, F., Lucion, A. B., Morrell, J. I., Numan, M., et al. (2013) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.004 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Wierda, M., Goudsmit, E., Van Der Woude, P. F., Purba, J. S., Hofman, M. A., Bogte, H., & Swaab, D. F. (1991) · Neurobiology of Aging · doi:10.1016/0197-4580(91)90081-t · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Rocchetti, M., Radua, J., Paloyelis, Y., Xenaki, L., Frascarelli, M., Caverzasi, E., Politi, P., & Fusar‐Poli, P. (2014) · Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences · doi:10.1111/pcn.12185 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Pup exposure facilitates retrieving behavior via the oxytocin neural system in female mice
Okabe, S., Tsuneoka, Y., Takahashi, A., Ooyama, R., Watarai, A., Maeda, S., Honda, Y., Nagasawa, M., Mogi, K., Nishimori, K., et al. (2017) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.01.036 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Cocaine addiction in mothers: Potential effects on maternal care and infant development
Strathearn, L., & Mayes, L. C. (2010) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05142.x · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Hillerer, K. M., Neumann, I. D., & Slattery, D. A. (2012) · Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1159/000330445 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Leckman, J. F., & Mayes, L. C. (1999) · Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/s1056-4993(18)30172-x · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Johns, J. M., Joyner, P. W., McMurray, M. S., Elliott, D. L., Hofler, V. E., Middleton, C. L., Knupp, K., Greenhill, K. W., Lomas, L. M., & Walker, C. H. (2005) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2005.06.001 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Functional magnetic resonance imaging and the neurobiology of vasopressin and oxytocin
FERRIS, C. (2008) · Progress in brain research · doi:10.1016/s0079-6123(08)00425-1 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Mayes, L. C., Swain, J. E., & Leckman, J. F. (2005) · Clinical Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1016/j.cnr.2005.03.009 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Bale, T. L., & Dorsa, D. M. (1995) · Endocrinology · doi:10.1210/endo.136.11.7588251 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Jensen Peña, C., & Champagne, F. A. (2013) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/a0031219 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Vaginocervical stimulation releases oxytocin within the spinal cord in rats
Sansone, G. R., Gerdes, C. A., Steinman, J. L., Winslow, J. T., Ottenweller, J. E., Komisaruk, B. R., & Insel, T. R. (2002) · Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1159/000057340 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Brain vasopressin signaling modulates aspects of maternal behavior in lactating rats
Bayerl, D. S., & Bosch, O. J. (2019) · Genes, Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1111/gbb.12517 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Fineberg, S. K., & Ross, D. A. (2017) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.11.004 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Neuroendocrine mechanisms of social bonds and separation stress in rodents, dogs, and other species
Nagasawa, M., & Kikusui, T. (2021) · Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2021_257 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- van Leengoed, E., Kerker, E., & Swanson, H. H.
- Venue
- Journal of Endocrinology
- Publisher
- Bioscientifica
- Published
- 1987-02-01
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 275-282
- ISSN
- 0022-0795 (ISSN-L)
- 1479-6805
- OpenAlex
- W2145030700
- Cited by
- 300
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 13.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- oxytocin, maternal behavior, postpartum behavior, oxytocin antagonist, cerebral ventricle injection, nest building, autogrooming, central nervous system, rats
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Female, Injections, Intraventricular, Maternal Behavior, Oxytocin, Pregnancy, Rats, Inbred Strains, Time Factors, Postpartum Period, Rats
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
