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neonatal exposure to amphetamine alters social affiliation and central dopamine activity in adult male prairie voles.the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) is a socially monogamous rodent species that forms pair bonds after mating. recent data have shown that amphetamine (amph) is rewarding to prairie voles as it induces conditioned place preferences. further, repeated treatment with amph impairs social bonding in adult prairie voles through a central dopamine (da)-dependent mechanism. the present study examined the effects of neonatal exposure to amph on behavior and central da activity in adult male prairie ...201526321240
intergenerational transmission of alloparental behavior and oxytocin and vasopressin receptor distribution in the prairie vole.variation in the early environment has the potential to permanently alter offspring behavior and development. we have previously shown that naturally occurring variation in biparental care of offspring in the prairie vole is related to differences in social behavior of the offspring. it was not, however, clear whether the behavioral differences seen between offspring receiving high compared to low amounts of parental care were the result of different care experiences or were due to shared geneti ...201526257619
effects of postnatal estrogen manipulations on juvenile alloparental behavior.sex- and species-specific patterns of estrogen receptor (er)-α expression are established early in development, which may contribute to sexual differentiation of behavior and determine male social organization. the current study investigated the effects of erα and erβ activation during the second postnatal week on subsequent alloparental behavior and erα expression in juvenile prairie voles. male and female pups were treated daily with 17β-estradiol (e2, erα/erβ agonist), ppt (selective erα agon ...201526222494
the oxytocin system promotes resilience to the effects of neonatal isolation on adult social attachment in female prairie voles.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 su ...201526196439
voluntary locomotor activity mitigates oxidative damage associated with isolation stress in the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster).organismal performance directly depends on an individual's ability to cope with a wide array of physiological challenges. for social animals, social isolation is a stressor that has been shown to increase oxidative stress. another physiological challenge, routine locomotor activity, has been found to decrease oxidative stress levels. because we currently do not have a good understanding of how diverse physiological systems like stress and locomotion interact to affect oxidative balance, we studi ...201526179798
social recognition in paired but not single male prairie voles.social recognition is an integral component of behavior that underlies many much larger behavioral suites. for example, monogamous pair bonding is relatively meaningless if an individual cannot recall with whom the bond was with. prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are a socially monogamous rodent, well known for their long-term pair bonds between males and females. although previous work has shown that bonded males reliably spend more time with their pair-mate over an unfamiliar female, recent ...201526365995
immunoglobulin genomics in the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster).in science, the prairie voles are ideal models for studying the regulatory mechanisms of social behavior in humans. the utility of the prairie vole as a biology model can be further enhanced by characterization of the genes encoding components of the immune system. here, we report the genomic organization of the prairie vole immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes. the prairie vole igh locus on chromosome 1 spans over 1600kb, and consists of at least 79 vh segments (28 potentially functional ...201526073565
in vitro culture and in vitro fertilization techniques for prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) is a highly social animal and is a commonly used animal model for neuropsychopharmacological and psychiatric studies. to date, only a few reports on the development of transgenic prairie voles which was primarily due to the suboptimal development of assisted reproductive technology (art) in prairie voles. limitations in art further hinder the development of genetically modified prairie voles such as the application of conventional gene targeting technologies u ...201526071353
neural mechanisms of mother-infant bonding and pair bonding: similarities, differences, and broader implications.this article is part of a special issue "parental care". mother-infant bonding is a characteristic of virtually all mammals. the maternal neural system may have provided the scaffold upon which other types of social bonds in mammals have been built. for example, most mammals exhibit a polygamous mating system, but monogamy and pair bonding between mating partners occur in ~5% of mammalian species. in mammals, it is plausible that the neural mechanisms that promote mother-infant bonding have been ...201626062432
effects of population density on corticosterone levels of prairie voles in the field.high population density is often associated with increased levels of stress-related hormones, such as corticosterone (cort). prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are a socially monogamous species known for their large population density fluctuations in the wild. although cort influences the social behavior of prairie voles in the lab, the effect of population density on cort has not previously been quantified in this species in the field. we validated a non-invasive hormone assay for measuring c ...201626342968
individual differences in cortical connections of somatosensory cortex are associated with parental rearing style in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).early-life sensory experiences have a profound effect on brain organization, connectivity, and subsequent behavior. in most mammals, the earliest sensory inputs are delivered to the developing brain through tactile contact with the parents, especially the mother. prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are monogamous and, like humans, are biparental. within the normal prairie vole population, both the type and the amount of interactions, particularly tactile contact, that parents have with their of ...201626101098
voluntary exercise facilitates pair-bonding in male prairie voles.the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin have been implicated in exercise, as well as monogamy and parental behavior. in this study, we compared behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of access to an exercise wheel vs. the sedentary state typical in lab animal housing. male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) were studied because of their extensive repertoire of social behaviors including pair bond formation and biparental care, which are influenced by oxytocin and vasopressin. subjects in one ...201626409174
central oxytocin receptors mediate mating-induced partner preferences and enhance correlated activation across forebrain nuclei in male prairie voles.oxytocin (ot) is a deeply conserved nonapeptide that acts both peripherally and centrally to modulate reproductive physiology and sociosexual behavior across divergent taxa, including humans. in vertebrates, the distribution of the oxytocin receptor (otr) in the brain is variable within and across species, and otr signaling is critical for a variety of species-typical social and reproductive behaviors, including affiliative and pair bonding behaviors in multiple socially monogamous lineages of f ...201626643557
oxytocin in the nucleus accumbens shell reverses crfr2-evoked passive stress-coping after partner loss in monogamous male prairie voles.loss of a partner can have severe effects on mental health. here we explore the neural mechanisms underlying increased passive stress-coping, indicative of depressive-like behavior, following the loss of the female partner in the monogamous male prairie vole. we demonstrate that corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (crfr2) in the nucleus accumbens shell mediates social loss-induced passive coping. further, we show that partner loss compromises the oxytocin system through multiple mechanisms ...201626615473
developmental expression of estrogen receptor beta in the brain of prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).here, for the first time, the expression of estrogen receptor beta (erβ) is characterized in the brains of the highly prosocial prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster). erβ immunoreactivity was compared in weanlings (postnatal day 21) and adult males and females. the results indicate several major findings. first, unlike erα, erβ expression is not sexually dimorphic. second, the adult pattern of erβ-ir is established at the time of weaning, as there were no age-dependent effects on distribution. fin ...201626419697
local oxytocin tempers anxiety by activating gabaa receptors in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.oxytocin (oxt) is released in various hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic brain areas in response to anxiogenic stimuli to regulate aspects of emotionality and stress coping. we examined the anxiolytic action of oxt in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (pvn) while appraising if oxt recruits gaba neurons to inhibit the behavioral, hormonal, and neuronal response to stress in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). voles received an injection of oxt in the pvn either before or after an ...201626415118
chronic social isolation enhances reproduction in the monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster).chronic stressors are generally considered to disrupt reproduction and inhibit mating. here we test the hypothesis that a chronic stressor, specifically social isolation, can facilitate adaptive changes that enhance/accelerate reproductive effort. in general, monogamous species display high levels of prosociality, delayed sexual maturation, and greater parental investment in fewer, higher quality offspring compared with closely related polygynous species. we predicted that chronic social isolati ...201626939085
variation in the oxytocin receptor gene predicts brain region-specific expression and social attachment.oxytocin (oxt) modulates several aspects of social behavior. intranasal oxt is a leading candidate for treating social deficits in patients with autism spectrum disorder, and common genetic variants in the human oxtr gene are associated with emotion recognition, relationship quality, and autism spectrum disorder. animal models have revealed that individual differences in oxtr expression in the brain drive social behavior variation. our understanding of how genetic variation contributes to brain ...201626893121
oxytocin promotes functional coupling between paraventricular nucleus and both sympathetic and parasympathetic cardioregulatory nuclei.the neuropeptide oxytocin (oxt) facilitates prosocial behavior and selective sociality. in the context of stress, oxt also can down-regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis activity, leading to consideration of oxt as a potential treatment for many socioaffective disorders. however, the mechanisms through which administration of exogenous oxt modulates social behavior in stressful environmental contexts are not fully understood. here, we investigate the hypothesis that autonomic pathwa ...201626836772
oxytocin-dependent consolation behavior in rodents.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 soci ...201626798013
male prairie voles display cardiovascular dipping associated with an ultradian activity cycle.mammals typically display alternating active and resting phases and, in most species, these rhythms follow a circadian pattern. the active and resting phases often are accompanied by corresponding physiological changes. in humans, blood pressure decreases during the resting phase of the activity cycle, and the magnitude of that "nocturnal dipping" has been used to stratify patients according to the risk for cardiovascular disease. however, in contrast to most mammals, prairie voles (microtus och ...201626780151
induced pluripotent stem cells with six reprogramming factors from prairie vole, which is an animal model for social behaviors.prairie voles show strong pair bonding with their mating partners, and they demonstrate parental behavior toward their infants, indicating that the prairie vole is a unique animal model for analysis of molecular mechanisms of social behavior. until a recent study, the signaling pathway of oxytocin was thought to be critical for the social behavior of prairie voles, but neuron-specific functional research may be necessary to identify the molecular mechanisms of social behavior. prairie vole pluri ...201626777120
ghrelin receptor (ghs-r1a) antagonism alters preference for ethanol and sucrose in a concentration-dependent manner in prairie voles.ghrelin receptor (ghs-r1a) activity has been implicated in reward for preferred foods and drugs; however, a recent study in our laboratory indicated that ghs-r1a antagonism reduces early (after only four exposures) preference for 20% ethanol, but not 10% sucrose in prairie voles, a genetically diverse high alcohol-consuming species. the purpose of the present study was to determine if these effects of ghs-r1a antagonism depend on the concentration of the rewarding solution being consumed. we fir ...201626723269
species differences in behavior and cell proliferation/survival in the adult brains of female meadow and prairie voles.microtine rodents display diverse patterns of social organization and behaviors, and thus provide a useful model for studying the effects of the social environment on physiology and behavior. the current study compared the species differences and the effects of oxytocin (ot) on anxiety-like, social affiliation, and social recognition behaviors in female meadow voles (microtus pennsylvanicus) and prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). furthermore, cell proliferation and survival in the brains of a ...201626708743
the neurobiology of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering.enduring social bonds play an essential role in human society. these bonds positively affect psychological, physiological, and behavioral functions. here, we review the recent literature on the neurobiology, particularly the role of oxytocin and dopamine, of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering effects on stress responses, from studies utilizing the socially monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster).201627290660
bold fmri in awake prairie voles: a platform for translational social and affective neuroscience.the advancement of neuroscience depends on continued improvement in methods and models. here, we present novel techniques for the use of awake functional magnetic resonance imaging (fmri) in the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) - an important step forward in minimally-invasive measurement of neural activity in a non-traditional animal model. imaging neural responses in prairie voles, a species studied for its propensity to form strong and selective social bonds, is expected to greatly advance ...201627238726
habitat fragmentation, vole population fluctuations, and the rompa hypothesis: an experimental test using model landscapes.increased habitat fragmentation leads to smaller size of habitat patches and to greater distance between patches. the rompa hypothesis (ratio of optimal to marginal patch area) uniquely links vole population fluctuations to the composition of the landscape. it states that as rompa decreases (fragmentation increases), vole population fluctuations will increase (including the tendency to display multi-annual cycles in abundance) because decreased proportions of optimal habitat result in greater po ...201627136035
the ties that bond: neurochemistry of attachment in voles.in socially monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), mating induces three primary types of behavior; namely, partner preference, selective aggression toward conspecific strangers, and bi-parental care, making this rodent an ideal model system to study sociality and underlying neurochemical mechanisms associated with monogamous mating strategies. here, we highlight species differences in neurochemical receptor distributions associated with mating experience leading to the establishment of ...201627131991
sex differences in microglial colonization and vulnerabilities to endocrine disruption in the social brain.during development, microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, play an important role in synaptic organization. microglial colonization of the developing brain is sexually dimorphic in some regions, including nuclei critical for the coordination of social behavior, suggesting steroid hormones have an influencing role, particularly estrogen. by extension, microglial colonization may be vulnerable to endocrine disruption. concerns have been raised regarding the potential for endocrine disr ...201627102938
male prairie voles with different avpr1a microsatellite lengths do not differ in courtship behaviour.females are generally expected to be selective when choosing their social and sexual partners. in a previous laboratory study, female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) showed significant social and sexual preferences for males with longer microsatellite dna within the avpr1a gene encoding the vasopressin 1a receptor, as predicted if females select mates whose parental behaviour should increase female reproductive success. we tested the hypothesis that males with short versus long avpr1a micro ...201627083501
trichostatin a (tsa) facilitates formation of partner preference in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).in the socially monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), the development of a social bonding is indicated by the formation of partner preference, which involves a variety of environmental and neurochemical factors and brain structures. in a most recent study in female prairie voles, we found that treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin a (tsa) facilitates the formation of partner preference through up-regulation of oxytocin receptor (otr) and vasopressin v1a recepto ...201627074037
prairie voles as a model to screen medications for the treatment of alcoholism and addictions.most preclinical studies of medications to treat addictions are performed in mice and rats. these two rodent species belong to one phylogenetic subfamily, which narrows the likelihood of identifying potential mechanisms regulating addictions in other species, ie, humans. expanding the genetic diversity of organisms modeling alcohol and drug abuse enhances our ability to screen for medications to treat addiction. recently, research laboratories adapted the prairie vole model to study mechanisms o ...201627055620
prairie vole pups show potentiated isolation-induced vocalizations following isolation from their mother, but not their father.vocalizations can be markers of emotional social communication. maternal potentiation was originally described as an increased rate of vocalization by isolated rat pups following an interaction with their mothers, but not with other social companions. here we asked if potentiation in prairie voles, a species with pair-bonding and bi-parental rearing, is parent-specific. we found that isolated, 8-11-day-old voles exhibited potentiation following reunions with the dam, but not the sire. these resp ...201626990108
a preference to bond? male prairie voles form pair bonds even in the presence of multiple receptive females.pair bonds are the cornerstone of a monogamous relationship. when individuals of the same species engage in monogamy and promiscuity (i.e. alternative reproductive tactics) it can be difficult to determine which tactic confers greater fitness, as measures of fitness can be difficult to ascertain. however, in these circumstances, whether animals preferentially establish pair bonds can reveal decisions that presumably reflect the animals' assessment of how to best maximize reproductive success. in ...201628579618
non-contact automatic respiration monitoring in restrained rodents.prairie voles are socially monogamous rodents that form social bonds similar to those seen in primates. social behavior investigation in these species, that include studying their breathing regulation, can provide us with an invaluable psychological model to understand social and emotional functions in both animals and humans. there have been several studies associated with the respiratory pattern of these species in the state of fear-induced defense. however, non-invasive measurement methods em ...201628269378
neuropeptide regulation of social attachment: the prairie vole model.social attachments are ubiquitous among humans and integral to human health. although great efforts have been made to elucidate the neural underpinnings regulating social attachments, we still know relatively little about the neuronal and neurochemical regulation of social attachments. as a laboratory animal research model, the socially monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) displays behaviors paralleling human social attachments and thus has provided unique insights into the neural regu ...201628135000
effects of acute corticosterone treatment on male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster): territorial aggression does not accompany induced social preference.corticosterone (cort) is a stress-related steroid hormone found in vertebrates, and is known to interact with behavior. in the socially monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster), acute stress and specifically acute cort administration have been shown to facilitate male social preference for a familiar female, and this effect has been described as facilitation of the monogamous pair bond. it is possible, however, that the effects of stress on social preference may initially represent a short ...201627841456
early experiences can alter the size of cortical fields in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).the neocortex of the prairie vole is composed of three well-defined sensory areas and one motor area: primary somatosensory, visual, auditory areas and the primary motor area respectively. the boundaries of these cortical areas are identifiable very early in development, and have been thought to resist alteration by all but the most extreme physical or genetic manipulations. here we assessed the extent to which the boundaries of sensory/motor cortical areas can be altered by exposing young prair ...201627818789
exploration in a dispersal task: effects of early experience and correlation with other behaviors in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).socially monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) display remarkable individual variation in social behaviors, which has been associated with differences in early life experience and neuropeptide receptor densities. these differences are also seen in the wild, where approximately 70% of young voles remain in their natal group as non-breeding alloparents, while the other 30% disperse. we investigated whether natural variation in early parental care could contribute to offspring's willingne ...201627720755
a single prolonged stress paradigm produces enduring impairments in social bonding in monogamous prairie voles.traumatic events such as natural disasters, violent crimes, tragic accidents, and war, can have devastating impacts on social relationships, including marital partnerships. we developed a single prolonged stress (sps) paradigm, which consisted of restraint, forced swimming, and ether anesthesia, to establish an animal model relevant to post-traumatic stress disorder. we applied a sps paradigm to a monogamous rodent, the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) in order to determine whether a traumati ...201627522019
empathy in prairie voles: is this the consolation prize?although it is well known that humans and great apes are capable of engaging in consolation, an affiliative behavior directed toward distressed individuals, it has largely been assumed that this form of empathy was restricted to species possessing more complex cognitive functions. recently, however, burkett and colleagues (science, 351, 375-378, 2016) have provided intriguing evidence that consolation behavior may be present in a socially monogamous rodent, the prairie vole. they also provide da ...201627443192
alcohol suppresses tonic gabaa receptor currents in cerebellar granule cells in the prairie vole: a neural signature of high-alcohol-consuming genotypes.evidence indicates that the cerebellum plays a role in genetic predilection to excessive alcohol (ethanol [etoh]) consumption in rodents and humans, but the molecular mechanisms mediating such predilection are not understood. we recently determined that etoh has opposite actions (enhancement or suppression) on tonic gabaa receptor (gabaa r) currents in cerebellar granule cells (gcs) in low- and high-etoh-consuming rodents, respectively, and proposed that variation in gc tonic gabaa r current res ...201627426857
methamphetamine consumption inhibits pair bonding and hypothalamic oxytocin in prairie voles.methamphetamine (ma) abuse has been linked to violence, risk-taking behaviors, decreased sexual inhibition, and criminal activity. it is important to understand mechanisms underlying these drug effects for prevention and treatment of ma-associated social problems. previous studies have demonstrated that experimenter-administered amphetamine inhibits pair bonding and increases aggression in monogamous prairie voles. it is not currently known whether similar effects on social behaviors would be ob ...201627380172
dopamine and opioid systems interact within the nucleus accumbens to maintain monogamous pair bonds.prairie vole breeder pairs form monogamous pair bonds, which are maintained through the expression of selective aggression toward novel conspecifics. here, we utilize behavioral and anatomical techniques to extend the current understanding of neural mechanisms that mediate pair bond maintenance. for both sexes, we show that pair bonding up-regulates mrna expression for genes encoding d1-like dopamine (da) receptors and dynorphin as well as enhances stimulated da release within the nucleus accumb ...201627371827
establishment of an immortalized cell line derived from the prairie vole via lentivirus-mediated transduction of mutant cyclin-dependent kinase 4, cyclin d, and telomerase reverse transcriptase.the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) shows social behaviors such as monogamy and parenting of infants with pair bonding. these social behaviors are specific to the prairie vole and have not been observed in other types of voles, such as mountain voles. although the prairie vole has several unique characteristics, an in vitro cell culture system has not been established for this species. furthermore, establishment of cultured cells derived from the prairie vole may be beneficial based on the t ...201626496927
distributions of oxytocin and vasopressin 1a receptors in the taiwan vole and their role in social monogamy.social monogamy is a mating strategy rarely employed by mammalian species. laboratory studies in socially monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) demonstrate that oxytocin and vasopressin act within the mesolimbic dopamine pathway to facilitate pair-bond formation. species differences in oxytocin receptor (otr) and vasopressin 1a receptor (v1ar) distribution in this pathway are associated with species differences in mating strategy. here we characterize the neuroanatomical distribution o ...201627453637
the first complete mitochondrial genome of the microtus ochrogaster.microtus ochrogaster, a small vole, found in central north america. recently the genome sequencing had been done, but no more information of its mitochondrial reported. herein, we first assembled the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of microtus ochrogaster. it is a 16 292 bp long sequence with most mitogenome's characteristic structure, 13 protein-coding genes, two of rrna genes, 22 of trna genes, one d-loop region, one repeat region, and three sts regions. the gc-content of our fresh sequ ...201626305486
the effect of males on the reproductive state of female microtus ochrogaster. 20164796345
accurate transposable element annotation is vital when analyzing new genome assemblies.transposable elements (tes) are mobile genetic elements with the ability to replicate themselves throughout the host genome. in some taxa tes reach copy numbers in hundreds of thousands and can occupy more than half of the genome. the increasing number of reference genomes from nonmodel species has begun to outpace efforts to identify and annotate te content and methods that are used vary significantly between projects. here, we demonstrate variation that arises in te annotations when less than ...201626802115
social isolation induces behavioral and neuroendocrine disturbances relevant to depression in female and male prairie voles.supportive social interactions may be protective against stressors and certain mental and physical illness, while social isolation may be a powerful stressor. prairie voles are socially monogamous rodents that model some of the behavioral and physiological traits displayed by humans, including sensitivity to social isolation. neuroendocrine and behavioral parameters, selected for their relevance to stress and depression, were measured in adult female and male prairie voles following 4 weeks of s ...201617825994
depression-like behavior and stressor-induced neuroendocrine activation in female prairie voles exposed to chronic social isolation.to assess whether the responses of prairie voles to social stressors play a mechanistic role in the behavioral and physiological changes associated with affective disorders such as depression, as suggested in previous studies. prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are socially monogamous rodents that share features of social behavior with humans; therefore, they may serve as useful models for examining social behavioral regulations and physiological responses related to depression. in this study, ...201617289829
effects of ambient temperature, diet quality, and food restriction on body composition dynamics of the prairie vole, microtus ochrogaster.we manipulated diet quality, food availability, and ambient temperature to investigate the role of these variables in fat deposition by growing prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) and fat use by adult voles. exposure to either 5 degrees c or a high-fiber diet reduced fat deposition by growing voles and also reduced growth as measured by body length. adult voles on the high-fiber diet reduced fat content, but exposure to 5 degrees c had no effect on body composition. both the high-fiber diet and ...20179634179
the neurobiological causes and effects of alloparenting.alloparenting, defined as care provided by individuals other than parents, is a universal behavior among humans that has shaped our evolutionary history and remains important in contemporary society. dysfunctions in alloparenting can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences for vulnerable infants and children. in spite of the importance of alloparenting, they still have much to learn regarding the underlying neurobiological systems governing its expression. here, they review how a lack of a ...201727804277
evolution of the clock and bmal1 genes in a subterranean rodent species (lasiopodomys mandarinus).lasiopodomys mandarinus, a subterranean rodent, spends its entire life underground. to test whether the clock and bmal1 genes of l. mandarinus have undergone adaptive evolution to underground darkness, we cloned and analyzed their complete cdna sequences, using lasiopodomys brandtii as a control. the phylogenetic trees of the clock and bmal1 genes were similar to the trees of the conserved cyt b gene，further, l. mandarinus clustered with l. brandtii and microtus ochrogaster in the phylogenetic t ...201729141193
intergenerational transmission of sociality: the role of parents in shaping social behavior in monogamous and non-monogamous species.social bonds are necessary for many mammals to survive and reproduce successfully. these bonds (i.e. pair-bonds, friendships, filial bonds) are characterized by different periods of development, longevity and strength. socially monogamous species display certain behaviors not seen in many other mammals, such as adult pair-bonding and male parenting. in our studies of prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) and titi monkeys (callicebus cupreus), we have examined the neurohormonal basis of these bond ...201728057834
effects of pair bonding on dopamine d1 receptors in monogamous male titi monkeys (callicebus cupreus).pair bonding leads to increases in dopamine d1 receptor (d1r) binding in the nucleus accumbens of monogamous prairie voles. in the current study, we hypothesized that there is similar up-regulation of d1r in a monogamous primate, the titi monkey (callicebus cupreus). receptor binding of the d1r antagonist [(11) c]-sch23390 was measured in male titi monkeys using pet scans before and after pairing with a female. we found that within-subject analyses of pairing show significant increases in d1r bi ...201727757971
the oxytocin-vasopressin pathway in the context of love and fear.vasopressin (vp) and oxytocin (ot) are distinct molecules; these peptides and their receptors [ot receptor (otr) and v1a receptor (v1ar)] also are evolved components of an integrated and adaptive system, here described as the ot-vp pathway. the more ancient peptide, vp, and the v1ars support individual survival and play a role in defensive behaviors, including mobilization and aggression. ot and otrs have been associated with positive social behaviors and may function as a biological metaphor fo ...201729312146
abandoned prairie vole mothers show normal maternal care but altered emotionality: potential influence of the brain corticotropin-releasing factor system.when fathers leave the family, mothers are at increased risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders. in biparental, socially monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), sudden bond disruption increases passive stress-coping, indicative of depressive-like behavior, and acts as chronic stressor in both males and females. however, the consequences of separation in lactating prairie vole mothers are unknown. in the present study, following 18 days of cohousing, half of the prairie vole ...201729288748
the role of oxytocin and vasopressin in attachment.selective relationships and attachments are central to human health and well-being, both in current societies and during the course of evolution. the presence or absence of social bonds has consequences across the lifespan. the neurobiology of attachment is grounded in neuroendocrine substrates that are shared with reproduction and survival. experimental studies of species, such as sheep or prairie voles, capable of showing selective social behaviors toward offspring or partners, have provided e ...201729244625
complex selection on a regulator of social cognition: evidence of balancing selection, regulatory interactions and population differentiation in the prairie vole avpr1a locus.adaptive variation in social behaviour depends upon standing genetic variation, but we know little about how evolutionary forces shape genetic diversity relevant to brain and behaviour. in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), variants at the avpr1a locus predict expression of the vasopressin 1a receptor in the retrosplenial cortex (rsc), a brain region that mediates spatial and contextual memory; cortical v1ar abundance in turn predicts diversity in space use and sexual fidelity in the field. t ...201729218792
alcohol's effects on pair-bond maintenance in male prairie voles.alcohol abuse can have devastating effects on social relationships. in particular, discrepant patterns of heavy alcohol consumption are associated with increased rates of separation and divorce. previous studies have attempted to model these effects of alcohol using socially monogamous prairie voles. these studies showed that alcohol consumption can inhibit the formation of pair bonds in this species. while these findings indicated that alcohol's effects on social attachments can involve biologi ...201729204125
the neuroendocrinology of love.romantic love could be considered as a collection of activities associated with the acquisition and retention of emotions needed to survive and reproduce. these emotions change the individual's behavioural strategies in a way that will increase the likelihood of achieving these goals. love may be defined as an emergent property of an ancient cocktail of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters. it appears that lust, attachment and attraction appear to be distinct but intertwined processes in the brai ...201727366726
oxytocin receptors modulate a social salience neural network in male prairie voles.social behavior is regulated by conserved neural networks across vertebrates. variation in the organization of neuropeptide systems across these networks is thought to contribute to individual and species diversity in network function during social contexts. for example, oxytocin (ot) is an ancient neuropeptide that binds to ot receptors (otrs) in the brain and modulates social and reproductive behavior across vertebrate species, including humans. central otrs exhibit extraordinarily diverse exp ...201727793769
trait-demography relationships underlying small mammal population fluctuations.large-scale fluctuations in abundance are a common feature of small mammal populations and have been the subject of extensive research. these demographic fluctuations are often associated with concurrent changes in the average body mass of individuals, sometimes referred to as the 'chitty effect'. despite the long-standing recognition of this phenomenon, an empirical investigation of the underlying coupled dynamics of body mass and population growth has been lacking. using long-term life-history ...201728000289
paternal deprivation affects social behaviors and neurochemical systems in the offspring of socially monogamous prairie voles.early life experiences, particularly the experience with parents, are crucial to phenotypic outcomes in both humans and animals. although the effects of maternal deprivation on offspring well-being have been studied, paternal deprivation (pd) has received little attention despite documented associations between father absence and children health problems in humans. in the present study, we utilized the socially monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster), which displays male-female pair bondi ...201727998780
localization of oxytocin receptors in the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) neocortex.early experience and social context interact to alter the phenotype of complex social behaviors. these early experiences can also result in alterations to cortical organization and connections. given the ability of the neuropeptide oxytocin (ot) to modulate social and reproductive behavior, ot is likely involved in these cortical processes. however, little is known about the distribution of ot and ot receptors (otr) within the neocortex. using autoradiographic and neuroanatomical techniques, we ...201728214580
dynamic corticostriatal activity biases social bonding in monogamous female prairie voles.adult pair bonding involves dramatic changes in the perception and valuation of another individual. one key change is that partners come to reliably activate the brain's reward system, although the precise neural mechanisms by which partners become rewarding during sociosexual interactions leading to a bond remain unclear. here we show, using a prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) model of social bonding, how a functional circuit from the medial prefrontal cortex to nucleus accumbens is dynamical ...201728562592
immortalized prairie vole-derived fibroblasts (vmf-k4dts) can be transformed into pluripotent stem cells and provide a useful tool with which to determine optimal reprogramming conditions.the cellular conditions required to establish induced pluripotent stem cells (ipscs), such as the number of reprogramming factors and/or promoter selection, differ among species. the establishment of ipscs derived from cells of previously unstudied species therefore requires the extensive optimization of programming conditions, including promoter selection and the optimal number of reprogramming factors, through a trial-and-error approach. while the four yamanaka factors oct3/4, sox2, klf4, and ...201728331164
methylation of avpr1a in the cortex of wild prairie voles: effects of cpg position and polymorphism.dna methylation can cause stable changes in neuronal gene expression, but we know little about its role in individual differences in the wild. in this study, we focus on the vasopressin 1a receptor (avpr1a), a gene extensively implicated in vertebrate social behaviour, and explore natural variation in dna methylation, genetic polymorphism and neuronal gene expression among 30 wild prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). examination of cpg density across 8 kb of the locus revealed two distinct cpg ...201728280564
the protective effects of social bonding on behavioral and pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity to chronic mild stress in prairie voles.positive social interactions may protect against stress. this study investigated the beneficial effects of pairing with a social partner on behaviors and neuroendocrine function in response to chronic mild stress (cms) in 13 prairie vole pairs. following 5 days of social bonding, male and female prairie voles were exposed to 10 days of cms (mild, unpredictable stressors of varying durations, for instance, strobe light, white noise, and damp bedding), housed with either the social partner (paired ...201728276805
cardiovascular control is associated with pair-bond success in male prairie voles.social support structures reduce mortality and morbidity in humans, but the mechanisms underlying these reductions are not fully understood. the prevailing hypothesis is that social support buffers stress and reduces allostatic load, thereby increasing longevity. however, the possibility that affiliative social interactions confer health benefits independent of stress buffering is understudied. we examined autonomic function in prairie voles - arguably the premier species for modeling human soci ...201729108934
individual differences in social behavior and cortical vasopressin receptor: genetics, epigenetics, and evolution.social behavior is among the most complex and variable of traits. despite its diversity, we know little about how genetic and developmental factors interact to shape natural variation in social behavior. this review surveys recent work on individual differences in the expression of the vasopressin 1a receptor (v1ar), a major regulator of social behavior, in the neocortex of the socially monogamous prairie vole. v1ar exhibits profound variation in the retrosplenial cortex (rsc), a region critical ...201729085274
vasopressinergic neurocircuitry regulating social attachment in a monogamous species.the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) is a socially monogamous rodent species that forms a lasting connection between mates, known as a pair bond. the pair bond is primarily characterized by three distinct behaviors: partner preference, selective aggression, and biparental care of the young. the presence of these behaviors in the prairie vole and their absence in closely related non-monogamous species makes the prairie vole an important model of social relationships and facilitates the study o ...201729075234
opinion: "heart rate variability, health and well-being: a systems perspective" research topic. 201728993803
pairing increases activation of v1ar, but not otr, in auditory regions of zebra finches: the importance of signal modality in nonapeptide-social behavior relationships.social relationships are complex, involving the production and comprehension of signals, individual recognition, and close coordination of behavior between two or more individuals. the nonapeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are widely believed to regulate social relationships. these findings come largely from prairie voles, in which nonapeptide receptors in olfactory neural circuits drive pair bonding. this research is assumed to apply to all species. previous reviews have offered two competing h ...201728992311
oxytocin neurons exhibit extensive functional plasticity due to offspring age in mothers and fathers.the needs of offspring change as they develop. thus, parents should concomitantly change their investment based on the age-related needs of the offspring as they mature. due to the high costs of parental care, it is optimal for parents to exhibit a shift from intense caregiving of young offspring to promoting independence in older offspring. yet, the neural mechanisms that underlie shifts in parental behavior are poorly understood, and little is known about how the parental brain responds to off ...201728957529
titi monkeys as a novel non-human primate model for the neurobiology of pair bonding
.it is now widely recognized that social bonds are critical to human health and well-being. one of the most important social bonds is the attachment relationship between two adults, known as the pair bond. the pair bond involves many characteristics that are inextricably linked to quality of health, including providing a secure psychological base and acting as a social buffer against stress. the majority of our knowledge about the neurobiology of pair bonding comes from studies of a socially mono ...201728955178
effects of methamphetamine on alloparental behavior in male and female prairie voles.psychostimulant abuse is associated with a variety of impairments in social functioning, including an increased frequency of depression and aggression and deficits in social cognition. psychostimulants reduce social investigation in rats and mice; however, it is less clear how other forms of social behavior (e.g., prosocial behavior) are affected. females are also generally more sensitive to the effects of psychostimulants on locomotion and stereotyped behavior, which suggests that females might ...201728917948
differences in neural response to romantic stimuli in monogamous and non-monogamous men.in non-human animal research, studies comparing socially monogamous and promiscuous species of voles (microtus) have identified some key neural differences related to monogamy and non-monogamy. specifically, densities of the vasopressin v1a receptor and dopamine d2 receptors in subcortical reward-related and limbic areas of the brain have been linked to monogamous behavior in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). similar brain areas have been shown to be correlated with feelings of romantic love ...201728905269
effects of pair bonding on parental behavior and dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens in male prairie voles.male parental care is a vital behavior for the development as well as the physical and mental well-being of the young. however, little is known about the neurochemical regulation of male parental behavior, mainly due to the lack of appropriate animal models. in this study, we used the socially monogamous male prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) to investigate the effect of pair-bonding experience on paternal behavior and dopamine (da) signaling in the nucleus accumbens (nacc) in the brain. we co ...201728858415
development of a radioligand for imaging v1a vasopressin receptors with pet.a series of vasopressin receptor v1a ligands have been synthesized for positron emission tomography (pet) imaging. the lead compound (1s,5r)-1 ((4-(1h-indol-3-yl)-3-methoxyphenyl) ((1s,5r)-1,3,3-trimethyl-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-6-yl)methanone) and its f-ethyl analog 6c exhibited the best combination of high binding affinity and optimal lipophilicity within the series. (1s,5r)-1 was radiolabeled with 11c for pet studies. [11ch3](1s,5r)-1 readily entered the mouse (4.7% id/g tissue) and prairie ...201728843869
cryptic sexual dimorphism in spatial memory and hippocampal oxytocin receptors in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).sex differences are well documented and are conventionally associated with intense sex-specific selection. for example, spatial memory is frequently better in males, presumably due to males' tendency to navigate large spaces to find mates. alternatively, monogamy (in which sex-specific selection is relatively relaxed) should diminish or eliminate differences in spatial ability and the mechanisms associated with this behavior. nevertheless, phenotypic differences between monogamous males and fema ...201728818500
oxytocin and social relationships: from attachment to bond disruption.social relationships throughout life are vital for well-being and physical and mental health. a significant amount of research in animal models as well as in humans suggests that oxytocin (ot) plays an important role in the development of the capacity to form social bonds, the mediation of the positive aspects of early-life nurturing on adult bonding capacity, and the maintenance of social bonding. here, we focus on the extensive research on a socially monogamous rodent model organism, the prair ...201728812266
voluntary physical exercise protects against behavioral and endocrine reactivity to social and environmental stressors in the prairie vole.physical activity can combat detrimental effects of stress. the current study examined the potential protective effects of exercise against a combination of social isolation and chronic mild stress (cms) in a prairie vole model. female voles were isolated for 4 weeks, with the addition of cms during the final 2 weeks. half of the voles were allowed access to a running wheel during this final 2 weeks, while the other half remained sedentary. animals underwent behavioral tests to assess depressive ...201728786739
navigating monogamy: nonapeptide sensitivity in a memory neural circuit may shape social behavior and mating decisions.the role of memory in mating systems is often neglected despite the fact that most mating systems are defined in part by how animals use space. monogamy, for example, is usually characterized by affiliative (e.g., pairbonding) and defensive (e.g., mate guarding) behaviors, but a high degree of spatial overlap in home range use is the easiest defining feature of monogamous animals in the wild. the nonapeptides vasopressin and oxytocin have been the focus of much attention for their importance in ...201728744194
oxytocin reduces alcohol consumption in prairie voles.alcohol use disorder (aud) negatively affects millions of people every year in the united states, and effective treatments for aud are still needed. the neuropeptide oxytocin has shown promise for reducing alcohol drinking in mice and rats. because oxytocin also plays a key role in complex prosocial behaviors like bonding and attachment, we tested the effect of oxytocin on alcohol drinking in prairie voles, a species that both consumes high amounts of alcohol and forms oxytocin dependent social ...201728716609
early intranasal vasopressin administration impairs partner preference in adult male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster).research supports a modulatory role for arginine vasopressin (avp) in the expression of socially motivated behaviors in mammals. the acute effects of avp administration are demonstrably pro-social across species, providing the justification for an ever-increasing measure of clinical interest over the last decade. combining these results with non-invasive intranasal delivery results in an attractive system for offering intranasal avp (in-avp) as a therapeutic for the social impairments of childre ...201728701997
alcohol consumption decreases oxytocin neurons in the anterior paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in prairie voles.alcohol use disorders are associated with dysfunctional social relationships and stress responses. the neuropeptides oxytocin (ot) and vasopressin (avp) are known to orchestrate or mediate many aspects of social behavior, stress responses, and ingestive behaviors. because of the overlap between the effects of alcohol and the roles of ot and avp, we sought to determine whether alcohol consumption altered expression of ot and avp in the paraventricular nucleus (pvn) of the hypothalamus, one of the ...201728617958
neurochemical mediation of affiliation and aggression associated with pair-bonding.the neuropeptides vasopressin and corticotropin-releasing factor facilitate, while serotonin inhibits, aggression. how the brain is wired to coordinate interactions between these functionally opposed neurotransmitters to control behavioral states is poorly understood.201727129413
the integration of depressive behaviors and cardiac dysfunction during an operational measure of depression: investigating the role of negative social experiences in an animal model.there is a bidirectional association between depression and cardiovascular disease. the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this association may involve an inability to cope with disrupted social bonds. this study investigated in an animal model the integration of depressive behaviors and cardiac dysfunction after a disrupted social bond and during an operational measure of depression, relative to the protective effects of intact social bonds.201722753634
does paedomorphosis contribute to prairie vole monogamy?we examined skull morphology in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) and meadow voles (m. pennsylvanicus), two closely related species with fundamentally different mating systems, to test the hypothesis that paedomorphosis contributes to the evolution of monogamous mating systems. using several skull measurements, we found that the overall length:width ratio of meadow vole skulls was greater than that of prairie voles suggesting that meadow vole have longer narrower skulls. we then examined whic ...201726594100
physical separation from the mate diminishes male's attentiveness towards other females: a study in monogamous prairie voles microtus ochrogaster.we tested whether continuous cohabitation in monogamous voles affects the mated male's attentiveness to his breeding partner versus another female. each male was housed in a 3-chamber apparatus with a focal female (ff) and a control female (cf) for 13 days then placed in a t-maze to assess his attentiveness to and memory of those females. the distal male remained physically separated from both females, but received their distal cues. the separate male cohabited with the ff for 3 days then remain ...201729492013
prenatal stress as a risk-and an opportunity-factor.two separate lines of research indicate (a) that prenatal stress is associated with heightened behavioral and physiological reactivity and (b) that these postnatal phenotypes are associated with increased susceptibility to both positive and negative developmental experiences. therefore, prenatal stress may increase sensitivity to the rearing environment. we tested this hypothesis by manipulating prenatal stress and rearing-environment quality, using a cross-fostering paradigm, in prairie voles. ...201829412055
mechanistic substrates of a life history transition in male prairie voles: developmental plasticity in affiliation and aggression corresponds to nonapeptide neuronal function.although prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) social behavior is well-characterized in adults, surprisingly little is known about the development of social behavior in voles. further, the overwhelming majority of studies in prairie voles examine social behavior in a reproductive context. here, we examine developmental plasticity in affiliation and aggression and their underlying neural correlates. using sexually naïve males, we characterized interactions with an age-matched, novel, same-sex consp ...201829407458
age-specific and context-specific responses of the medial extended amygdala in the developing prairie vole.the social needs of organisms change as they mature. yet, little is known about the mechanisms that subserve processing social interactions or how these systems develop. the medial extended amygdala (meea) is comprised of the medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (bstm) and the medial amygdala (mea). this neural complex holds great promise for understanding how the social brain processes information. we assessed expression of the immediate early gene cfos and the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase ...201830354021
postnatal maturation of the intestinal epithelial barrier in prairie voles.intestinal epithelium develops during gestation and continues to mature post-natally into a selective barrier that will protect the individual while still allowing passage of nutrients. until fully mature, the risk of translocation of microorganisms, toxins or antigens into the sub-epithelial tissue is high and could result in pathologies with life-altering consequences, or even premature death. because of their monogamous mating system, prairie voles are an emerging model for studying the role ...201830309507
the neural mechanisms and circuitry of the pair bond.love is one of our most powerful emotions, inspiring some of the greatest art, literature and conquests of human history. although aspects of love are surely unique to our species, human romantic relationships are displays of a mating system characterized by pair bonding, likely built on ancient foundational neural mechanisms governing individual recognition, social reward, territorial behaviour and maternal nurturing. studies in monogamous prairie voles and mice have revealed precise neural mec ...201830301953
cardiac and behavioral effects of social isolation and experimental manipulation of autonomic balance.improved understanding of how depression and social isolation interact to increase cardiac morbidity and mortality will improve public health. this experiment evaluated the effect of pharmacological autonomic blockade on cardiac and behavioral reactivity following social isolation in prairie voles. experiment 1 validated the dose and time course of pharmacological autonomic antagonism of peripheral β-adrenergic (atenolol) and muscarinic cholinergic receptors (atropine methyl nitrate), and experi ...201830177218
relationship between sequence homology, genome architecture, and meiotic behavior of the sex chromosomes in north american voles.in most mammals, the x and y chromosomes synapse and recombine along a conserved region of homology known as the pseudoautosomal region (par). these homology-driven interactions are required for meiotic progression and are essential for male fertility. although the par fulfills key meiotic functions in most mammals, several exceptional species lack par-mediated sex chromosome associations at meiosis. here, we leveraged the natural variation in meiotic sex chromosome programs present in north ame ...201830002081
interactions of sex and early life social experiences at two developmental stages shape nonapeptide receptor profiles.early life social experiences are critical to behavioral and cognitive development, and can have a tremendous influence on developing social phenotypes. most work has focused on outcomes of experiences at a single stage of development (e.g. perinatal or post-weaning). few studies have assessed the impact of social experience at multiple developmental stages and across sex. oxytocin and vasopressin are profoundly important for modulating social behavior and these nonapeptide systems are highly se ...201829851289
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