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

2 results

The oxytocin system promotes resilience to the effects of neonatal isolation on adult social attachment in female prairie voles.

Barrett CE, Arambula SE, Young LJ

Translational psychiatry21 Jul 2015Cited by 100 (Europe PMC)

PMID26196439 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC5068726 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/tp.2015.73 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-26196439
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Summary

Genes and social experiences interact to create variation in social behavior and vulnerability to develop disorders of the social domain. Socially monogamous prairie voles display remarkable diversity in neuropeptide receptor systems and social behavior. Here, we examine the interaction of early-life adversity and brain oxytocin receptor (OTR) density on adult social attachment in female prairie voles. First, pups were isolated for 3 h per day, or unmanipulated, from postnatal day 1-14. Adult subjects were tested on the partner preference (PP) test to assess social attachment and OTR density in the brain was quantified. Neonatal social isolation impaired female PP formation, without affecting OTR density. Accumbal OTR density was, however, positively correlated with the percent of time spent huddling with the partner in neonatally isolated females. Females with high accumbal OTR binding were resilient to neonatal isolation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that parental nurturing shapes neural systems underlying social relationships by enhancing striatal OTR signaling. Thus, we next determined whether early touch, mimicking parental licking and grooming, stimulates hypothalamic OT neuron activity. Tactile stimulation induced immediate-early gene activity in OT neurons in neonates. Finally, we investigated whether pharmacologically potentiating OT release using a melanocortin 3/4 agonist, melanotan-II (10 mg kg(-1) subcutaneously), would mitigate the social isolation-induced impairments in attachment behavior. Neonatal melanotan-II administration buffered against the effects of early isolation on partner preference formation. Thus, variation in accumbal OTR density and early OT release induced by parental nurturing may moderate susceptibility to early adverse experiences, including neglect.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study2

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

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In female prairie voles, neonatal melanotan II buffered against the effects of early isolation on partner preference formation.

    In plain wordsIn female prairie voles, melanotan II given early in life protected against the effect of early isolation on bonding with a partner.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreasePartner preference formation after neonatal isolation
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Female prairie voles with neonatal social isolation
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    10 mg/kg · subcutaneousAs given in this study (prairie vole).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Neonatal melanotan-II administration buffered against the effects of early isolation on partner preference formation.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, we investigated whether pharmacologically potentiating OT release using a melanocortin 3/4 agonist, melanotan-II (10 mg kg(-1) subcutaneously), would mitigate the social isolation-induced impairments in attachment behavior.

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. 02AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In neonatal prairie voles, tactile stimulation induced immediate-early gene activity in the body's own oxytocin neurons.

    In plain wordsIn newborn prairie voles, touch raised activity in the neurons that make the body's own oxytocin.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseOxytocin neuron activity after tactile stimulation
    Study

    prairie volen: not reported in source

    Neonatal prairie voles
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Tactile stimulation induced immediate-early gene activity in OT neurons in neonates.

    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 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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