Natural variation in the oxytocin receptor gene predicts social observation in female prairie voles.

ABSTRACT: Genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (Oxtr) has been linked to differences in brain OXTR expression and long-term social bonds, but whether it shapes the moment-to-moment dynamics of early social interactions is unclear. Here we examined how the intronic Oxtr single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) NT213739 in female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) shapes their dynamic social interactions with an opposite-sex conspecific. Leveraging a computational pipeline to analyze the movements of freely interacting voles, we found that C/C females, which expressed higher OXTR levels in the nucleus accumbens than T/T females, spent more time socially observing novel males from a distance, especially early in interactions. This genotype-phenotype relationship persisted

SUBMITTER: Lee SLT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12637621 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature