催產(chǎn)素是一種和哺乳以及母性行為有關(guān)的哺乳動物激素,，它通常在母子聯(lián)系中扮演著主要的決定因素,。Oliver Bosch 和Inga Neumann如今報告說，催產(chǎn)素的化學(xué)近親——加壓素是母性行為更好的調(diào)控者,，而阻斷這種神經(jīng)肽的效果可以減少已經(jīng)存在的母性關(guān)懷,。這組科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)，用一種拮抗劑阻斷加壓素V1a受體可以顯著降低大鼠的幾個本能層次的母性行為,，諸如弓背看護(hù)行為以及與子女的直接接觸,。此外，他們證明了與催產(chǎn)素相比,，長期在腦內(nèi)給予加壓素能增加弓背看護(hù)行為,。來自母親的母性關(guān)懷的減少導(dǎo)致成年情緒性的增加，并削弱了雄性后代的社會相互作用,。
這組作者把培養(yǎng)成為高度焦慮的大鼠（它們擁有由遺傳決定的高水平的加壓素活動）的V1a受體阻斷,，因此也就讓它們的高水平的母性關(guān)懷減少，從而驗證了他們的發(fā)現(xiàn),。這組作者說,，這些發(fā)現(xiàn)提供了直接的證據(jù)表明，加壓素在調(diào)控雌性的一種重要的社會行為方面扮演著一個至關(guān)重要的角色,。相關(guān)論文發(fā)表在美國《國家科學(xué)院院刊》（PNAS）上,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS,，doi: 10.1073/pnas.0807412105,，Oliver J. Bosch，Inga D. Neumann
Brain vasopressin is an important regulator of maternal behavior independent of dams' trait anxiety
Oliver J. Bosch1 and Inga D. Neumann
Department of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
Abstract
The neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP) is arguably among the most potent regulators of social behaviors in mammals identified to date. However, only the related neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) has been shown to promote maternal behavior. Here, we assess the role of AVP in maternal care, in particular in arched back nursing, pup retrieval, and pup contact by using complementary pharmacological and genetic approaches. Also, experiments were performed in rat dams with differences in trait anxiety, i.e., rats bred for either high (HAB) or low (LAB) anxiety-related behavior as well as nonselected (NAB) dams. Viral vector-mediated up-regulation of AVP V1a receptors (AVP-Rs) within the medial preoptic area of lactating NAB rats and chronic central AVP treatment of NAB and LAB dams improved, whereas local blockade of AVP-R expression by means of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides or central AVP-R antagonism impaired, maternal care in NAB dams. Also, in HAB rats with a genetically determined elevated brain AVP activity, intrinsically high levels of maternal care were reversed by blockade of AVP-R actions. Treatment-induced impairment of AVP-mediated maternal behavior increased adult emotionality and impaired social interactions in male offspring of NAB dams. These findings provide direct evidence for an essential and highly potent role of brain AVP in promoting maternal behavior, which seems to be independent of the dam's trait anxiety.
