title: Oxytocin stimulates adult neurogenesis even under conditions of stress and elevated glucocorticoids.
abstract: Oxytocin has been linked to social behavior, including social recognition, pair bonding and parenting, but its potential role in promoting neuronal growth has not been investigated. We show here that oxytocin, but not vasopressin, stimulates both cell proliferation and adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus of rats. Oxytocin is also capable of stimulating adult neurogenesis in rats subjected to glucocorticoid administration or cold water swim stress. These findings suggest that oxytocin stimulates neuronal growth and may protect against the suppressive effects of stress hormones on hippocampal plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leuner
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Caponiti
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gould
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D010121:Oxytocin; D003345:Corticosterone