The Oxytocin Receptor in Adult Neurogenesis Under Conditions of Social Stress

Abstract

Adult born neurons decrease the stress response in the Hippocampus. However, stress results in less neurogenesis in this area. Oxytocin has recently been shown to create more new neurons and is also regulated by stress. Unfortunately, the pathway by which stress modulates oxytocin is still unknown. In our study of the neurons involved in this pathway, rats (n=4) are placed in competition for food, sex, and water in a visual burrow system (VBS) to create a seminaturalistic dominance hierarchy. Social stress caused by disassembly of the social hierarchy results in increased oxytocin receptor (OTR) expression and decreased neurogenesis in the ventral hippocampus. The lack of increased OTR expression with stress on immature or proliferating neurons suggests that mature neurons are expressing more OTR in response to social stress.