Abstract
Exposure to stress during the early postnatal period (i.e., early life stress, ES) can impact brain physiology and modify individual variability in adult social behavior. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) are two centrally released neuropeptides that are involved in shaping essential social behaviors, like aggression, social recognition, and social motivation. AVP and OXT modulate activity in brain regions important for the establishment of social behavior, and may be particularly sensitive to ES. In this review, we discuss whether ES alters the characteristics of the AVP- and OXT- systems in rodents, and whether these changes are associated with later alterations in aggression, social recognition, and social motivation. We have integrated causal studies indicating that (1) ES affects AVP/OXT, and (2) that changing AVP/OXT in affected regions alters social behavior. Although there is encouraging evidence that ES causes AVP- and OXT-system changes, and that these may mediate social behavior, a comprehensive understanding of the exact nature of AVP- and OXT changes and whether they are causal in establishing these behavioral disturbances needs further investigation. As there are indications that ES alters AVP- and OXT characteristics in humans as well, and that these may interact with adult predisposition to psychopathology with social dysfunction, future rodent studies may lay ground for a better understanding of such changes in humans. Ultimately, this may assist in developing therapeutic strategies to target ES effects on social behavior.
Highlights
Both preclinical and clinical studies have indicated that exposure to adverse, stressful events during the early postnatal period can have a decisive impact on brain physiology and behavior later in life (Teicher et al, 2003; Nemeroff, 2004; McCrory et al, 2010)
Given the potential role for OXT signaling in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPOA)/anterior hypothalamus (AH) in regulating aggression and social recognition, these behaviors may be affected as a consequence
Initial evidence indicates that OXT signaling in the MPOA/AH is involved in regulation of maternal aggression (OXT reduces maternal aggression) and social recognition (OXT enhances social recognition)
Summary
Both preclinical and clinical studies have indicated that exposure to adverse, stressful events during the early postnatal period can have a decisive impact on brain physiology and behavior later in life (Teicher et al, 2003; Nemeroff, 2004; McCrory et al, 2010). Early life adversity, like abuse and neglect, is associated with an increased risk to develop depression (Lizardi et al, 1995; Edwards et al, 2003; Heim and Binder, 2012); schizophrenia (Read et al, 2005; Morgan and Fisher, 2007); anti-social behavior (Farrington, 2005; Widom and Brzustowicz, 2006) and borderline personality disorder (Bandelow et al, 2005). Diverse, these psychopathologies share a social component, prompting the suggestion that early adversity hampers the development of appropriate human social behaviors, and may result in dysfunction, ranging from excessive aggression to diminished social cognition and social motivation (Baribeau and Anagnostou, 2015; Tabbaa et al, 2017). Using rodents as a model, ES can be induced experimentally and effects on social behavior and underlying molecular mechanisms can be revealed
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