| modulation of corticotropin-releasing hormone type 2 receptor and urocortin 1 and urocortin 2 mrna expression in the cardiovascular system of prairie voles following acute or chronic stress. | the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of an acute stressor (restraint) versus a chronic stressor (social isolation) on the expression of mrnas for corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor type 2 (crh-r2) and urocortin 1 (ucn 1) and urocortin 2 (ucn 2) in the cardiovascular system of socially monogamous prairie voles of both sexes. acute restraint for 1 h was followed by a marked increase in plasma corticosterone, and when the animals were re-paired for 1 day, the increment of cort ... | 2007 | 17551267 |
| anogenital distance predicts female choice and male potency in prairie voles. | anogenital distance (agd) in rodents is a useful indicator of masculinization or feminization due to prenatal hormonal effects. if such cues convey useful information about both 'maleness' and more importantly mate quality, then females may select males based on this cue or other cues related to it. we tested this hypothesis by asking if female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) preferred males with relatively longer agds and if agd correlated with fitness enhancing characteristics such as spe ... | 2007 | 17537467 |
| early experience affects the traits of monogamy in a sexually dimorphic manner. | the goal of this study was to examine the effects of early life experiences on the subsequent expression of traits characteristic of social monogamy in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). during cage changes parents and their offspring were either transferred between cages in a cup (zero manipulation, man0) or with a gloved hand (one manipulation, man1). following weaning the offspring were tested for alloparental behavior. in adulthood they were tested for the capacity to form partner prefere ... | 2007 | 17455224 |
| anterior hypothalamic neural activation and neurochemical associations with aggression in pair-bonded male prairie voles. | male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) display mating-induced pair bonding indicated by social affiliation with their female partners and aggression toward unfamiliar conspecifics. in the present study, we characterized their aggression associated with pair bonding and examined the related neuronal activation and neurochemical architecture. males that were pair-bonded for 2 weeks displayed intense levels of aggression toward a female or male conspecific stranger but maintained a high level of ... | 2007 | 17444499 |
| vole disturbances and plant diversity in a grassland metacommunity. | we studied the disturbance associated with prairie vole burrows and its effects on grassland plant diversity at the patch (1 m(2)) and metacommunity (>5 ha) scales. we expected vole burrows to increase patch-scale plant species diversity by locally reducing competition for resources or creating niche opportunities that increase the presence of fugitive species. at the metacommunity scale, we expected burrows to increase resource heterogeneity and have a community composition distinct from the ma ... | 2007 | 17440750 |
| amphetamine reward in the monogamous prairie vole. | recent studies have shown that the neural regulation of pair bonding in the monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) is similar to that of drug seeking in more traditional laboratory rodents. therefore, strong interactions between social behavior and drug reward can be expected. here, we established the prairie vole as a model for drug studies by demonstrating robust amphetamine-induced conditioned place preferences in this species. for both males and females, the effects of amphetamine we ... | 2007 | 17400384 |
| organization of sensory neocortex in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | in the current investigation, the functional organization of visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex was examined in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) by using electrophysiological recording techniques. functional boundaries of cortical fields were directly related to myeloarchitectonic boundaries. our results demonstrated that most of the neocortex is occupied by the visual, auditory, and somatosensory areas. specifically, a small area 17, or primary visual area (v1), was located on the c ... | 2007 | 17366609 |
| mercury and methylmercury accumulation and excretion in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) receiving chronic doses of methylmercury. | methylmercury cation (mehg) and divalent mercury (hg++) accumulation in liver, kidney, and brain were quantified in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) at 0, 3, 6, and 12 weeks during chronic exposure to aqueous mehg. dose groups received deionized water or aqueous solutions containing 9, 103, or 920 ng mehg/ml. our study presents temporal patterns of hg++ and mehg concentrations in organ tissues and makes inter-tissue comparisons at each time point to illustrate the accumulation and distributi ... | 2007 | 17364240 |
| 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, ... | 2016 | 17289829 |
| cadmium accumulation in deer tongue grass (panicum clandestinum l.) and potential for trophic transfer to microtine rodents. | site 36 at the crab orchard national wildlife refuge includes a cd-contaminated soil dominated by deer tongue grass (panicum clandestinum l.). analysis of deer tongue grass from this site indicated that biomass and leaf surface area were reduced and that there was a linear relationship between both plant bioavailable soil cd and total soil zn and tissue cd concentration. the cd concentrations in stems and leaves were also used to estimate the dietary cd exposures that might be experienced by pra ... | 2007 | 17258848 |
| role of pregnancy and parturition in induction of maternal behavior in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), most virgin females are infanticidal. to determine the onset of maternal responsiveness, female prairie voles were tested for maternal behavior as virgins and at different times throughout pregnancy. female voles that were infanticidal as virgins by and large remained infanticidal throughout pregnancy. in contrast, about 30% of voles that were maternal as virgins became infanticidal during pregnancy. to test whether events associated with parturition faci ... | 2007 | 17174957 |
| oxytocin selectively increases eralpha mrna in the neonatal hypothalamus and hippocampus of female prairie voles. | during neonatal development exogenous oxytocin increases eralpha immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus of female prairie voles. the purpose of this study was to determine if the increase in eralpha is associated with an increase in eralpha mrna expression and to determine if the effect is specific to er subtype or if oxytocin also influences erbeta mrna expression. on the day of birth female prairie vole pups were treated with oxytocin, an oxytocin antagonist, or saline. brains were collected and ... | 2007 | 17107710 |
| cardiac regulation in the socially monogamous prairie vole. | social experiences, both positive and negative, may influence cardiovascular regulation. prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are socially monogamous rodents that form social bonds similar to those seen in primates, and this species may provide a useful model for investigating neural and social regulation of cardiac function. cardiac regulation has not been studied previously in the prairie vole. radiotelemetry transmitters were implanted into adult female prairie voles under anesthesia, and ele ... | 2007 | 17107695 |
| neonatal oxytocin manipulations have long-lasting, sexually dimorphic effects on vasopressin receptors. | developmental exposure to oxytocin (ot) or oxytocin antagonists (otas) has been shown to cause long-lasting and often sexually dimorphic effects on social behaviors in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). because regulation of social behavior in monogamous mammals involves central receptors for ot, arginine vasopressin (avp), and dopamine, we examined the hypothesis that the long-lasting, developmental effects of exposure to neonatal ot or ota might reflect changes in the expression of receptor ... | 2007 | 17055176 |
| social environment regulates corticotropin releasing factor, corticosterone and vasopressin in juvenile prairie voles. | stressful social conditions, such as isolation, that occur during sensitive developmental periods may alter present and future social behavior. changes in the neuroendocrine mechanisms closely associated with affiliative behaviors and stress reactivity are likely to underlie these changes in behavior. in the present study, we assessed the effects of post-weaning social housing conditions on the neuropeptides arginine vasopressin (avp) and oxytocin (ot), and components of the hypothalamic-pituita ... | 2007 | 17007856 |
| parental regulation of central patterns of estrogen receptor alpha. | reduced levels of estrogen receptor alpha (eralpha) in the medial amygdala (mea) and bed nucleus of stria terminalis (bst) have been hypothesized to play a significant role in the expression of male behaviors associated with monogamy. therefore, the regulation of eralpha could be a critical factor in determining male behavior and the evolution of monogamy. central expression of eralpha immunoreactivity was compared in hybrid offspring from crosses between two phenotypically distinct populations ... | 2006 | 16876954 |
| bioavailability of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (rdx) to the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster). | concerns have been raised over potential bioavailability and biotransfer of energetic materials such as hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (rdx). the present study assessed plant-incorporated [14c]rdx and plant-derived [14c]rdx-metabolite ingestion by the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster). the animals were fed labeled chow (maximum, < or =10 g/d) for 5 or 7 d, followed by a 6- or 4-d chase period. more than 95% of all label presented was recovered in the summed excreta, with 74% of this i ... | 2006 | 16833151 |
| oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens facilitate "spontaneous" maternal behavior in adult female prairie voles. | oxytocin and the nucleus accumbens have been extensively implicated in the regulation of maternal behavior, and the processing of pup-related stimuli relevant for this behavior. oxytocin receptor density in the nucleus accumbens is highly variable in virgin female prairie voles, as is their behavioral response to pups, ranging from neglecting and infanticidal to full maternal behavior. we hypothesized that oxytocin receptor in the nucleus accumbens facilitates the expression of "spontaneous" mat ... | 2006 | 16725274 |
| vasopressin and pair-bond formation: genes to brain to behavior. | microtine rodents provide an excellent model for the study of the neurobiology of social bonds. in this review, we discuss how the presence of a microsatellite sequence in the prairie vole vasopressin receptor gene may determine vasopressin receptor binding patterns in the brain and how these patterns may in turn affect social behavior. | 2006 | 16565480 |
| effects of stress on parental care are sexually dimorphic in prairie voles. | the effects of stress on parental care are poorly understood, especially in biparental species where males also display care. data from previous studies in prairie voles, as well as parallels with pair-bonding behavior, suggest the hypothesis that a stressful experience might facilitate parental care in males but not in females. in the present study, male and female prairie voles were exposed to either a 3-min swim stressor or no stressor; 45 min later each animal was tested in a parental care p ... | 2006 | 16360186 |
| nucleus accumbens dopamine differentially mediates the formation and maintenance of monogamous pair bonds. | the involvement of dopamine within the nucleus accumbens in the formation and maintenance of pair bonds was assessed in a series of experiments using the monogamous prairie vole. we show that dopamine transmission that promotes pair bond formation occurs within the rostral shell of the nucleus accumbens, but not in its core or caudal shell. within this specific brain region, d1- and d2-like receptor activation produced opposite effects: d1-like activation prevented pair bond formation, whereas d ... | 2006 | 16327783 |
| neonatal manipulation of oxytocin affects expression of estrogen receptor alpha. | in adult females many of the effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin are steroid, and especially estrogen dependent. here we demonstrate for the first time that neonatal manipulation of oxytocin can affect the expression of estrogen receptor alpha. on the first day of postnatal life male and female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) were randomly assigned to receive one of four treatments; (a) 50 microl i.p. injection of 3 microg oxytocin (approximately 1 microg/g), (b) 0.3 microg of an oxytocin ... | 2006 | 16257490 |
| ventral tegmental area involvement in pair bonding in male prairie voles. | dopamine is known to play a critical role in social attachment in monogamous voles. however, little is known about the neurochemical regulation of central dopamine release during pair bond formation. here we examine the effects on partner preference formation in male prairie voles of neurochemical manipulations in the ventral tegmental area (vta), a major source of dopamine to brain regions implicated in pair bonding. administration of nbqx, an ampa receptor antagonist, or bicuculline, a gaba re ... | 2005 | 16165168 |
| variability in "spontaneous" maternal behavior is associated with anxiety-like behavior and affiliation in naïve juvenile and adult female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | juvenile female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are spontaneously maternal, while virgin adult females show significant variability in their response to first pup exposure, ranging from infanticidal to full maternal behavior. in the present study, we investigated whether differences in anxiety-like behavior and affiliation are associated with juvenile-adult and adult individual differences in the response to pups. forty juvenile (19-20 days) and 42 adult (60-90 days) female prairie voles we ... | 2005 | 16136562 |
| species differences in anxiety-related responses in male prairie and meadow voles: the effects of social isolation. | prairie (microtus ochrogaster) and meadow voles (m. pennsylvanicus) are closely related species that differ in life strategy and social behaviors, and thus provide an excellent comparative model for the study of neuronal and hormonal mechanisms underlying behavior. in the present study using the elevated plus maze (epm) test, we found that male prairie voles entered the open arms of the epm more and remained there longer, and showed a higher level of overall locomotor activity than did male mead ... | 2005 | 16115657 |
| developmental effects of oxytocin on neural activation and neuropeptide release in response to social stimuli. | previous studies have revealed that the neuropeptide hormone oxytocin (ot) has developmental effects on subsequent social behavior and on mechanisms underlying social behavior such as ot neurons and estrogen receptor alpha. this suggests that ot might also have developmental effects on neural responses to social stimuli. this was tested in socially monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) by manipulating ot on the first day of life and then assessing the response to a heterosexual pairing ... | 2006 | 16112115 |
| association of vasopressin 1a receptor levels with a regulatory microsatellite and behavior. | vasopressin regulates complex behaviors such as anxiety, parenting, social engagement and attachment and aggression in a species-specific manner. the capacity of vasopressin to modulate these behaviors is thought to depend on the species-specific distribution patterns of vasopressin 1a receptors (v1ars) in the brain. there is considerable individual variation in the pattern of v1ar binding in the brains of the prairie vole species, microtus ochrogaster. we hypothesize that this individual variab ... | 2005 | 16011575 |
| estrogen regulation of cell proliferation and distribution of estrogen receptor-alpha in the brains of adult female prairie and meadow voles. | adult female prairie (microtus ochrogaster) and meadow (m. pennsylvanicus) voles were compared to examine neural cell proliferation and the effects of estrogen manipulation on cell proliferation in the amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamus (vmh), and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (dg). unlike prior studies, our study focused on the amygdala and vmh, because they are involved in social behaviors and may underlie behavioral differences between the species. meadow voles had a higher density of cel ... | 2005 | 15984004 |
| glucocorticoid receptor involvement in pair bonding in female prairie voles: the effects of acute blockade and interactions with central dopamine reward systems. | induction of partner preferences in monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) was used to examine the possibility that blockade of glucocorticoid receptors may be rewarding in females of this species. we first examined the ability of either a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (spironolactone) or a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (ru-486) to induce partner preferences in females. peripheral administration of either of the antagonists was capable of inducing partner preferences, altho ... | 2005 | 15961248 |
| microsatellite instability generates diversity in brain and sociobehavioral traits. | repetitive microsatellites mutate at relatively high rates and may contribute to the rapid evolution of species-typical traits. we show that individual alleles of a repetitive polymorphic microsatellite in the 5' region of the prairie vole vasopressin 1a receptor (avpr1a) gene modify gene expression in vitro. in vivo, we observe that this regulatory polymorphism predicts both individual differences in receptor distribution patterns and socio-behavioral traits. these data suggest that individual ... | 2005 | 15947188 |
| species differences in brain distribution of cart mrna and cart peptide between prairie and meadow voles. | reward mechanisms are involved in pair bond formation in monogamous prairie voles. given the potential role of cart (cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript) in reward, and its possible role as a third neurohypophysial hormone, we examined the brain distribution of cart mrna and peptide in monogamous prairie voles compared to congener promiscuous meadow voles. large species differences in cart mrna distribution were apparent in the nucleus accumbens, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hi ... | 2005 | 15919059 |
| neonatal manipulation of oxytocin influences female reproductive behavior and success. | during early neonatal development, oxytocin (ot) may influence the expression of adult behavior and physiology. here we test the prediction that early postnatal exposure to ot or an oxytocin antagonist (ota) can affect the subsequent expression of sexual receptivity and reproductive success of females. to test this hypothesis, female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) received one of four treatments within 24 h of birth. three groups received an intraperitoneal injection of ot, ota, or isotoni ... | 2005 | 15579262 |
| neurochemical regulation of pair bonding in male prairie voles. | pair bonding represents social attachment between mates and is common among monogamous animals. the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) is a monogamous rodent in which mating facilitates pair bond formation. in this review, we first discuss how prairie voles have been used as an excellent model for neurobiological studies of pair bonding. we then primarily focus on male prairie voles to summarize recent findings from neuroanatomical, neurochemical, cellular, molecular, and behavioral studies imp ... | 2004 | 15488548 |
| intraspecific variation in estrogen receptor alpha and the expression of male sociosexual behavior in two populations of prairie voles. | estrogen (e) regulates a variety of male sociosexual behaviors. we hypothesize that there is a relationship between the distribution of estrogen receptor alpha (eralpha) and the degree of male social behavior. to test this hypothesis, eralpha immunoreactivity (ir) was compared in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) from illinois (il), which are highly social, and kansas (kn), which are less social. the expression of androgen receptors (ar) in males also was compared between populations. the exp ... | 2004 | 15246861 |
| pair bonding and "the widow effect" in female prairie voles. | we conducted field and laboratory experiments with the well-studied monogamous prairie vole, microtus ochrogaster, to distinguish among three hypotheses for the failure of females that lose their mates to bond with a new male ("the widow effect"). the reproductive value hypothesis predicts that males prefer young to older females because they potentially have a longer reproductive lifespan. the mate rejection hypothesis predicts that females will prevent repairing by aggressively deterring males ... | 2004 | 15182925 |
| sexual dimorphism and the nmda receptor in alloparental behavior in juvenile prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) exhibits parental behavior in both males and females and extensive alloparenting in juveniles. the authors studied the effects on juvenile alloparenting of antagonists for the pcp, glycine, and glutamate sites on the n-methyl-d-aspartate (nmda) receptor. in male voles, all 3 drugs had an inverted-u dose-response curve. this change could not be attributed to fear of the pup or a nonspecific impairment of cognition, level of locomotor activity, or motor coor ... | 2004 | 15174936 |
| effects of neonatal oxytocin manipulations on male reproductive potential in prairie voles. | oxytocin (ot) modulates adult mammalian sexual behavior, sperm production and transport, and steroidogenesis; however, the consequences of developmental manipulations of oxytocin have received little attention. the purpose of this experiment was to determine whether neonatal exposure to ot, an oxytocin antagonist (ota), saline (sal), or handling (han)-only would have long-term effects on reproductive potential in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). adult males were observed for 24 h with ... | 2004 | 15135025 |
| individual-based spatially-explicit model of an herbivore and its resource: the effect of habitat reduction and fragmentation. | we present an individual-based, spatially-explicit model of the dynamics of a small mammal and its resource. the life histories of each individual animal are modeled separately. the individuals can have the status of residents or wanderers and belong to behaviorally differing groups of juveniles or adults and males or females. their territory defending and monogamous behavior is taken into consideration. the resource, green vegetation, grows depending on seasonal climatic characteristics and is ... | 2004 | 15127897 |
| neonatal manipulations of oxytocin alter expression of oxytocin and vasopressin immunoreactive cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in a gender-specific manner. | early postnatal manipulations of oxytocin have long-term behavioral and physiological consequences; the present study examined the hypothesis that oxytocin or its absence influences the subsequent expression of either oxytocin or arginine vasopressin in the cns. on postnatal day 1 female and male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) received a single i.p. injection of oxytocin (3 microg), oxytocin antagonist (0.3 microg), or 50 microl of isotonic saline or were only handled. on postnatal days 1, ... | 2004 | 15120854 |
| both oxytocin and vasopressin may influence alloparental behavior in male prairie voles. | neuropeptides, especially oxytocin (ot) and arginine vasopressin (avp), have been implicated in several features of monogamy including alloparenting. the purpose of the present study was to examine the role of ot and avp in alloparental behavior in reproductively naïve male prairie voles. males received intracerebroventricular (icv) injections of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (acsf), ot, an ot receptor antagonist (ota), avp, an avp receptor antagonist (avpa), or combinations of ota and avpa and ... | 2004 | 15109910 |
| the role of vasopressin in the genetic and neural regulation of monogamy. | arginine vasopressin modulates pairbond formation in the monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster). our laboratory has investigated the genetic and neural mechanisms by which vasopressin and its v1a receptor (v1ar) regulate social attachment between mates. non-monogamous vole species show strikingly different distribution patterns of brain v1ar expression compared to monogamous species, and these patterns are thought to arise from species differences in the respective promoter sequences of ... | 2004 | 15089970 |
| vasopressin-dependent neural circuits underlying pair bond formation in the monogamous prairie vole. | arginine vasopressin and its v1a receptor subtype (v1ar) are critical for pair bond formation between adult prairie voles. however, it is unclear which brain circuits are involved in this vasopressin-mediated facilitation of pair bond formation. here, we examined mating-induced fos expression in several brain regions involved in sociosexual and reward circuitry in male prairie voles. consistent with studies in other species, fos expression was induced in several regions known to be involved in s ... | 2004 | 15051143 |
| sex differences and developmental effects of manipulations of oxytocin on alloparenting and anxiety in prairie voles. | in adult animals, peptide hormones, including oxytocin and arginine vasopressin, have been implicated in both parental behavior and the modulation of anxiety. the purpose of this study was to examine the consequences of developmental manipulations of oxytocin for the later expression of alloparental behavior as well as behavioral responses to a novel environment, the elevated plus maze (epm). prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), a cooperatively breeding species, were selected for this study. on ... | 2004 | 14994263 |
| ventral striatopallidal oxytocin and vasopressin v1a receptors in the monogamous prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster). | oxytocin receptors (otr) and vasopressin v1a receptors (v1ar) in the ventral forebrain play critical roles in the formation of pair bonds in the monogamous prairie vole. previous reports have been inconsistent in the identification of the specific brain regions in the ventral forebrain that express these receptors. to delineate more clearly the neuroanatomical boundaries of the otr and v1ar fields in this species, we compared otr and v1ar binding in adjacent brain sections and also with markers ... | 2004 | 14689486 |
| the effects of neonatal castration on the subsequent behavioural response to centrally administered arginine vasopressin and the expression of v1a receptors in adult male prairie voles. | centrally administered arginine vasopressin induces the formation of partner preferences in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). the expression of many vasopressin-regulated behaviours is testosterone dependent. in this study, we tested the hypothesis that early exposure to gonadal steroids are necessary to establish the typical response of adult male prairie voles to exogenous vasopressin, predicting that adult males which were castrated neonatally would not form partner preferences in re ... | 2003 | 14622431 |
| sex differences and developmental effects of oxytocin on aggression and social behavior in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | various hormones, including sex steroids and neuropeptides, have been implicated in aggression. in this study we examined (1) sex differences in intrasexual aggression in naïve prairie voles; (2) the effects of developmental manipulations of oxytocin on intrasexual aggression; and (3) changes in patterns of intrasexual aggression after brief exposure to an animal of the opposite sex. within 24 h of birth, infants were randomly assigned to receive either an injection of oxytocin (ot) or oxytocin ... | 2003 | 14609540 |
| forebrain c-fos expression under conditions conducive to pair bonding in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | repeated mating over a period of 6 h facilitates pair-bond formation in monogamous prairie voles. using this paradigm, we examined fos expression in brain areas implicated in social behavior in voles. we hypothesized that the presence of the fos protein after a period of time sufficient for pair bonding to occur may indicate brain areas that are especially important in pair bond formation. we found elevated levels of fos immunoreactivity in the medial and cortical amygdala, medial preoptic area ... | 2003 | 14568313 |
| nucleus accumbens oxytocin and dopamine interact to regulate pair bond formation in female prairie voles. | although oxytocin (ot) and dopamine (da) have been implicated in pair bond formation in monogamous prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), the nature of potential interactions between these two neurochemical systems and the brain circuits important for such interactions in the regulation of pair bonding have not been explored. here, we demonstrated that access to both ot and da d2-type receptors is necessary for pair bond formation, as blockade of either type of receptor prevented partner preferen ... | 2003 | 14568015 |
| extraordinary diversity in vasopressin (v1a) receptor distributions among wild prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster): patterns of variation and covariation. | the vasopressin v1a receptor is a gene known to be central to species differences in social behavior, including differences between the monogamous prairie vole and its promiscuous congeners. to examine how individual differences compare with species differences, we characterize variability in the expression of the vasopressin v1a receptor (v1ar) in a large sample of wild prairie voles. we find a surprising degree of intraspecific variation in v1ar binding that does not seem attributable to exper ... | 2003 | 14566950 |
| developmental consequences of oxytocin. | this paper examines the developmental effects of the mammalian neuropeptide, oxytocin (ot). in adults, ot is the most abundant neuropeptide in the hypothalamus and serves integrative functions, coordinating behavioral and physiological processes. for example, ot has been implicated in parturition, lactation, maternal behavior and pair bond formation. in addition, ot is capable of moderating behavioral responses to various stressors as well as the reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal ... | 2003 | 12954433 |
| developmental effects of oxytocin on stress response: single versus repeated exposure. | both exogenous and endogenous oxytocin (ot) are associated with an attenuated stress response. increased levels of ot in the early postnatal period have been shown to affect behavior and physiology in rodents, and these effects last into adulthood, suggesting an organizational role for ot during development. we investigated the effects of neonatal exposure to ot on the development of the stress response in male and female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). ot or an ot antagonist (ota) was adm ... | 2003 | 12954422 |
| developmental exposure to oxytocin facilitates partner preferences in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | the authors investigated the effects of postnatal manipulations of oxytocin (ot) on the subsequent tendency to form a partner preference in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). neonatally, males received either an injection of ot, an oxytocin antagonist (ota), 0.9% saline vehicle, or handling without injection. as adults, males were tested for partner preference following 1 hr of cohabitation with a nonestrous female. in a 3-hr preference test, males neonatally exposed to exogenous ot exhi ... | 2003 | 12931969 |
| central expression of c-fos in neonatal male and female prairie voles in response to treatment with oxytocin. | early postnatal exposure to both exogenous and endogenous oxytocin (ot) can have long-term effects on behavior and physiology, although the mechanisms of these effects are not known. c-fos expression was used to investigate the immediate neural effects of neonatal manipulations of ot in male and female prairie voles. on the day of birth prairie vole pups received an intraperitoneal injection of ot, a selective ot antagonist (ota), or saline (vehicle control), while an additional group was handle ... | 2003 | 12855184 |
| reductions in total body fat decrease humoral immunity. | mounting an immune response requires substantial energy, and it is well known that marked reductions in energy availability (e.g. starvation) can suppress immune function, thus increasing disease susceptibility and compromising survival. we tested the hypothesis that moderate reductions in energy availability impair humoral immunity. specifically, we examined the effects of partial lipectomy (lipx) on humoral immunity in two seasonally breeding rodent species, prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster ... | 2003 | 12803904 |
| a critical role for nucleus accumbens dopamine in partner-preference formation in male prairie voles. | although the role of nucleus accumbens (nacc) dopamine (da) in reward learning has been extensively studied, few investigations have addressed its involvement in learning socially relevant information. here, we have examined the involvement of nacc da in social attachment of the "monogamous" prairie vole (microtus orchrogaster). we first demonstrated that da is necessary for the formation of social attachment in male prairie voles, because administration of haloperidol blocked, whereas apomorphi ... | 2003 | 12716957 |
| neuronal activation in the caudal brainstem associated with mating by voles. | the expression of c-fos, a marker of neuronal activation, was examined in the gracile nucleus (gn) and nucleus of the solitary tract (nts) after social interactions, including mating, between male and female prairie voles. in gn, mating, but not non-sexual interactions, induced similar significant increases in c-fos immunoreactivity in both males and females. the increased immunoreactivity was concentrated in medial and dorsal gn suggesting that expression was driven by stimulation of reproducti ... | 2003 | 12686379 |
| female prairie voles do not choose males based on their frequency of scent marking. | we conducted an experiment to test three alternative hypotheses for the function of frequency of scent marking in male prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster: (1) sexual attraction (to advertise male quality for mating); (2) reproductive competition; and (3) self-advertisement or individual identity. in laboratory experiments, males deposited scent on all areas of a bare substrate, and more in an area next to a stimulus animal than other areas, regardless of the stimulus animal's sex. females did n ... | 2003 | 12642166 |
| cohabitation induced fos immunoreactivity in the monogamous prairie vole. | cohabitation of sexually nai;ve male and female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) triggers a cascade of physiological changes that result in the formation of stable pair bonds. in the present study we used the expression of c-fos protein to identify cns regions activated during initial social contact in heterosexual, male/male and female/female pairs. sexually naive males and females were randomly assigned to one of five groups: control- no cohabitation, or cohabitation for 1 h with an unrela ... | 2003 | 12591139 |
| photoperiodic and temporal influences on chemosensory induction of brain fos expression in female prairie voles. | prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) typically stop breeding during winter. male prairie voles respond to winter day lengths with gonadal regression, whereas female voles are relatively unresponsive to photoperiod. unlike commonly studied laboratory rodents, female prairie voles do not exhibit spontaneous oestrous cycles. instead, females are induced into oestrus by chemosensory cues from conspecific male urine. the present study investigated the interaction among day length, chemosensory cues a ... | 2003 | 12535158 |
| scent-marking behaviour by male prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster, in response to the scent of opposite- and same-sex conspecifics. | we conducted an experiment using the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) to test predictions associated with the proposed functions of scent marking as a sexual attractant, in reproductive competition, and as a self-advertisement. we allowed an oestrous female, an anoestrous female, and an adult male to scent mark three portions of a clean substrate and then exposed a second male to this substrate for secondary marking. we did not support a sexual attraction hypothesis in that males did not plac ... | 2002 | 12429389 |
| variation in the vasopressin v1a receptor promoter and expression: implications for inter- and intraspecific variation in social behaviour. | instability in highly repetitive microsatellite dna located in the regulatory regions of genes may be a major factor producing diversity in both region-specific gene expression and the resulting phenotypes. polymorphisms in promoter regions affecting expression of genes involved in regulating behaviour may play a role in generating individual variation in behaviour, including psychopathologies in humans, and probably are also important for the evolution of behaviour. here we discuss the prairie ... | 2002 | 12193181 |
| social factors regulate female-female aggression and affiliation in prairie voles. | although patterns of aggression and affiliation may play a major role in social organization, the mechanisms underlying these behaviors are not well understood. the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social and hormonal experience on female-female aggression and affiliation in prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster. prairie voles exhibit the traits of social monogamy and tend to live in communal families structured around a male-female pair. it is rare for two unrelated females wit ... | 2002 | 12126993 |
| corticotropin-releasing factor induces social preferences in male prairie voles. | exposure to stressors facilitates the formation of social preferences in monogamous male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). in the present study, the hypothesis was tested that treatment with corticotropin-releasing factor (crf), a neuropeptide released during stress, is capable of inducing social preferences in male prairie voles. the effects of five doses of crf (0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10 and 100 ng; i.c.v.) on social preference were assessed. exogenous crf did not alter the amount of social conta ... | 2002 | 12084663 |
| multi-male mating, probability of conception, and litter size in the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster). | we conducted a mating experiment in the laboratory using prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster, to document that multi-male mating (mmm) can occur in this supposedly monogamous species and to test two hypotheses for the advantages of mmm in female mammals. the two hypotheses are that mmm (1) increases the probability of pregnancy and (2) increases litter size. we also tested the hypothesis that multiple copulations, rather than multiple partners, increases litter size and/or probability of pregnan ... | 2002 | 11955776 |
| the effects of social environment on adult neurogenesis in the female prairie vole. | in the mammalian brain, adult neurogenesis has been found to occur primarily in the subventricular zone (svz) and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (dg) and to be influenced by both exogenous and endogenous factors. in the present study, we examined the effects of male exposure or social isolation on neurogenesis in adult female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). newly proliferated cells labeled by a cell proliferation marker, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (brdu), were found in the svz and dg, as we ... | 2002 | 11932953 |
| parental responsiveness is feminized after neonatal castration in virgin male prairie voles, but is not masculinized by perinatal testosterone in virgin females. | we previously found a large sex difference in the parental responsiveness of adult virgin prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) such that most males are spontaneously parental, whereas most females are not. because this sex difference is independent of the gonadal hormones normally circulating in adult virgin voles, the present study examined whether perinatal hormones influence the development of this sex difference. males were treated prenatally (via their pregnant dam) with both the androgen r ... | 2002 | 11863386 |
| a possible function of the preference for hind nipples in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | prairie vole pups (microtus ochrogaster) in laboratory cages prefer hind nipples. in this research, the author observed 8 litters of prairie voles in a seminatural environment to confirm the preference for hind nipples and to determine if young on hind nipples were groomed more frequently or dislodged less frequently than were young on other nipples. prairie vole pups in seminatural environments preferred hind nipples; this preference was illustrated by the progressive use of more anterior nippl ... | 2001 | 11824908 |
| differential expression of vasopressin, oxytocin and corticotrophin-releasing hormone messenger rna in the paraventricular nucleus of the prairie vole brain following stress. | forced swimming, as an effective stressor, has been found to facilitate the development of pair bonds in male but to interfere with this behaviour in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). in the present study, we found that forced swimming differentially influenced the expression of messenger rna for vasopressin, oxytocin and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (crh) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (pvn) in the prairie vole brain. forced swimming did not alter vasopressin ... | 2001 | 11722702 |
| the prairie vole vomeronasal organ is a target for gonadotropin-releasing hormone. | gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) is present in nervus terminalis neurons in chemosensory nerve fascicles in vertebrates. in rodents, the majority of gnrh fibers are located within vomeronasal nerves. we have shown that gnrh can alter vomeronasal receptor neuron responses to odors. in this study, using prairie voles, we tested the hypotheses that (i) gnrh-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons project to the vomeronasal organ and accessory olfactory bulb; (ii) a radioactive-labeled gnrh agonist, buser ... | 2001 | 11705805 |
| food restriction affects the gonadotropin releasing hormone neuronal system of male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | individuals of species inhabiting temperate and boreal latitudes optimize the timing of energetically costly processes by curtailing nonessential energetically demanding processes when environmental conditions are not favourable. one proximate environmental variable used to fine-tune moment-to-moment changes in reproductive physiology and behaviour is food intake. the neuroendocrine mechanisms by which food restriction leads to the cessation of reproduction in seasonally breeding rodent species ... | 2001 | 11578529 |
| vasopressin in the lateral septum regulates pair bond formation in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) form a pair bond with a female partner after mating, and this behavior is regulated by the neuropeptide vasopressin (avp). the authors report that avp in the lateral septum is important for pair bond formation. administration of an avp v1a receptor antagonist in the lateral septum blocked mating-induced pair bonding, whereas administration of avp induced this behavior in the absence of mating. in addition, administration of an oxytocin (ot) receptor anta ... | 2001 | 11508730 |
| adult female prairie voles and meadow voles do not suppress reproduction in their daughters. | reproductive suppression of young females by conspecific females has been reported from laboratory studies on several species of rodents, including the prairie vole, microtus ochrogaster, but not meadow voles, m. pennsylvanicus. we exposed female prairie voles and meadow voles to two treatments: a mother and one 23-26-day-old daughter paired with a strange male and a 23-26-day-old daughter paired with a different strange male. we found no differences in the proportion of daughters breeding or th ... | 2001 | 11483353 |
| lesions of the vomeronasal organ disrupt mating-induced pair bonding in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster) is a highly social, monogamous species and displays pair bonding that can be assessed by the presence of selective affiliation with the familiar partner versus a conspecific stranger. in female prairie voles, exposure to a male or to male sensory cues is essential for estrus induction, and the subsequent mating facilitates pair bond formation. in the present study, we examined the role of the vomeronasal organ (vno) in estrus induction and pair bonding in ... | 2001 | 11368964 |
| in vitro melatonin treatment enhances cell-mediated immune function in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | the present study was designed (1) to determine the extent to which male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) alter immune status in response to short-day lengths, (2) to evaluate the role of melatonin in coordinating these alterations in immune function, and (3) to assess the association between alterations in immune function and reproductive responsiveness to photoperiod. male voles were housed in either long- or short-day lengths for 10 wk; voles in short days were subdivided into reproductiv ... | 2001 | 11339507 |
| social influences on parental and nonparental responses toward pups in virgin female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | pair-bonded prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are biparental after the birth of pups. however, whereas most adult virgin males are parental, most virgin females are not. in 6 experiments, influences on the parental behavior of virgin female prairie voles were examined. it was found that (a) young virgin females were more maternal than older females, (b) the postweaning sex ratio of cage-mates did not affect females' responses to pups, (c) females raised to adulthood with their parents and you ... | 2001 | 11334219 |
| the effects of peptides on partner preference formation are predicted by habitat in prairie voles. | this study tested the hypothesis that intraspecific variations in mating systems are correlated with differences in the capacity of peripheral arginine vasopressin (avp) to facilitate partner preferences. it has been hypothesized that differences in environmental conditions, kansas being more xeric than illinois, are responsible for some of the intraspecific differences in the mating systems between kansas (kn) and illinois (il) prairie voles. we predicted that prairie voles from kn would be mor ... | 2001 | 11161883 |
| increased number of brdu-labeled neurons in the rostral migratory stream of the estrous prairie vole. | in the mammalian forebrain, most neurons originate from proliferating cells in the ventricular zone lining the lateral ventricles, including a discrete area of the subventricular zone in which neurogenesis continues into adulthood. the majority of the cells generated in the anterior portion of the subventricular zone (svza) are neuronal precursors with progeny that migrate to the olfactory bulb (ob) along a pathway known as the rostral migratory stream (rms). the list of factors that influence t ... | 2001 | 11161879 |
| influence of gonadal hormones on the development of parental behavior in adult virgin prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are a socially monogamous species and both sexes are parental after the birth of pups. in contrast, sexually inexperienced adult prairie voles differ in their behavior towards pups such that virgin males are paternal whereas virgin females are often infanticidal. to test whether there exists a discrete perinatal 'sensitive period' during which gonadal hormones influence this behavior, and to distinguish between the relative contributions of estrogenic and and ... | 2000 | 10996049 |
| 3-bromo-7-nitroindazole, a neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, impairs maternal aggression and citrulline immunoreactivity in prairie voles. | lactating female rodents are aggressive against intruders when they are rearing and protecting pups. in prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster, females exhibit a dramatic increase in citrulline immunoreactivity (citrulline-ir) in the paraventricular nucleus (pvn), but not in control regions of the brain, in association with maternal aggression. citrulline is an indirect indicator of nitric oxide (no) synthesis and it is possible that no release in the pvn is an important element in the control of m ... | 2000 | 10869504 |
| temperature and photoperiod interact to affect reproduction and gnrh synthesis in male prairie voles. | prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), like most rodent species, exhibit a phenotypic polymorphism in reproductive response to winter conditions or to short day lengths in the laboratory. laboratory studies on seasonally breeding species have traditionally focused on the role of photoperiod in modulating reproduction and other seasonal adaptions. however, because animals use proximate environmental factors in addition to photoperiod to phase seasonal adaptions with the appropriate time of year, t ... | 2000 | 10844584 |
| dopamine d2 receptors in the nucleus accumbens are important for social attachment in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | the prairie vole (microtus ochrogaster), a monogamous rodent that forms long-lasting pair bonds, has proven useful for the neurobiological study of social attachment. in the laboratory, pair bonds can be assessed by testing for a partner preference, a choice test in which pair-bonded voles regularly prefer their partner to a conspecific stranger. studies reported here investigate the role of dopamine d2-like receptors (i.e., d2, d3, and d4 receptors) in the nucleus accumbens (nacc) for the forma ... | 2000 | 10718272 |
| peripheral pulses of oxytocin increase partner preferences in female, but not male, prairie voles. | centrally administered oxytocin (ot) facilitates social behaviors including the partner preferences that characterize the monogamous social system of prairie voles. in contrast peripherally administered ot generally has been ineffective in influencing central processes including behavior. ot from the posterior pituitary gland is released in pulses into the peripheral circulation. we hypothesized that peripherally administered ot, if delivered in repeated injections mimicking these pulses, would ... | 2000 | 10712858 |
| maternal and mating-induced aggression is associated with elevated citrulline immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus in prairie voles. | lactating female rodents are fiercely aggressive against intruders when they are rearing and protecting pups. in monogamous prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster, males are parental and exhibit a dramatic increase in aggression, termed mating-induced aggression, in association with reproduction. in mice, the gas, nitric oxide (no), inhibits male aggression, but may have an excitatory role in the production of maternal aggression. in this study, we combined aggressive behavioral testing of female a ... | 2000 | 10701443 |
| lipopolysaccharide facilitates partner preference behaviors in female prairie voles. | exposure to proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., il-1beta) or lipopolysaccharide (lps) produces an acute activation of the immune response and results in a repertoire of behavioral patterns collectively termed sickness behaviors. although nonspecific responses to pathogenic infection have traditionally been viewed as maladaptive effects of infection, sickness behaviors may have significant, adaptive value for the host. one set of adaptive behaviors affected by infection among mammals and birds is ma ... | 2013 | 10627074 |
| in vitro melatonin treatment enhances splenocyte proliferation in prairie voles. | the seasonal effects of photoperiod on reproduction are mediated by melatonin, and it is hypothesized that increased immune function in short days is due to the increase in the duration of nightly melatonin secretion. melatonin can act both directly and indirectly on target tissue within the immune system. the present study sought to tease apart the direct and indirect effects of melatonin on one aspect of immune function by examining the influence of in vitro melatonin on splenocyte proliferati ... | 2000 | 10626599 |
| the effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on partner preferences in male and female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | this study compared the effects of centrally administered oxytocin (ot) and arginine vasopressin (avp) on partner preference formation and social contact in male and female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). after 1 hr of cohabitation and pretreatment with either avp or ot, both males and females exhibited increased social contact and significant preference for the familiar partner. after pretreatment with either an ot receptor antagonist (ota) or an avp (v1a) receptor antagonist (avpa), neit ... | 1999 | 10571489 |
| effects of photoperiod and reproductive responsiveness on pituitary sensitivity to gnrh in male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | in order to promote survival and reproductive success, many nontropical rodents inhibit reproduction well in advance of winter in response to decreasing day lengths. male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster), small temperate zone rodents, vary in their reproductive response to photoperiod. some male voles undergo complete gonadal regression when housed in short days (responders) whereas others fail to inhibit reproduction when exposed to short (i. e., <12 h light/day) day lengths (nonresponders) ... | 1999 | 10562452 |
| developmental exposure to vasopressin increases aggression in adult prairie voles. | although the biological roots of aggression have been the source of intense debate, the precise physiological mechanisms responsible for aggression remain poorly understood. in most species, aggression is more common in males than females; thus, gonadal hormones have been a focal point for research in this field. although gonadal hormones have been shown to influence the expression of aggression, in many cases aggression can continue after castration, indicating that testicular steroids are not ... | 1999 | 10535968 |
| prior exposure to oxytocin mimics the effects of social contact and facilitates sexual behaviour in females. | the purpose of this study was to determine whether pretreatment with oxytocin could mimic the effects of social contact and enhance sexual receptivity in female prairie voles. female prairie voles require prolonged exposure to males to become sexually active and oxytocin has been shown to play a major role in the establishment of social bonds between males and females. therefore, we hypothesized that prior exposure to exogenous oxytocin, in the absence of males, would enhance sexual activity in ... | 1999 | 10520125 |
| dopamine d2 receptor-mediated regulation of partner preferences in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster): a mechanism for pair bonding? | this study examined the role of dopamine (da) in partner preference (pp) formation in female prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). the nonspecific da antagonist haloperidol blocked mating-induced pp, whereas the nonspecific da agonist apomorphine induced pp without mating. the d2 antagonist eticlopride, but not the d1 antagonist sch23390, blocked pp, whereas the d2 agonist quinpirole, but not the d1 agonist skf38393, induced pp without mating. injections of eticlopride before or immediately afte ... | 1999 | 10443786 |
| sex differences in the parental behaviour of adult virgin prairie voles: independence from gonadal hormones and vasopressin. | sexually and parentally experienced prairie voles display robust biparental care of pups that is similar between the sexes. little is known, however, about possible sex differences in the parental behaviours of sexually inexperienced prairie voles. parental behaviour of adult virgin male and female prairie voles was examined in sham-operated and gonadectomized subjects treated with vehicle or oestradiol. since arginine-vasopressin (avp) has been suggested to stimulate parental behaviour in sexua ... | 1999 | 10336725 |
| castration does not inhibit aggressive behavior in adult male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster). | the relationship between castration and reduced male aggression is well established. however, anecdotal observations of male prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) suggest that castration does not reduce aggressive behavior. to investigate the role of testicular androgens on aggressive behavior, castrated or gonadally intact male prairie voles were paired in a neutral arena with a gonadally intact vole. castration did not reduce the frequency of intermale aggression. in experiment 2, aggressive be ... | 1999 | 10222474 |
| effects of isolation on sibling recognition in prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster. | traditionally, sibling recognition in prairie voles has been inferred by incest avoidance or lack of reproduction among littermates. previous studies have shown that isolation of sibling prairie voles for 8-15 days causes the breakdown of incest avoidance. however, in a re-evaluation of these studies, using social interactions within sexes (amicable versus agonistic behaviours), rather than incest avoidance, we found that incest avoidance might not be the best criterion for inferring sibling rec ... | 1999 | 10328795 |
| voles and vasopressin: a review of molecular, cellular, and behavioral studies of pair bonding and paternal behaviors. | several lines of evidence have implicated the neurohypophyseal peptide, vasopressin (vp), in the mediation of complex social behaviors including affiliation, aggression, juvenile recognition and parental behavior. recent studies in microtine rodents using cellular, molecular and behavioral approaches provide additional evidence suggesting a role for vp in the formation of pair bonding and male parental care. monogamous and promiscuous voles differ in social behaviors such as mating-induced pair ... | 1998 | 10074808 |
| oxytocin, vasopressin, and the neuroendocrine basis of pair bond formation. | several lines of evidence support a role for oxytocin and vasopressin in complex social behaviors, including parental care, sex behavior, and aggression. recent studies in a monogamous mammal, the prairie vole, suggest an additional role for both peptides in the formation of pair bonds. central administration of oxytocin facilitates and administration of an oxytocin antagonist inhibits partner preference formation in female prairie voles. conversely, vasopressin facilitates and a v1a receptor an ... | 1998 | 10026808 |
| prolonged mating in prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) increases likelihood of ovulation and embryo number. | prairie voles are induced ovulators that mate frequently in brief bouts over a period of approximately 24 h. we examined 1) impact of mating duration on ovulation and embryo number, 2) incidence of fertilization, 3) temporal pattern of embryo development, 4) embryo progression through the reproductive tract over time, and 5) embryo development in culture. mating was videotaped to determine first copulation, and the ovaries were examined and the reproductive tracts flushed at 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20 ... | 1999 | 10026127 |
| neuroendocrine perspectives on social attachment and love. | the purpose of this paper is to review existing behavioral and neuroendocrine perspectives on social attachment and love. both love and social attachments function to facilitate reproduction, provide a sense of safety, and reduce anxiety or stress. because social attachment is an essential component of love, understanding attachment formation is an important step toward identifying the neurobiological substrates of love. studies of pair bonding in monogamous rodents, such as prairie voles, and m ... | 1998 | 9924738 |
| cooperative breeding and monogamy in prairie voles: influence of the sire and geographical variation. | mammalian monogamy is characterized by pair bonding and a relative absence of sexual dimorphism in body size. alloparental behaviour is a characteristic of mammalian cooperative breeding systems. studies of prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster, from stock captured in a resource-abundant habitat in illinois have supported the assumption that this species is a monogamous, cooperative breeder, while other studies of prairie voles from a more arid habitat in kansas have called this assumption into qu ... | 1998 | 9632499 |
| intraspecific variation in the induction of female sexual receptivity in prairie voles. | prairie voles (microtus ochrogaster) are monogamous new world rodents which show geographic variation in social behavior. in this study, parameters of female reproduction which might be related to mating system were compared in prairie voles from eastern kansas (kan) versus central illinois (ill). kan females showed a more rapid onset of natural estrus following exposure to a male and were more likely to respond to injections of a low dose (0.5 microg) of exogenous estradiol benzoate than ill fe ... | 1998 | 9662088 |
| 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 ... | 2017 | 9634179 |