The magnocellular oxytocin system, the fount of maternity: adaptations in pregnancy

Russell, John A.; Leng, Gareth; Douglas, Alison J.

doi:10.1016/s0091-3022(02)00104-8

Cited by 252 publications

(171 citation statements)

References 305 publications

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“…[17] The expression of oxytocin receptors has been shown not only in the uterine myometrium and mammary glands but also in the endometrium, decidua, ovary, thymus, pancreas, adipocytes, heart kidney, and brain. [18,19] Oxytocin plays a role in successful milk ejection, cardiovascular regulation, analgesic effects, [20] motor activity, [21] thermoregulation, [22] gastric motility, [23] natriuresis, osmoregulation, [24] and sexual behavior. It is well documented that levels of circulating oxytocin increase during sexual stimulation and arousal and peak during orgasm in both men and women.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin in The Prevention of Injury Due to Testicular Torsion/Detorsion in Rats

Fırat¹,

Erdemır²,

Kölükçü³

et al. 2017

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin in The Prevention of Injury Due to Testicular Torsion/Detorsion in Rats

Fırat¹,

Erdemır²,

Kölükçü³

et al. 2017

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg

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“…In brief, oxytocin neurons are relatively quiescent, except at parturition and during lactation when their firing increases dramatically, often in intermittent bursts, and results in pulsatile secretion of high concentrations of oxytocin from the posterior pituitary. This oxytocin release is required for the coordinate uterine contractions that expel the fetus and for subsequent milk ejection during lactation (for review, Russell et al, 2003;Kiss and Mikkelsen, 2005). While published studies examining neurosteroid modulation of GABAergic inputs onto oxytocin neurons have focused on the role of this modulation during parturition and lactation, it is noted that oxytocin also plays an important role in the expression of both male and female sexual and affiliative behaviors (for review, Gimpl and Farhenholz, 2001).…”

Section: Forebrain and Hypothalamic Regions Regulating The Expressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Steroid modulation of GABAA receptor-mediated transmission in the hypothalamus: Effects on reproductive function

Henderson

2007

Neuropharmacology

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The hypothalamus, the seat of neuroendocrine control, is exquisitely sensitive to gonadal steroids. For decades it has been known that androgens, estrogens and progestins, acting through nuclear hormone receptors, elicit both organizational and activational effects in the hypothalamus and basal forebrain that are essential for reproductive function. While changes in gene expression mediated by these classical hormone pathways are paramount in governing both sexual differentiation and the neural control of reproduction, it is also clear that steroids impart critical control of neuroendocrine functions through nongenomic mechanisms. Specifically, endogenous neurosteroid derivatives of deoxycorticosterone, progesterone and testosterone, as well and synthetic anabolic androgenic steroids that are self-administered as drugs of abuse, elicit acute effects via allosteric modulation of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors. GABAergic transmission within the hypothalamus and basal forebrain is a key regulator of pubertal onset, the expression of sexual behaviors, pregnancy and parturition. Summarized here are the known actions of steroid modulators on GABAergic transmission within the hypothalamus/basal forebrain, with a focus on the medial preoptic area and the supraoptic/paraventricular nuclei that are known to be central players in the control of reproduction.

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“…In females, high activity of the brain OT system has been linked to the fine-tuned regulation of parturition and milk letdown (4), to the performance of maternal behaviors (3), and to the low stress response characteristic for the peripartum period (5,6). Importantly, behavioral and physiological actions of intracerebral OT are not limited to females, because OT synthesis, local OT release, and OT receptor binding have also been demonstrated in the male brain (2,7,8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Centrally released oxytocin mediates mating-induced anxiolysis in male rats

Waldherr

Neumann

2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

239

173

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Sexual activity and mating are accompanied by a high level of arousal, whereas anecdotal and experimental evidence demonstrate that sedation and calmness are common phenomena in the postcoital period in humans. These remarkable behavioral consequences of sexual activity contribute to a general feeling of well being, but underlying neurobiological mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that sexual activity and mating with a receptive female reduce the level of anxiety and increase risk-taking behavior in male rats for several hours. The neuropeptide oxytocin has been shown to exert multiple functions in male and female reproduction, and to play a key role in the regulation of emotionality after its peripheral and central release, respectively. In the present study, we reveal that oxytocin is released within the brain, specifically within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, of male rats during mating with a receptive female. Furthermore, blockade of the activated brain oxytocin system by central administration of an oxytocin receptor antagonist immediately after mating prevents the anxiolytic effect of mating, while having no effect in nonmated males. These findings provide direct evidence for an essential role of an activated brain oxytocin system mediating the anxiolytic effect of mating in males.black-white box ͉ elevated plus maze ͉ paraventricular nucleus ͉ risk-taking behavior ͉ anxiety T he neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a well acknowledged neuromodulator/neurotransmitter of the brain regulating emotionality, stress coping, and prosocial behaviors (1-3). In females, high activity of the brain OT system has been linked to the fine-tuned regulation of parturition and milk letdown (4), to the performance of maternal behaviors (3), and to the low stress response characteristic for the peripartum period (5, 6). Importantly, behavioral and physiological actions of intracerebral OT are not limited to females, because OT synthesis, local OT release, and OT receptor binding have also been demonstrated in the male brain (2, 7, 8). A major site of both OT synthesis and release within the brain is the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) (2), a region integrating behavioral and neuroendocrine stress responses (9). In male rats and mice, OT is an important regulator of sexual function (10), of anxiety (11), and of stress-coping circuitries (12)(13)(14). Moreover, in humans, intranasal OT was recently described to promote trust (15), and to reduce the level of anxiety (16), possibly at the level of the amygdala (17). With respect to sexual activity, preclinical (18) and human (19) research has shown elevated OT secretion into the blood during mating behavior and orgasm, respectively. Additionally, increased OT levels have been described in the cerebrospinal fluid after mating in rats (20), which is indicative of stimulation of the OT system (21).In combination, these findings lead us to hypothesize that mating results in reduced anxiety-related behavior, possibly mediated by an elevation in local...

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The magnocellular oxytocin system, the fount of maternity: adaptations in pregnancy

Cited by 252 publications

References 305 publications

Oxytocin in The Prevention of Injury Due to Testicular Torsion/Detorsion in Rats

Oxytocin in The Prevention of Injury Due to Testicular Torsion/Detorsion in Rats

Steroid modulation of GABAA receptor-mediated transmission in the hypothalamus: Effects on reproductive function

Centrally released oxytocin mediates mating-induced anxiolysis in male rats

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