Neonatal manipulation of oxytocin influences the partner preference in mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus)

Neonatal manipulation of oxytocin (OT) has long-term effects on behavior and physiology. The objective of this research was to determine if neonatal exposure to OT can affect partner preferences and to characterize the mechanisms underlying social behavior such as neural activities of relevant brain regions in socially monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus). After receiving a subcutaneous injection of isotonic saline (SAL) or OT within 24 h of birth, mandarin vole at 60 days of age was paired with an unfamiliar opposite sex for 24 h, followed immediately by an examination of their partner preference and 30 days later by the second examination of their partner preference and Fos expression in some brain regions. The results indicated that (1) while 24 h cohabitation was insufficient for both female and male SAL-treated mandarin voles to form partner preference, neonatal exposure to OT significantly facilitate female, but not male mandarin voles to form partner preference within 24 h of cohabitation; (2) the maintenance of partner preference in females was suppressed by neonatal OT treatment, while neonatal OT-treated males showed significant partner preference as neonatal SAL-treated males and females; in addition, the tendency of aggression to the strangers was impaired in both females and males, and neonatal OT-treated males showed significantly higher mounting behavior to the partner; (3) in comparison with saline-treated females, OT-treated females showed a significant decrease in Fos expression in all brain regions examined in response to partner preference. Relative to saline treatment, neonatal OT treatment induced to males a significant decrease of Fos expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) as well as a significant increase in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), the dorsal part of the lateral septal nucleus (LSD) and the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA). These results demonstrate that neonatal OT exposure has different effects on the formation and maintenance of partner preference in mandarin voles and the latter effects possibly via OT-induced changes of the neural activities of relevant brain regions. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved,