Roles of Oxytocin Neurones in the Control of Stress, Energy Metabolism, and Social Behaviour

Abstract

Oxytocin neurones are activated by stressful stimuli, food intake and social attachment. Activation of oxytocin neurones in response to stressful stimuli or food intake is mediated, at least in part, by noradrenaline/prolactin‐releasing peptide (PrRP) neurones in the nucleus tractus solitarius, whereas oxytocin neurones are activated after social stimuli via medial amygdala neurones. Activation of oxytocin neurones induces the release of oxytocin not only from their axon terminals, but also from their dendrites. Oxytocin acts locally where released or diffuses and acts on remote oxytocin receptors widely distributed within the brain, resulting in anxiolytic, anorexic and pro‐social actions. The action sites of oxytocin appear to be multiple. Oxytocin shows anxiolytic actions, at least in part, via serotoninergic neurones in the median raphe nucleus, has anorexic actions via pro‐opiomelanocortin neurones in the nucleus tractus solitarius and facilitates social recognition via the medial amygdala. Stress, obesity and social isolation are major risk factors for mortality in humans. Thus, the oxytocin–oxytocin receptor system is a therapeutic target for the promotion of human health.

Oxytocin und die suchterhaltenden Mechanismen der Alkoholabhängigkeit

“…Über dieses Blutkapillarsystem gelangt CRF in den Hypophysenvorderlappen ("anterior pituitary gland"), wo es zur Abgabe des adrenocorticotropen Hormons (ACTH) in den Blutkreislauf führt. ACTH stimuliert in der Nebennierenrinde die Synthese von Glucocorticoiden wie Cortisol [15]. CRF-Neurone finden sich auch in der Amygdala und werden ebenfalls durch Stress aktiviert [16].…”

“…Bemerkenswerterweise innervieren Neuronen aus der zentralen Amygdala und dem Hirnstamm CRFNeurone im PVN und im lateralen Hypothalamus [16] und bilden damit eine Rückkopplungsschleife. Es lässt sich somit feststellen, dass der CRF sowohl im PVN als auch in der Amygdala einen anxiogenen Effekt ausübt [15].…”

“…Der Angriffspunkt in der Amygdala ist dabei die Hemmung der angstassoziierten Efferenzen aus dem zentralen Kerngebiet [15,22]. CRF stellt, wie in Abschn.…”

Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphisms in Patients With Diabetes

“…A number of studies have shown that two of the SNP-OXTR are associated with some diseases. These SNPs are assumed to play a central role in the individual variability of stress reactivity, social behavior and autism (35,39). For example, individuals with alleles A or AA in rs53576 of OXTR gene show reduced reactivity to high stress (40) and also present deficits in social behavior and in certain cases present autism (39).…”

“…The OXT-OXTR system is necessary for optimal human health. In the recent years, published data showed that genes have an important role in the pathogenesis of T2D (35). Knowledge of polymorphism can be helpful in identifying patients susceptible to T2D disease.…”