title: Effects of oxytocin microinjected into the central amygdaloid nucleus and bed nucleus of stria terminalis on maternal aggressive behavior in rats.
abstract: The central effect of oxytocin (OT) on the aggressive behavior of lactating rats was studied. Female rats are more aggressive than nonlactating resident females, vigorously attacking conspecific intruder male or females. This behavior is considered important for pup protection against infanticide. The present work aimed to test the effects on maternal aggressive behavior of OT infused into the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeM) or bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST). The surgeries for bilateral cannula implantation were performed between the 2nd and 4th postpartum day. Three days after the surgery, saline or OT was infused and 5 min later a male intruder was placed in the home-cage and the behaviors were videotaped for 10 min. The frequency of the aggressive behaviors and the duration of locomotion during the aggressive behavior test were measured. The latency to retrieve the pups was also evaluated. The results showed that OT injected into CeM (10 and 20 ng/nucleus) decreased frequency of biting and frontal attack while in the BNST (10 and 20 ng/nucleus) decreased the frequency of biting. No significant change on retrieval activity was detected. OT in CeM and BNST has an inhibitory effect on the aggressive behavior of lactating female rats.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil. arconsig@ufrgs.br
authors.forename: Angelica R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Consiglio
authors.forename: Anderlise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borsoi
authors.forename: Gabriela A M
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Aldo B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lucion
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008845:Microinjections / Q000379:methods; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin