Distribution of Vasopressin and Oxytocin Neurons in the Basal Forebrain and Midbrain of Spiny Mice (Acomys cahirinus).

ABSTRACT: The nonapeptides vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) are present in some form in most vertebrates. VP and OT play critical roles in modulating physiology and are well-studied for their influences on a variety of social behaviors, ranging from affiliation to aggression. Their anatomical distributions have been mapped for numerous species across taxa, demonstrating relatively strong evolutionary conservation in distributions throughout the basal forebrain and midbrain. Here we examined the distribution of VP-immunoreactive (-ir) and OT-ir neurons in a gregarious, cooperatively breeding rodent species, the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus), for which nonapeptide mapping does not yet exist. Immunohistochemical techniques revealed VP-ir and OT-ir neuronal populations throughout the hypothalamus and

SUBMITTER: Kelly AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8292211 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature