The Experts below are selected from a list of 147 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Larry J Young - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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oxytocin and the neural mechanisms regulating social cognition and affiliative Behavior
Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 2009Co-Authors: Heather E Ross, Larry J YoungAbstract:Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released into the circulation through the neurohypophyseal system. Peripherally released oxytocin facilitates parturition and milk ejection during nursing. Centrally released oxytocin coordinates the onset of maternal Nurturing Behavior at parturition and plays a role in mother-infant bonding. More recent studies have revealed a more general role for oxytocin in modulating affiliative Behavior in both sexes. Oxytocin regulates alloparental care and pair bonding in female monogamous prairie voles. Social recognition in male and female mice is also modulated by oxytocin. In humans, oxytocin increases gaze to the eye region of human faces and enhances interpersonal trust and the ability to infer the emotions of others from facial cues. While the neurohypopheseal oxytocin system has been well characterized, less is known regarding the nature of oxytocin release within the brain. Here we review the role of oxytocin in the regulation of prosocial interactions, and discuss the neuroanatomy of the central oxytocin system.
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Neuropeptidergic regulation of affiliative Behavior and social bonding in animals.
Hormones and behavior, 2006Co-Authors: Miranda M. Lim, Larry J YoungAbstract:Social relationships are essential for maintaining human mental health, yet little is known about the brain mechanisms involved in the development and maintenance of social bonds. Animal models are powerful tools for investigating the neurobiological mechanisms regulating the cognitive processes leading to the development of social relationships and for potentially extending our understanding of the human condition. In this review, we discuss the roles of the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin in the regulation of social bonding as well as related social Behaviors which culminate in the formation of social relationships in animal models. The formation of social bonds is a hierarchical process involving social motivation and approach, the processing of social stimuli and formation of social memories, and the social attachment itself. Oxytocin and vasopressin have been implicated in each of these processes. Specifically, these peptides facilitate social affiliation and parental Nurturing Behavior, are essential for social recognition in rodents, and are involved in the formation of selective mother-infant bonds in sheep and pair bonds in monogamous voles. The convergence of evidence from these animal studies makes oxytocin and vasopressin attractive candidates for the neural modulation of human social relationships as well as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of psychiatric disorders associated with disruptions in social Behavior, including autism.
Tallie Z. Baram - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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dysfunctional Nurturing Behavior in rat dams with limited access to nesting material a clinically relevant model for early life stress
Neuroscience, 2008Co-Authors: Autumn S Ivy, Kristen L. Brunson, Curt A. Sandman, Tallie Z. BaramAbstract:Abstract Background Early-life emotional stress may be associated with affective and cognitive disorders later in life, yet satisfactory animal models for studying the underlying mechanisms are limited. Because maternal presence and Behavior critically influence molecular and Behavioral stress responses in offspring, we sought to create a model of dysfunctional, fragmented maternal Nurturing Behavior that would, in turn, provoke chronic early-life stress in the offspring. Methods Sprague-Dawley rat dams' nursing and Nurturing Behaviors were altered by limiting their ability to create satisfactory nests during postpartum days 2–9. Maternal Behavior was observed throughout the diurnal cycle, and the frequency and duration of Nurturing Behaviors were scored. In addition, potential stress and anxiety of the dams were assessed using Behavioral, molecular and hormonal measures. Results Both the quantity and the quality of dams' care of their pups were profoundly influenced by restriction of nesting materials in their cages: licking/grooming activities decreased and the frequency of leaving the pups increased, resulting in fragmented interactions between the dams and pups. The abnormal activity patterns of the dams were accompanied by increased anxiety-like Behavior in the open field, but not in the elevated plus maze tests. Additionally, dams' plasma corticosterone levels and adrenal weights were augmented, suggesting chronic stress of these dams. By the end of the limited-nesting, stress-inducing period, hypothalamic corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA expression was reduced in the limited-nesting dams, while arginine-vasopressin (AVP) mRNA levels were not significantly affected. Conclusion Limiting dams' ability to construct a nest for their pups leads to an abnormal repertoire of Nurturing Behaviors, possibly as a result of chronic stress and mild anxiety of the dams. Because the fragmented and aberrant maternal Behavior provoked chronic stress in the pups, the limited-nesting paradigm provides a useful tool for studying the mechanisms and consequences of such early-life stress experience in the offspring.
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Dysfunctional Nurturing Behavior in rat dams with limited access to nesting material: A clinically relevant model for early-life stress
Neuroscience, 2008Co-Authors: Autumn S Ivy, Kristen L. Brunson, Curt A. Sandman, Tallie Z. BaramAbstract:Early-life emotional stress may be associated with affective and cognitive disorders later in life, yet satisfactory animal models for studying the underlying mechanisms are limited. Because maternal presence and Behavior critically influence molecular and Behavioral stress responses in offspring, we sought to create a model of dysfunctional, fragmented maternal Nurturing Behavior that would, in turn, provoke chronic early-life stress in the offspring. Sprague-Dawley rat dams' nursing and Nurturing Behaviors were altered by limiting their ability to create satisfactory nests during postpartum days 2-9. Maternal Behavior was observed throughout the diurnal cycle, and the frequency and duration of Nurturing Behaviors were scored. In addition, potential stress and anxiety of the dams were assessed using Behavioral, molecular and hormonal measures. Both the quantity and the quality of dams' care of their pups were profoundly influenced by restriction of nesting materials in their cages: licking/grooming activities decreased and the frequency of leaving the pups increased, resulting in fragmented interactions between the dams and pups. The abnormal activity patterns of the dams were accompanied by increased anxiety-like Behavior in the open field, but not in the elevated plus maze tests. Additionally, dams' plasma corticosterone levels and adrenal weights were augmented, suggesting chronic stress of these dams. By the end of the limited-nesting, stress-inducing period, hypothalamic corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA expression was reduced in the limited-nesting dams, while arginine-vasopressin (AVP) mRNA levels were not significantly affected. Limiting dams' ability to construct a nest for their pups leads to an abnormal repertoire of Nurturing Behaviors, possibly as a result of chronic stress and mild anxiety of the dams. Because the fragmented and aberrant maternal Behavior provoked chronic stress in the pups, the limited-nesting paradigm provides a useful tool for studying the mechanisms and consequences of such early-life stress experience in the offspring.
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Neuroplasticity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis early in life requires recurrent recruitment of stress-regulating brain regions.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2006Co-Authors: Kristina A. Fenoglio, Yuncai Chen, Tallie Z. BaramAbstract:An eloquent example of experience-induced neuroplasticity involves the enduring effects of daily "handling" of rat pups on the expression of genes regulating hormonal and Behavioral responses to stress. Handling-evoked augmentation of maternal care of pups induces long-lasting reduction of hypothalamic corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) expression and upregulates hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor levels. These changes promote a lifelong attenuation of hormonal stress responses. We have found previously that handling-evoked downregulation of CRH expression occurs already by postnatal day 9, implicating it as an early step in this experience-induced neuroplasticity. Here, we investigated the neuronal pathways and cellular mechanisms involved. CRH mRNA expression in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) diminished after daily handling but not after handling once only, indicating that "recurrent" handling was required for this effect. Return of handled pups to their cage provoked a burst of Nurturing Behavior in dams that, in turn, induced transient, coordinate Fos expression in selected regions of the pups' brains. These included central nucleus of the amygdala (ACe) and bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BnST), regions that are afferent to PVN and influence CRH expression there. Whereas handling once sufficed to evoke Fos expression within ACe and BnST, expression in thalamic paraventricular nucleus, a region involved in storing and processing stress-related experience, required recurrent handling. Fos induction in all three regions elicited reduced transcription factor phosphorylation, followed by attenuated activation of CRH gene transcription within the PVN. These studies provide a neurobiological foundation for the profound neuroplasticity of stress-related genes evoked by early-life experience.
Julia Ostner - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Testosterone and cortisol are negatively associated with ritualized bonding Behavior in male macaques.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2020Co-Authors: Alan V. Rincon, Michael Heistermann, Oliver Schülke, Julia OstnerAbstract:Abstract Neuroendocrine research on the formation of social bonds has primarily focused on the role of nonapeptides. However, steroid hormones often act simultaneously to either inhibit or facilitate bonding. Testosterone is proposed to mediate a trade-off between male mating effort and Nurturing Behavior; therefore, low levels are predicted during periods of Nurturing infant care and social bonding. In species where social bonding and support regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, we also expect glucocorticoid levels to be low during bonding periods. We investigated how immunoreactive urinary testosterone (iuT) and cortisol (iuC) were related to triadic male-infant-male interactions – a ritualized male bonding Behavior – as well as infant care in male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). We collected >3000 h of Behavioral observation data during full-day focal animal follows from 14 adult males and quantified iuT and iuC from 650 urine samples. iuT was negatively correlated with rates of triadic interactions within subjects, but positively correlated between subjects. iuC was negatively correlated with triadic interactions both within and between subjects. Time spent caring for infants was positively correlated to both iuT and iuC within subjects, but not between subjects. The observed negative relationship between iuT and triadic interactions within subjects may be beneficial to lower competitive tendencies between adult males and to not inhibit bond formation. However, the positive correlation of iuT with triadic interactions between subjects was unexpected. We speculate that it could be due to a link between triadic interactions and coalition formation. A negative relationship between triadic interactions and iuC could reflect increased bonding and perceived social support as triadic interactions predict future coalition formation in this species, or reflect buffered tensions between males. The positive relationship of iuT and iuC with infant care suggests that the handling of infants may be less Nurturing but rather protective or competitive in this species. Measuring steroid hormones in relation to bonding and Nurturing can help us interpret Behaviors within the ecological contexts that they occur.
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Testosterone and cortisol are negatively associated with ritualized bonding Behavior in male macaques
2019Co-Authors: Alan V. Rincon, Michael Heistermann, Oliver Schülke, Julia OstnerAbstract:AbstractNeuroendocrine research on the formation of social bonds has primarily focused on the role of nonapeptides. However, steroid hormones often act simultaneously to either inhibit or facilitate bonding. Testosterone is proposed to mediate a trade-off between male mating effort and Nurturing Behavior; therefore, low levels are predicted during periods of Nurturing infant care and social bonding. In species where social bonding and support regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, we also expect glucocorticoid levels to be low during bonding periods. We investigated how immunoreactive urinary testosterone (iuT) and cortisol (iuC) were related to triadic male-infant-male interactions – a ritualized male bonding Behavior – as well as infant care in male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). We collected >3000 hours of Behavioral observation data during full-day focal animal follows from 14 adult males and quantified iuT and iuC from 650 urine samples. As predicted, both iuT and iuC were negatively correlated with rates of triadic interactions within-subjects in the hours preceding urination. We found no relationship between iuT and iuC with triadic interactions between-subjects. Infant care was weakly positively correlated to iuT and iuC within-subjects, but not between-subjects. The observed negative relationship between iuT and triadic interactions may be beneficial to lower competitive tendencies between adult males and to not inhibit bond formation. Lowered iuC could reflect increased bonding and perceived social support as triadic interactions predict future coalition formation in this species. Additionally, lowered iuC may be reflective of buffered tensions between males. The positive relationship of iuT and iuC with infant care suggests that the handling of infants in may be less Nurturing but rather protective or competitive in this species. Measuring steroid hormones in relation to bonding and Nurturing can help us interpret Behaviors within the ecological contexts that they occur.
Alan V. Rincon - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Testosterone and cortisol are negatively associated with ritualized bonding Behavior in male macaques.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2020Co-Authors: Alan V. Rincon, Michael Heistermann, Oliver Schülke, Julia OstnerAbstract:Abstract Neuroendocrine research on the formation of social bonds has primarily focused on the role of nonapeptides. However, steroid hormones often act simultaneously to either inhibit or facilitate bonding. Testosterone is proposed to mediate a trade-off between male mating effort and Nurturing Behavior; therefore, low levels are predicted during periods of Nurturing infant care and social bonding. In species where social bonding and support regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, we also expect glucocorticoid levels to be low during bonding periods. We investigated how immunoreactive urinary testosterone (iuT) and cortisol (iuC) were related to triadic male-infant-male interactions – a ritualized male bonding Behavior – as well as infant care in male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). We collected >3000 h of Behavioral observation data during full-day focal animal follows from 14 adult males and quantified iuT and iuC from 650 urine samples. iuT was negatively correlated with rates of triadic interactions within subjects, but positively correlated between subjects. iuC was negatively correlated with triadic interactions both within and between subjects. Time spent caring for infants was positively correlated to both iuT and iuC within subjects, but not between subjects. The observed negative relationship between iuT and triadic interactions within subjects may be beneficial to lower competitive tendencies between adult males and to not inhibit bond formation. However, the positive correlation of iuT with triadic interactions between subjects was unexpected. We speculate that it could be due to a link between triadic interactions and coalition formation. A negative relationship between triadic interactions and iuC could reflect increased bonding and perceived social support as triadic interactions predict future coalition formation in this species, or reflect buffered tensions between males. The positive relationship of iuT and iuC with infant care suggests that the handling of infants may be less Nurturing but rather protective or competitive in this species. Measuring steroid hormones in relation to bonding and Nurturing can help us interpret Behaviors within the ecological contexts that they occur.
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Testosterone and cortisol are negatively associated with ritualized bonding Behavior in male macaques
2019Co-Authors: Alan V. Rincon, Michael Heistermann, Oliver Schülke, Julia OstnerAbstract:AbstractNeuroendocrine research on the formation of social bonds has primarily focused on the role of nonapeptides. However, steroid hormones often act simultaneously to either inhibit or facilitate bonding. Testosterone is proposed to mediate a trade-off between male mating effort and Nurturing Behavior; therefore, low levels are predicted during periods of Nurturing infant care and social bonding. In species where social bonding and support regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, we also expect glucocorticoid levels to be low during bonding periods. We investigated how immunoreactive urinary testosterone (iuT) and cortisol (iuC) were related to triadic male-infant-male interactions – a ritualized male bonding Behavior – as well as infant care in male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). We collected >3000 hours of Behavioral observation data during full-day focal animal follows from 14 adult males and quantified iuT and iuC from 650 urine samples. As predicted, both iuT and iuC were negatively correlated with rates of triadic interactions within-subjects in the hours preceding urination. We found no relationship between iuT and iuC with triadic interactions between-subjects. Infant care was weakly positively correlated to iuT and iuC within-subjects, but not between-subjects. The observed negative relationship between iuT and triadic interactions may be beneficial to lower competitive tendencies between adult males and to not inhibit bond formation. Lowered iuC could reflect increased bonding and perceived social support as triadic interactions predict future coalition formation in this species. Additionally, lowered iuC may be reflective of buffered tensions between males. The positive relationship of iuT and iuC with infant care suggests that the handling of infants in may be less Nurturing but rather protective or competitive in this species. Measuring steroid hormones in relation to bonding and Nurturing can help us interpret Behaviors within the ecological contexts that they occur.
Esther K. Diekhof - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Endogenous testosterone and exogenous oxytocin influence the response to baby schema in the female brain.
Scientific reports, 2018Co-Authors: Sarah K. C. Holtfrerich, Roland Pfister, Alexander T. El Gammal, Eugen Bellon, Esther K. DiekhofAbstract:Nurturing Behavior may be critically influenced by the interplay of different hormones. The neuropeptide oxytocin is known to promote maternal Behavior and its reduction has been associated with postpartum depression risk and child neglect. Contrariwise, the observed decrease in testosterone level during early parenthood may benefit caretaking Behavior, whereas increased testosterone may reduce attention to infants. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the interactive influence of testosterone and oxytocin on selective attention to and neural processing of the baby schema (BS). 57 nulliparous women performed a target detection task with human faces with varying degree of BS following double-blinded placebo-controlled oxytocin administration in a between-subjects design. Our results support the idea that oxytocin enhances attention to the BS. Oxytocin had a positive effect on activation of the inferior frontal junction during identification of infant targets with a high degree of BS that were presented among adult distractors. Further, activation of the putamen was positively correlated with selective attention to the BS, but only in women with high endogenous testosterone who received oxytocin. These findings provide initial evidence for the neural mechanism by which oxytocin may counteract the negative effects of testosterone in the modulation of Nurturing Behavior.
