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Study · Measured the body's own peptide · 2010

2 results

Maternal care effects on the development of a sexually dimorphic motor system: the role of spinal oxytocin.

Lenz KM, Sengelaub DR

Hormones and behavior3 Aug 2010Cited by 21 (Europe PMC)

PMID20688065 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC2934889 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.07.010 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-20688065
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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study2

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured2

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

  1. 01AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In neonatal rats, licking-like stroking increased Fos immunolabeling in small oxytocin-positive cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus compared with unstroked or handled controls.

    In plain wordsIn rat pups, licking-like stroking switched on the body's own oxytocin-producing brain cells more than in unstroked or handled pups.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseFos labelling in oxytocin-positive paraventricular neurons after stroking
    Study

    ratn: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Unstroked or handled control pups
    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Reproductive and sexual health

    Source sentences

    Summary
    We found that stroking increased Fos immunolabeling in small oxytocin-positive cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, in comparison to unstroked or handled control pups.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    In this experiment, we used immunofluorescence and immediate early gene analysis to assess whether licking-like tactile stimulation of the perineum activated parvocellular oxytocinergic neurons in the hypothalamus in neonates.
    Summary · context
    We also used enzyme immunoassay to determine whether this same stroking stimulation produced an increase in spinal oxytocin levels.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  2. 02AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In neonatal rats, 60 s of licking-like perineal stimulation produced a transient 89% increase in oxytocin levels in the lumbosacral spinal cord.

    In plain wordsIn rat pups, brief licking-like stroking briefly raised the body's own oxytocin level in the spinal cord by 89%.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseLumbosacral spinal cord oxytocin level after 60 s of perineal stimulation
    Study

    ratn: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Reproductive and sexual health

    Measurements

    Spinal oxytocin increase
    89%
    lumbosacral spinal cord

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In addition, 60s of licking-like perineal stimulation produced a transient 89% increase in oxytocin levels in the lumbosacral spinal cord.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    In this experiment, we used immunofluorescence and immediate early gene analysis to assess whether licking-like tactile stimulation of the perineum activated parvocellular oxytocinergic neurons in the hypothalamus in neonates.
    Summary · context
    We also used enzyme immunoassay to determine whether this same stroking stimulation produced an increase in spinal oxytocin levels.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:50 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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