title: Dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin receptor binding in the medial prefrontal cortex of monogamous and promiscuous voles.
abstract: Comparisons between monogamous and promiscuous vole species have proven useful in examining neurobiological mechanisms underlying social attachment. Reward processing is important for social attachment, and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) exerts a direct influence on reward pathways. Dopamine (DA), oxytocin (OT), and arginine vasopressin (AVP) all have been implicated in the regulation of social attachment in monogamous voles. Therefore, we used radiolabeled ligands to examine dopamine D(1)- and D(2)-like, OT, and AVP V(1a) receptor binding densities in the mPFC of monogamous and promiscuous voles. Species differences were found; monogamous voles had higher densities of D(2)-like and OT receptor binding and lower densities of D(1)-like and V(1a) receptor binding than did promiscuous voles. Sex differences also were found; females had higher densities of OT receptor binding but lower densities of V(1a) receptor binding than did males in both species. Further, the laminar distribution of receptor binding indicates the possibility of an interaction between DA and OT systems in the mPFC in the regulation of social attachment. Differences in D(1)- and D(2)-like receptor binding between species are discussed in terms of how they might modulate cortical activity and subsequent DA release in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 32306-1270, USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Smeltzer
authors.forename: J Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: Zuoxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000378:metabolism*; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004298:Dopamine / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D007456:Iodine Isotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D013045:Species Specificity; D013134:Spiperone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014668:Vasotocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: C049558:8-iodo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine-7-ol; D001552:Benzazepines; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D007456:Iodine Isotopes; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; C053751:2'-iodospiperone; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; C076093:vasotocin, (beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid)-O-methyl-Tyr(2)-Thr(4)-Orn(8)-Tyr(9)-NH2; D013134:Spiperone; D010121:Oxytocin; D004298:Dopamine; D014668:Vasotocin