A critical role for nucleus accumbens dopamine in partner-preference formation in male prairie voles.
Although the role of nucleus accumbens (NAcc) dopamine (DA) in reward learning has been extensively studied, few investigations have addressed its involvement in learning socially relevant information. Here, we have examined the involvement of NAcc DA in social attachment of the "monogamous" prairie vole (Microtus orchrogaster). We first demonstrated that DA is necessary for the formation of social attachment in male prairie voles, because administration of haloperidol blocked, whereas apomorphine induced, partner-preference formation. We then provided the first descriptions of DA neuroanatomy and tissue content in vole NAcc, and mating appeared to induce a 33% increase in DA turnover. We also showed that administration of haloperidol directly into the NAcc blocked partner preferences induced by mating and apomorphine. In addition, administration of apomorphine into the NAcc but not the caudate putamen induced partner preferences in the absence of mating. Together, our data support the hypothesis that NAcc DA is critical for pair-bond formation in male prairie voles.
Aragona
Brandon J
BJ
Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1270, USA. aragona@psy.fsu.edu
Liu
Yan
Y
Curtis
J Thomas
JT
Stephan
Friedrich K
FK
Wang
Zuoxin
Z
D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000502:physiology*; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010152:Pair Bond; D011699:Putamen / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D006220:Haloperidol; D001058:Apomorphine; D004298:Dopamine