title: Oxytocin-dependent consolation behavior in rodents.
abstract: Consolation behavior toward distressed others is common in humans and great apes, yet our ability to explore the biological mechanisms underlying this behavior is limited by its apparent absence in laboratory animals. Here, we provide empirical evidence that a rodent species, the highly social and monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), greatly increases partner-directed grooming toward familiar conspecifics (but not strangers) that have experienced an unobserved stressor, providing social buffering. Prairie voles also match the fear response, anxiety-related behaviors, and corticosterone increase of the stressed cagemate, suggesting an empathy mechanism. Exposure to the stressed cagemate increases activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, and oxytocin receptor antagonist infused into this region abolishes the partner-directed response, showing conserved neural mechanisms between prairie vole and human.
authors.affiliation: Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. jpburke@emory.edu lyoun03@emory.edu.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Burkett
authors.affiliation: Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andari
authors.affiliation: Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Z V
authors.initials: ZV
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.affiliation: Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: F B M
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: de Waal
authors.affiliation: Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. jpburke@emory.edu lyoun03@emory.edu.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000523:psychology; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin; D003345:Corticosterone