Oxytocin and vasopressin within the ventral and dorsal lateral septum modulate aggression in female rats.

ABSTRACT: In contrast to male rats, aggression in virgin female rats has been rarely studied. Here, we established a rat model of enhanced aggression in females using a combination of social isolation and aggression-training to specifically investigate the involvement of the oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) systems within the lateral septum (LS). Using neuropharmacological, optogenetic, chemogenetic as well as microdialysis approaches, we revealed that enhanced OXT release within the ventral LS (vLS), combined with reduced AVP release within the dorsal LS (dLS), is required for aggression in female rats. Accordingly, increased activity of putative OXT receptor-positive neurons in the vLS, and decreased activity of putative AVP receptor-positive neurons in the dLS, are likely to underly

SUBMITTER: Oliveira VEM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8131389 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature