Oxytocin induces preservation of social recognition in male rats by activating alpha-adrenoceptors of the olfactory bulb.
Male; Animals; *Social Behavior; Rats; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/pharmacology; Adrenergic beta-Agonists/pharmacology; Microdialysis; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists/pharmacology; Phentolamine/pharmacology; Isoproterenol/pharmacology; Clonidine/pharmacology; Norepinephrine/pharmacology; Social Dominance; Adrenergic alpha-Agonists/pharmacology; Memory/*drug effects/physiology; Olfactory Bulb/*drug effects/physiology; Oxytocin/*pharmacology; Timolol/pharmacology; Receptors; Adrenergic; Wistar; alpha/*drug effects/physiology; Oxytocin/drug effects/*physiology
In this report, a series of four experiments was performed to evaluate the relationship between the olfactory bulb norepinephrine system and intra-olfactory bulb infusion of oxytocin in the preservation of social memory responses. The present data indicate that oxytocin exerts this preservation of social recognition through a specific, receptor-mediated mechanism within the olfactory bulb (experiment 1). The involvement of the olfactory bulb norepinephrine system is revealed by the demonstration that retrodialysis of oxytocin into the olfactory bulb increases norepinephrine release (experiment 4). Our data suggest that the increased output of olfactory bulb norepinephrine resulting from oxytocin appears to activate alpha-adrenoceptors to produce this preservation in recognition because infusions of clonidine into the olfactory bulb preserve recognition responses in a manner similar to that observed with oxytocin (experiment 2). In addition, a co-infusion of oxytocin with phentolamine abolishes recognition responses (experiment 3). Accordingly, this model affords the opportunity to study neuropeptide-catecholamine interactions, link these interactions with a specific behavioural outcome and identify a novel function/site of action for oxytocin in the male.
Dluzen D E; Muraoka S; Engelmann M; Ebner K; Landgraf R
The European journal of neuroscience
2000
2000-02
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Place conditioning reveals the rewarding aspect of social interaction in juvenile rats.
*Conditioning; *Motivation; *Social Behavior; *Social Environment; *Social Isolation; Animals; Classical/drug effects; Female; Inbred Strains; Male; Motor Activity/drug effects; Play and Playthings; Rats; Scopolamine/pharmacology; Social Dominance
Rewards, as diverse as food, sweetened solutions, copulation, electrical brain stimulation, and drugs abused by humans, have been shown to condition place preferences in rats. Juvenile rats will readily learn to traverse a T-maze for the opportunity to interact with another similar-aged rat. This suggests that play behavior is rewarding. Experiment 1 examined whether play (as quantified by rough-and-tumble pinning) would act as a sufficient reward to condition a place preference (CPP). Experiment 2 examined whether pairings with a nonplaying partner would decrease the time spent in the preferred side and thus suggest a conditioned place aversion (CPA). In Experiment 1, dominant juvenile rats were given free access to a CPP apparatus and a side preference for one of the two physically distinct sides was determined. Dominant rats were then conditioned twice daily over four days in the CPP apparatus. They spent their first session confined in their preferred side with a scopolamine-treated partner (that rendered the partner unable to respond to play solicitations) and during the second session, dominant rats were confined to their less preferred side with a submissive play partner. The number of dorsal contacts, as well as frequency and duration of pinning, were recorded. Following conditioning, side preference was redetermined. A similar procedure was used in Experiment 2 except that the subjects underwent conditioning on their less-preferred side without a play partner. Results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that the dominant rats significantly increased (198.6%) the time spent on the originally less-preferred side after play conditioning.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Calcagnetti D J; Schechter M D
Physiology & behavior
1992
1992-04
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(92)90101-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/0031-9384(92)90101-7</a>