Oxytocin-induced birth causes sex-specific behavioral and brain connectivity changes in developing rat offspring.

ABSTRACT: Despite six decades of the use of exogenous oxytocin for management of labor, little is known about its effects on the developing brain. Motivated by controversial reports suggesting a link between oxytocin use during labor and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), we employed our recently validated rat model for labor induction with oxytocin to address this important concern. Using a combination of molecular biological, behavioral, and neuroimaging assays, we show that induced birth with oxytocin leads to sex-specific disruption of oxytocinergic signaling in the developing brain, decreased communicative ability of pups, reduced empathy-like behaviors especially in male offspring, and widespread sex-dependent changes in functional cortical connectivity. Contrary to our hypothesis, social behav

SUBMITTER: Giri T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10847747 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature