Abstract
The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is a socially monogamous rodent species that forms a lasting connection between mates, known as a pair bond. The pair bond is primarily characterized by three distinct behaviors: partner preference, selective aggression, and biparental care of the young. The presence of these behaviors in the prairie vole and their absence in closely related non-monogamous species makes the prairie vole an important model of social relationships and facilitates the study of the neurobiological mechanisms of social affiliation and attachment. The nona-peptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is an important neuromodulator of social behavior and has been implicated in the regulation of the pair bond-related behaviors of the prairie vole, through activation of the AVP receptor subtype 1a (AVPR1a). Modulation of AVPR1a activity in different regions of the prairie vole brain impacts pair bond behavior, suggesting a role of AVP in neurocircuitry responsible for the regulation of social attachment. This review will discuss findings that have suggested the role of AVP in regulation of the pair bond-related behaviors of the prairie vole and the specific brain regions through which AVP acts to impact these unique behaviors.
Highlights
The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is a small, mouse-sized rodent native to the Midwest region of the United States
More recent research has found that only central administration (i.c.v.) of both AVPR1a antagonist (AVPA) and an oxytocin receptor (OTR) antagonist together, but not either antagonist alone, is sufficient to reduce parental behavior in naïve male prairie voles [76]. This is in contrast to some of the site-specific pharmacology results with AVPA only, which may be due to the quite low concentration of AVPA used in the study, but it does raise the intriguing possibility that AVP and OXT act as redundant and compensatory signals to promote paternal behavior in voles
One of the cognitive mechanisms underlying the formation of a pair bond is theorized to be the learned association between the memory of a partner and reward
Summary
Vasopressinergic Neurocircuitry Regulating Social Attachment in a Monogamous Species. The pair bond is primarily characterized by three distinct behaviors: partner preference, selective aggression, and biparental care of the young. The presence of these behaviors in the prairie vole and their absence in closely related non-monogamous species makes the prairie vole an important model of social relationships and facilitates the study of the neurobiological mechanisms of social affiliation and attachment. Modulation of AVPR1a activity in different regions of the prairie vole brain impacts pair bond behavior, suggesting a role of AVP in neurocircuitry responsible for the regulation of social attachment. This review will discuss findings that have suggested the role of AVP in regulation of the pair bond-related behaviors of the prairie vole and the specific brain regions through which AVP acts to impact these unique behaviors
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