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Chronic oxytocin treatment mediates heart rate responses following social isolation
Author(s) -
Grippo Angela J,
Carter C Sue,
Porges Stephen W
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a475-d
Subject(s) - oxytocin , prairie vole , cardiac function curve , medicine , social isolation , heart rate , endocrinology , heart rate variability , neuropeptide , stressor , microtus , social stress , psychology , physiology , biology , developmental psychology , heart failure , neuroscience , blood pressure , receptor , psychiatry , zoology
Behavioral and physiological responses to social stressors may underlie the association of depression and cardiac regulation in humans. The socially monogamous prairie vole is a useful model for investigating social regulation of behavior and cardiac function. Previously we have shown that prairie voles exposed to social isolation display depression‐like behaviors, elevated heart rate (HR), reduced HR variability and reduced vagal control of the heart. In the current study we hypothesized that oxytocin, a peptide that regulates social behavior, would mediate cardiac responses to isolation. Female prairie voles were exposed to social isolation or pairing for 4 weeks, and were treated with oxytocin (20 μg/50 μl/vole, sc) or saline vehicle (50 μl/vole, sc) daily for 14 days during weeks 3 and 4 of this period. Electrocardiographic parameters were recorded via radiotelemetry. Isolation increased HR and reduced HR variability; treatment with oxytocin significantly reduced HR and slightly increased HR variability in isolated animals. Oxytocin significantly attenuated the tachycardic response to a 5‐min resident‐intruder test in isolated animals. Preliminary analyses indicate that oxytocin treatment in paired animals did not alter basal or stressor‐induced cardiac responses. These findings provide insight into oxytocinergic mechanisms underlying social behavior and cardiac function. Support: MH73233, MH72935, MH67446.