Neuroanatomical distribution of oxytocin receptor binding in the female rabbit forebrain: Variations across the reproductive cycle

Jiménez, Angeles; Young, Larry J.; Río, Rodrigo Triana-Del; LaPrairie, Jamie L.; González‐Mariscal, Gabriela

doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2015.10.043

Cited by 23 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Additionally, several neurochemicals play a major role in nursing. In the rat, suckling by the pups releases oxytocin (OT) into the brain (Uvn€ as-Moberg, 1998), and it was recently reported that some regions critical for MB in the rabbit such as the POA, LS and PFC express a high number of OT receptors whose density changes across reproductive stages (Jimenez et al, 2015). Moreover, after parturition, there is an increase of OT expression in the POA and paraventricular nucleus as well as in their projections to the VTA (Shahrokh et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dopaminergic activation anticipates daily nursing in the rabbit

Aguirre

Meza

Caba

2017

Eur J of Neuroscience

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Maternal care is a motivated behavior and in the rabbit it is restricted to the spontaneous return of the mother to nurse her pups for just a few minutes once a day. Previously we have reported neural activation of brain areas and neuroendocrine cells after nursing. However, this daily spontaneous return suggests that the mother is in a high motivational state to nurse her pups. Here we hypothesized that during anticipation of nursing there is an activation of dopaminergic neurons of the mesolimbic system and in their target areas. Then we explored, by the expression of FOS protein, possible activation of the mesolimbic system as well as dopaminergic cells of the A10 cell group before and after nursing and in control does. Additionally, we measured FOS expression in the preoptic area and lateral septum. We found a significant increase of FOS before nursing, and a further increase after nursing, in the mesolimbic system and dopaminergic cells as well as in the preoptic area and lateral septum. Interestingly, the medial prefrontal area shows an intense activation during anticipation of nursing, which remains after nursing. We conclude that the activation of the mesolimbic system before nursing is related to the high locomotor behavior prior to the next nursing bout and support the proposal that the mother is in a high motivational state at the time of returning to the nest. The additional activation after nursing can be related to the neuroendocrine and neural consequences of the milk ejection reflex by suckling.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dopaminergic activation anticipates daily nursing in the rabbit

Aguirre

Meza

Caba

2017

Eur J of Neuroscience

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“…This evidence agrees with our proposal (González‐Mariscal et al ., ) that suckling could be a non‐photic zeitgeber in rabbits. Indeed, we recently identified OT receptors in the female rabbit forebrain (Jiménez et al ., ), but the relevance of OT actions for regulating specific aspects of rabbit maternal behavior warrants a pharmacological approach. A caveat of the present results is that we ignore the phenotype of neurons that were destroyed by kainic acid, and the PVN is known to contain several peptides in addition to OT (Sofroniew, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bilateral lesions of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus disrupt nursing behavior in rabbits

Domínguez

Aguilar‐Roblero

González‐Mariscal

2017

Eur J of Neuroscience

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Doe rabbits nurse the litter only once a day, for around 3 min, with circa 24-h periodicity. To explore the participation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in regulating this behavior, we lesioned it bilaterally with kainic acid on lactation day 7. Bilateral lesions, comprising less than 50% of the total PVN volume, abolished nursing behavior (4/8 does) or severely disrupted its normal periodicity (4/8 does). In the latter case, duration of nursing bouts was normal. Body weight, food and water intake were not significantly affected by bilateral PVN lesions. Unilateral lesions of the PVN or lesions located outside this nucleus did not significantly alter nursing periodicity or any other behavioral parameter. Results indicate an important role of the PVN for (i) maintaining maternal behavior, and (ii) the periodic display of nursing across lactation in rabbits.

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“…Moreover, suckling a five‐kit litter increases the number of c‐Fos‐IR cells in the PVN and SON and bilateral lesions to the PVN abolish nursing or disrupt its circadian periodicity . Furthermore, OT receptors are present in specific structures of the rabbit forebrain . Some of those regions (eg, lateral septum [LS], prefrontal cortex, and medial preoptic area [mPOA]) regulate particular aspects of rabbit maternal behaviour.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8 Furthermore, OT receptors are present in specific structures of the rabbit forebrain. 9 Some of those regions (eg, lateral septum [LS] 10 , prefrontal cortex, 11 and medial preoptic area [mPOA] 12 ) regulate particular aspects of rabbit maternal behaviour.…”

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confidence: 99%

Maternal responsiveness to suckling is modulated by time post‐nursing: A behavioural and c‐Fos/oxytocin immunocytochemistry study in rabbits

Jiménez

González‐Mariscal

2019

J Neuroendocrinology

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Doe rabbits nurse once/day for approximately 3 minutes, with circadian periodicity, inside the nest box. The amount of suckling received at each bout regulates this behaviour because reducing the litter size to four kits or less disrupts nursing circadian periodicity and increases suckling bout duration. Additionally, the likelihood that does will nurse kits at a given time of day depends on the time elapsed since the last suckling episode and the litter size nursed then. We hypothesised that the time elapsed since the last nursing would impact the number of c‐Fos immunoreactive (IR) cells observed after suckling five kits and also that observed before the next nursing (“no kits”). Suckling significantly increased, relative to “no kits”, the number of c‐Fos‐IR cells in the medial preoptic area and lateral septum but not in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), suprachiasmatic nucleus or ventromedial hypothalamus in does nursing at 18 or 24 hours after the previous bout. No effects of suckling were observed in mothers nursing at 6 hours. Does given kits at 3 hours post last suckling refused to nurse but, in the remaining three groups, all does nursed normally. At “no kits”, more c‐Fos‐IR cells were seen (in all regions except the BNST) in does given kits at 24 hours after the last nursing and killed 1 hour later (ie, 4 hours after lights on) than in those killed earlier. The percentage of oxytocinergic (OT) cells co‐expressing c‐Fos was not modified by nursing in the paraventricular or supraoptic nuclei but, in the latter, the largest number of total OT‐IR cells occurred at 18 and 24 hours post‐last nursing. In conclusion, the responsiveness of particular forebrain regions involved in regulating circadian rhythms, lactation, and maternal behaviour is modulated by suckling and time of day.

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Neuroanatomical distribution of oxytocin receptor binding in the female rabbit forebrain: Variations across the reproductive cycle

Cited by 23 publications

References 70 publications

Dopaminergic activation anticipates daily nursing in the rabbit

Dopaminergic activation anticipates daily nursing in the rabbit

Bilateral lesions of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus disrupt nursing behavior in rabbits

Maternal responsiveness to suckling is modulated by time post‐nursing: A behavioural and c‐Fos/oxytocin immunocytochemistry study in rabbits

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