Oxytocin in the medial prefrontal cortex regulates maternal care, maternal aggression and anxiety during the postpartum period
Open accessAbstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) acts on a widespread network of brain regions to regulate numerous behavioral adaptations during the postpartum period including maternal care, maternal aggression, and anxiety. In the present study, we examined whether this network also includes the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We found that bilateral infusion of a highly specific oxytocin receptor antagonist (OTR-A) into the prelimbic (PL) region of the mPFC increased anxiety-like behavior in postpartum, but not virgin, females. In addition, OTR blockade in the postpartum mPFC impaired maternal care behaviors and enhanced maternal aggression. Overall, these results suggest that OT in the mPFC modulates maternal care and aggression, as well as anxiety-like behavior, during the postpartum period. Although the relationship among these behaviors is complicated and further investigation is required to refine our understanding of OT actions in the maternal mPFC, these data nonetheless provide new insights into neural circuitry of OT-mediated postpartum behaviors.
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Oxytocin is involved in homeostatic regulation of reflexes such as parturition and lactation.
“Oxytocin is involved not only in homeostatic regulation of reflexes such as parturition and lactation, but it is crucial part of other aspects of motherhood such as care and protection of the offspring (Marlin et al., 2015; Nakajima et al., 2014; Sabihi et al., 2014).”
From Neuromodulation of maternal circuits by oxytocin (2019) · cites this paper as Sabihi et al., 2014
Oxytocin is crucial for other aspects of motherhood such as care and protection of the offspring.
“Oxytocin is involved not only in homeostatic regulation of reflexes such as parturition and lactation, but it is crucial part of other aspects of motherhood such as care and protection of the offspring (Marlin et al., 2015; Nakajima et al., 2014; Sabihi et al., 2014).”
From Neuromodulation of maternal circuits by oxytocin (2019) · cites this paper as Sabihi et al., 2014
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References 102 · Cited by 101
- Authors
- Sabihi, S., Dong, S. M., Durosko, N. E., & Leuner, B.
- Affiliations
- The Ohio State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Leuner, Benedetta
- Venue
- Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2014-08-06
- Volume
- 8
- Pages
- 258-258
- ISSN
- 1662-5153 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4123787
- OpenAlex
- W2073551446
- Cited by
- 101
- References
- 102
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 10.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- oxytocin, medial prefrontal cortex, maternal care, maternal aggression, anxiety-like behavior, postpartum period, oxytocin receptor antagonist, prelimbic cortex, neuropeptide signaling
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