Noxious or Non-noxious Inputs to Oxytocin Neurons: Possible Roles in the Control of Behaviors

• ONAKA Tatsushi

  Division of Brain and Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University

• OKABE Shota

  Division of Brain and Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University

• TAKAYANAGI Yuki

  Division of Brain and Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University

• YOSHIDA Masahide

  Division of Brain and Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University

抄録

Oxytocin plays an essential role in milk ejection and parturition in mammals. Oxytocin has also been shown to be involved in the control of various behaviors, including anxiety-related behaviors, food intake and affiliative behaviors.<br>We previously showed that noxious stimuli or stimuli previously paired with noxious stimuli (conditioned fear stimuli) activate hypothalamic oxytocin neurons via activation of brainstem catecholaminergic/prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP)-positive neurons. Oxytocin neurons are activated not only by noxious stimuli but also by non-noxious touch stimuli. Social contact has been suggested to activate oxytocin neurons. Non-noxious tactile stimuli induce 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalization, an index of positive states in rats, and activate hypothalamic oxytocin neurons, suggesting that pleasant tactile stimuli activate oxytocin neurons.<br>Physiological roles of oxytocin released during noxious or non-noxious tactile stimuli remain to be clarified. Noxious stimuli increase anxiety-related behavior, while pleasant sensory stimuli have pro-social actions. We have shown that endogenous oxytocin reduces anxiety-related behaviors, induces a decrease in amounts of food intake per meal, and facilitates social recognition via distinct neural pathways. Roles of oxytocin released during sensory stimuli may be dependent upon the sensory stimuli used, and oxytocin may contribute to the prevention of overreactions to noxious stimuli or mediate pro-social or anxiolytic actions of pleasant tactile stimuli.

収録刊行物

• Interdisciplinary Information Sciences

  Interdisciplinary Information Sciences 21 (3), 189-195, 2015

  東北大学大学院情報科学研究科ジャーナル編集委員会

キーワード

• oxytocin
• noxious stimuli
• conditioned fear
• pleasant touch
• ultrasonic vocalization

詳細情報

• CRID: 1390001204438128000
• NII論文ID: 110009966527
• NII書誌ID: AA11032627
• DOI: 10.4036/iis.2015.b.03
• ISSN: 13476157
• ISSN: 13409050
• Web Site: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/iis/21/3/21_2015.B.03/_pdf
• 本文言語コード: en
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