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Naturally Occurring Differences in Maternal Care are Associated with the Expression of Oxytocin and Vasopressin (V1a) Receptors: Gender Differences
Author(s) -
Francis D. D.,
Young L. J.,
Meaney M. J.,
Insel T. R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1046/j.0007-1331.2002.00776.x
Subject(s) - stria terminalis , oxytocin , licking , vasopressin , oxytocin receptor , medicine , endocrinology , amygdala , offspring , receptor , neuropeptide , hypothalamus , vasopressin receptor , psychology , biology , pregnancy , antagonist , genetics
Variations in maternal care have been associated with long‐term changes in neurochemistry and behaviour in adult rats. Rats receiving high levels of licking and grooming as pups are less fearful and more maternal than rats receiving low levels of maternal licking and grooming. Central pathways for oxytocin and vasopressin have been implicated in the neurobiology of anxiety and social behaviours. We assessed whether variations in maternal care were associated with differences in oxytocin receptors (OTR) or vasopressin (V1a) receptors in the brains of adult offspring. In the central nucleus of the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, OTR binding was increased in adult females, but not adult males, that had received high levels of maternal licking and grooming as pups. Conversely, amygdala V1a receptor binding was increased in males, but not females, that had received high levels of maternal licking and grooming. These findings suggest that variations in maternal care may influence the expression of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in a gender‐specific manner.