Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior

Mechanisms of convergent egg-provisioning in poison frogs

The paper investigates convergent maternal provisioning in poison frogs, finding shared brain regions but distinct molecular mechanisms in nursing behavior.

NMDA receptor in vasopressin 1b neurons is not required for short-term social memory, object memory or aggression.

This study shows that NMDA receptor activity in Avpr1b neurons is not required for aggression, short-term social memory, or object memory in mice.

Oxytocin amplifies sex differences in human mate choice

This study shows oxytocin influences sex differences in human mate choice by altering preferences for short-term vs. long-term relationships.

Heritability and relationship of oxytocin receptor gene variants with social behavior and central oxytocin in colony-reared adult female rhesus macaques

This study estimates heritability of social behavior and central oxytocin in rhesus macaques and tests SNP associations with behavior and oxytocin levels, finding no significant SNP effects.

Neuropeptide B mediates female sexual receptivity in medaka fish, acting in a female-specific but reversible manner

This study shows that neuropeptide B mediates female sexual receptivity in medaka fish in a female-specific and reversible manner through estrogen-dependent regulation.

Social status in mouse social hierarchies is associated with variation in oxytocin and vasopressin 1a receptor densities

The paper examines how social status in mice correlates with oxytocin and vasopressin receptor binding in specific brain regions.

Early-life social environment alters juvenile behavior and neuroendocrine function in a highly social cichlid fish

This study shows that early-life social environments in cichlid fish affect juvenile behavior and neuroendocrine gene expression, revealing developmental origins of behavioral phenotypes.

A Mathematical Model Relating Pitocin Use During Labor with Offspring Autism Development in Terms of Oxytocin Receptor Desensitization in the Fetal Brain

This paper develops a mathematical model linking Pitocin use during labor to potential autism development in offspring through oxytocin receptor desensitization, and calls for further epidemiological analysis.

Oxytocin reduces top-down control of attention by increasing bottom-up attention allocation to social but not non-social stimuli

This study shows that oxytocin increases bottom-up attention to social stimuli but not non-social ones, reducing top-down attention inhibition, and this effect is modulated by trait behavioral inhibition and state anxiety.

Genotype and dose-frequency may critically determine the therapeutic efficacy of chronic oxytocin treatment in humans

This study investigates the effects of different oxytocin dosing schedules and receptor genotypes on neural biomarkers in humans, finding that infrequent dosing may be more effective and that responses are genotype-dependent.

Oxytocin facilitates self-serving rather than altruistic tendencies in competitive social interactions via orbitofrontal cortex

This study shows oxytocin increases self-interest over altruism in competitive social interactions by enhancing activation in the medial orbitofrontal cortex.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment promotes spontaneous caregiving behavior in C57BL/6J male mice

This study shows that HDACi treatment promotes caregiving behavior in non-aggressive male mice and changes IEG expression patterns in fear/defensive circuits.

Cortical changes associated with parenthood are present in late life

This study finds that the number of children parented correlates with cortical thickness and verbal memory in older adults, with distinct patterns in mothers and fathers.

Connectional architecture of a mouse hypothalamic circuit node controlling social behavior

The paper maps the connectivity of VMHvlEsr1 neurons in mice, revealing distinct subpopulations with different collateralization patterns but similar inputs, suggesting a unique circuit architecture for social behavior control.

Oxytocin modulation of self-other distinction is replicable and influenced by oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genotype

This study replicates oxytocin's effect on blurring self-other distinction and shows that OXTR genotype influences sensitivity to this effect.

Co-regulation of hormone receptors, neuropeptides, and steroidogenic enzymes across the vertebrate social behavior network

The paper uses RNA-seq and WGCNA to analyze gene expression in vertebrate social behavior network nodes, revealing co-regulation patterns of neuroendocrine genes across species.

Oxytocin gene networks in the human brain: A gene expression and large-scale fMRI meta-analysis study

This study maps oxytocin pathway gene expression in the human brain and links it to brain function using fMRI, showing enrichment in specific regions and interactions with dopamine and acetylcholine systems.

Endogenous oxytocin inhibits hypothalamic stress responsive neurons following acute hypernatremia

This study shows that endogenous oxytocin inhibits hypothalamic CRH neurons during acute hypernatremia, reducing stress responsiveness through Oxtr-dependent mechanisms.

Oxytocin promotes coordinated out-group attack during intergroup conflict in humans

This study shows oxytocin increases within-group synchronization of attacks during intergroup conflict but does not reduce aggression, instead enabling more strategic and profitable attacks.

The maternal hormone in the male brain: sexually dimorphic distribution of prolactin signalling in the mouse brain

The paper identifies sexually dimorphic distribution of prolactin signaling in the male mouse brain through pSTAT5 immunoreactivity analysis.

Profiles of cooperative brains: A discriminant analysis of cleaner and client fish monoaminergic responses to different social contexts

The paper uses discriminant analysis to compare monoaminergic brain responses in cleaner and client fish during social interactions, showing similar dopaminergic and serotonergic changes in key brain regions.

Fatherhood alters gene expression within the MPOA

This study identifies differentially expressed genes in male prairie voles associated with fathering behavior using RNA sequencing and pathway analysis.

Oxytocin facilitates empathic- and self-embarrassment ratings by attenuating amygdala and anterior insula responses

This study shows oxytocin increases empathy and self-embarrassment ratings while reducing amygdala and insula activity and physiological arousal in response to embarrassment.

BDNF-TrkB signaling in oxytocin neurons contributes to maternal behavior

This study shows that BDNF from promoters I and II is essential for maternal behavior in female mice by regulating oxytocin expression and signaling through TrkB in oxytocin neurons.

Sex- and Context-dependent Effects of Oxytocin on Social Reward Processing

This study shows that oxytocin increases social reward in women but not men during sharing with friends, linked to reduced amygdala and insula activity and functional connectivity in women with higher attachment anxiety.

Oxytocin enhancement of emotional empathy: generalization across cultures and effects on amygdala activity

This study shows oxytocin enhances emotional empathy across cultures and sexes, reduces amygdala activity, and modulates amygdala connectivity with the insula, particularly in individuals with trait autism.

Oxytocin promotes lying for personal gain in a genotype-dependent manner

This study shows oxytocin increases self-serving lying in men, especially those with specific oxytocin receptor gene variants, during repeated opportunities to lie.

Cross-species systems analysis of evolutionary toolkits of neurogenomic response to social challenge

The paper identifies conserved neurogenomic response toolkits across species using multi-species transcriptomic analysis and systems-level functional grouping.

Insular Cortex Mediates Approach And Avoidance Responses To Social Affective Stimuli

The paper shows that insular cortex mediates approach and avoidance behaviors in rats responding to stressed conspecifics, with oxytocin playing a key role.

Oxytocin Signaling in the Medial Amygdala is required for Sex Discrimination of Social Cues

This study shows that oxytocin signaling in the medial amygdala is essential for male mice to discriminate female social cues.