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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · meadow vole and prairie vole · 2015

6 results

Melanocortin Receptor Agonists Facilitate Oxytocin-Dependent Partner Preference Formation in the Prairie Vole.

Modi ME, Inoue K, Barrett CE, Kittelberger KA, Smith DG, Landgraf R, Young LJ

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology5 Feb 2015Cited by 61 (Europe PMC)

PMID25652247 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC4839509 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/npp.2015.35 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-25652247
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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 study6

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In prairie voles, peripheral melanotan II enhanced partner preference formation.

    In plain wordsIn prairie voles, melanotan II given by injection outside the brain increased pair bonding with a partner.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreasePartner preference formation in prairie voles
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · peripheralAs given in this study (prairie vole).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Peripheral administration of the brain penetrant MC3/4R receptor peptide agonist, Melanotan II (MTII), and the highly selective, small-molecule MC4R agonist, Pf-446687, enhanced partner preference formation in the prairie vole, but not in the non-monogamous meadow vole.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process.
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In non-monogamous meadow voles, peripheral melanotan II did not enhance partner preference formation.

    In plain wordsIn meadow voles, which do not form lasting pair bonds, melanotan II did not increase partner preference.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changePartner preference formation in meadow voles
    Study

    meadow volen: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · peripheralAs given in this study (meadow vole).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Peripheral administration of the brain penetrant MC3/4R receptor peptide agonist, Melanotan II (MTII), and the highly selective, small-molecule MC4R agonist, Pf-446687, enhanced partner preference formation in the prairie vole, but not in the non-monogamous meadow vole.
  3. 03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In prairie voles, melanotan II-induced partner preferences were still present 1 week after drug manipulation.

    In plain wordsIn prairie voles, the partner preference caused by melanotan II was still present one week later.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreaseDurability of melanotan II-induced partner preference
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MTII-induced partner preferences were enduring, as they were present 1 week after drug manipulation.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process.
  4. 04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In prairie voles, melanotan II selectively activated hypothalamic oxytocin neurons.

    In plain wordsIn prairie voles, melanotan II switched on oxytocin-producing neurons in the hypothalamus.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreaseActivation of hypothalamic oxytocin neurons
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MTII also selectively activated hypothalamic OT neurons
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process.

Natural levels measured1

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. 05AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In prairie voles, melanotan II potentiated release of the body's own oxytocin in the brain.

    In plain wordsIn prairie voles, melanotan II increased the release of the body's own oxytocin in the brain.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseCentral oxytocin release after melanotan II
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition

    Source sentences

    Summary
    potentiated central OT release.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process.

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

Studies that did not test the peptide alone1

In this study, Melanotan II was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Melanotan II.

  1. 06AnimalNot a test of Melanotan II aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In prairie voles, coadministration of an oxytocin receptor antagonist prevented melanotan II-induced partner preferences; the effect is that of the antagonist.

    In plain wordsIn prairie voles, blocking the oxytocin receptor stopped the partner preference that melanotan II otherwise caused.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    DecreaseEffect of an oxytocin receptor antagonist on melanotan II-induced partner preference
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The prosocial effects of MCR agonists may be mediated, in part, through modulation of OT, as coadministration of an OT receptor antagonist prevented MTII-induced partner preferences.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process.

    In this study, Melanotan II was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Melanotan II.

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 3Current

    10 Oct 2026, 09:43 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 2

    9 Oct 2026, 03:04 UTC

    Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC

  3. 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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