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This chapter examines both the classical (genomic, long-term) and rapid (nongenomic) effects of estrogens on social recognition and social learning with regards to behavior and neurobiology. The chapter discusses how estrogens regulate an animal’s ability to recognize a previously encountered conspecific (social recognition) and how estrogens regulate an animal’s ability to acquire socially transmitted information from a conspecific (social learning). It reviews the different brain regions and estrogen receptors involved in these skills. Furthermore, it discusses mechanisms that may drive estrogens’ effects on these behaviors, such as via the oxytocin system or via cell signaling pathways.

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This review explores the role of oxytocin in the mediation of select social behaviours, with particular emphasis on female rodents. These behaviours include social recognition, social learning, pathogen detection and avoidance, and maternal care. Specific brain regions where oxytocin has been shown to directly mediate various aspects of these social behaviours, as well as other proposed regions, are discussed. Possible interactions between oxytocin and other regulatory systems, in particular that of oestrogens and dopamine, in the modulation of social behaviour are considered. Similarities and differences between males and females are highlighted. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.

Pyramidal neurons located within layer V of the medial prefrontal cortex drive cognitive circuits by integrating afferent signals and sending efferent projections to cortical and subcortical targets. This role is supported by cholinergic neurotransmission, which modulates pyramidal neuron excitability via postsynaptic nicotinic receptors. We employed whole-cell electrophysiology with neuron reconstruction in brain slices from mice of both sexes to demonstrate that medial prefrontal layer V pyramidal neurons comprise three subtypes that have distinct electrophysiological properties, receptor isoform-specific nicotinic responses, and projection targets. Burst-firing neurons may be sub-divided into subtypes having (i) α7 isoform nicotinic responses and projections to the contralateral cortex, or (ii) α7 and β2 isoform nicotinic responses and projections to the nucleus accumbens. Regular-firing neurons have β2 isoform nicotinic responses and projections to the ventromedial thalamus. These findings provide new insight into an isoform-specific mechanism by which cholinergic neurotransmission modulates distinct efferent projections from this cognitive brain region.