title: Involvement of the oxytocin system in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the sex-specific regulation of social recognition.
abstract: Sex differences in the oxytocin (OT) system in the brain may explain why OT often regulates social behaviors in sex-specific ways. However, a link between sex differences in the OT system and sex-specific regulation of social behavior has not been tested. Here, we determined whether sex differences in the OT receptor (OTR) or in OT release in the posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (pBNST) mediates sex-specific regulation of social recognition in rats. We recently showed that, compared to female rats, male rats have a three-fold higher OTR binding density in the pBNST, a sexually dimorphic area implicated in the regulation of social behaviors. We now demonstrate that OTR antagonist (5 ng/0.5 μl/side) administration into the pBNST impairs social recognition in both sexes, while OT (100 pg/0.5 μl/side) administration into the pBNST prolongs the duration of social recognition in males only. These effects seem specific to social recognition, as neither treatment altered total social investigation time in either sex. Moreover, baseline OT release in the pBNST, as measured with in vivo microdialysis, did not differ between the sexes. However, males showed higher OT release in the pBNST during social recognition compared to females. These findings suggest a sex-specific role of the OT system in the pBNST in the regulation of social recognition.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. Electronic address: kelly.dumais@bc.edu.
authors.forename: Kelly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dumais
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
authors.forename: Marisa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Immormino
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
authors.forename: Remco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bredewold
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
authors.forename: Alexa H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Veenema
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D008845:Microinjections; D009951:Ornipressin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; C074541:vasotocin, desGly(NH2)(9)d(CH2)5-Tyr(Me)(2)-Thr(4)-Orn(8)-; D009951:Ornipressin; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; Microdialysis; Oxytocin; Sex differences; Social investigation; Social recognition