Facilitation of affiliation and pair-bond formation by vasopressin receptor gene transfer into the ventral forebrain of a monogamous vole

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Lauren J. Pitkow, Emory University; Catherine A. Sharer, Emory University; Xianglin Ren, Harvard Institutes of Medicine and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Thomas R. Insel, Emory University; Ernest F. Terwilliger, Harvard Institutes of Medicine and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Larry Young, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2001-09-15
• Publisher: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2001 Society for Neuroscience
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-18-07392.2001
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Neuroscience Nursing
• ISSN: 0888-0395
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 18
• Start Page: 7392
• End Page: 7396
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grants 58824 and 56897 (L.J.Y.); and by National Science Foundation Grant IBN 9876754 (T.R.I.).
• Keywords: pair bond; ventral pallidum; MICROTUS-OCHROGASTER; ANXIETY-RELATED BEHAVIOR; V-1A RECEPTOR; affiliation; Science & Technology; NEURONS; Neurosciences & Neurology; V1a receptor; monogamy; IMMUNOREACTIVITY; Neurosciences; SPECIES-DIFFERENCES; BRAIN; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; vasopressin; PRAIRIE VOLES; social attachment; OXYTOCIN; SOCIAL-ORGANIZATION; viral vector
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Psychology, Behavioral; Biology, Neuroscience

Abstract

Behaviors associated with monogamy, including pair-bond formation, are facilitated by the neuropeptide vasopressin and are prevented by a vasopressin receptor [V1a receptor (V1aR)] antagonist in the male prairie vole. The neuroanatomical distribution of V1aR dramatically differs between monogamous and nonmonogamous species. V1aR binding is denser in the ventral pallidal region of several unrelated monogamous species compared with nonmonogamous species. Because the ventral pallidum is involved in reinforcement and addiction, we hypothesize that V1aR activation in this region promotes pair-bond formation via a mechanism similar to conditioning. Using an adeno-associated viral vector to deliver the V1aR gene, we increased the density of V1aR binding in the ventral pallial region of male prairie voles. These males exhibited increased levels of both anxiety and affiliative behavior compared with control males. In addition, males overexpressing the V1aR in the ventral pallidal region, but not control males, formed strong partner preferences after an overnight cohabitation, without mating, with a female. These data demonstrate a role for ventral pallidal V1aR in affiliation and social attachment and provide a potential molecular mechanism for species differences in social organization.