Oxytocin increases the social salience of the outgroup in potential threat contexts

Egito, Júlia Horta Tabosa do; Nevat, Michael; Shamay‐Tsoory, Simone G.; Osório, Ana Alexandra Caldas

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104733

Cited by 28 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Another possible interpretation for the discrepancy between the results of the previous studies and the present study may focus on another function of oxytocin: making individuals more sensitive to out-group threats (Shamay-Tsoory and Abu-Akel, 2016;Egito et al, 2020) and encouraging defensive behaviors such as out-group derogations (De Dreu et al, 2011;Zhang et al, 2019). A recent review argued that oxytocin regulates the salience of social cues such as out-group threats (Shamay-Tsoory and Abu-Akel, 2016).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 85%

“…A recent review argued that oxytocin regulates the salience of social cues such as out-group threats (Shamay-Tsoory and Abu-Akel, 2016). In line with this review, an experimental study showed that individuals who were administered oxytocin were able to judge more accurately the hostility of the outgroup members (e.g., armed or non-armed) but not of the ingroup members (Egito et al, 2020). Moreover, oxytocin promotes defensive behaviors against out-group threats (De Dreu et al, 2011;Zhang et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

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Salivary Oxytocin Is Negatively Associated With Religious Faith in Japanese Non-Abrahamic People

et al. 2021

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Spirituality and religiosity have a significant impact on one's well-being. Although previous studies have indicated that the neuropeptide hormone oxytocin is associated with spirituality/religiosity, existing findings remain inconsistent. Some studies have reported a positive relationship between oxytocin and spirituality/religiosity, while other studies have reported a negative association. Herein, we examined the association between endogenous oxytocin and spirituality/religiosity in 200 non-Abrahamic Japanese individuals (102 females, mean age ± standard deviation = 41.53 ± 10.46) by measuring the level of salivary oxytocin and spiritual/religious faith. We found that the level of salivary oxytocin was negatively associated with spiritual/religious faith. Individuals with higher levels of salivary oxytocin tend to have more negative spiritual/religious faith compared with those with low oxytocin levels (e.g., “Spirituality/religiosity makes people passive and clinging.”). Moreover, this tendency was only significant in individuals who were not interested in a specific religion. The uniqueness of spirituality/religiosity in Japan could help interpret the current findings.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Salivary Oxytocin Is Negatively Associated With Religious Faith in Japanese Non-Abrahamic People

et al. 2021

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“…We found support for this hypothesis as all mothers produced more simple sweep USVs per second during both the habituation phase and reunion phase when mothers had access to multisensory pup experience (including touch). In support of the social salience theory (Shamay-Tsoory & Abu-Akel, 2016;Kemp & Guastella, 2010;Egito et al, 2020;Bartz et al, 2011;Ramsey et al, 2019), IN OXT amplified the effect of the multisensory experience, leading to an increase above and beyond the control increase in the habituation phase (and a trend in reunion phase). To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting context-dependent IN OXT-moderated changes in USV production that were associated with physical access to a social stimulus (review by Marler & Monari, 2020).…”

Section: Fig 4 Correlations Between Maternal Simple Sweep Usvs and mentioning

confidence: 97%

An acute dose of intranasal oxytocin rapidly increases maternal communication and maintains maternal care in primiparous postpartum California mice

Guoynes

Marler

2020

Preprint

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Maternal-offspring communication and care are essential for offspring survival. Oxytocin (OXT) is known for its role in initiation of maternal care, but whether OXT can rapidly influence maternal behavior or ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs; above 50 kHz) has not been examined. To test for rapid effects of OXT, California mouse mothers were administered an acute intranasal (IN) dose of OXT (0.8 IU/kg) followed by a separation test with three phases: habituation with pups in a new testing chamber, separation via a wire mesh, and finally reunion with pups. We measured maternal care, maternal USVs, and pup USVs. In mothers, we primarily observed simple sweep USVs, a short downward sweeping call around 50 kHz, and in pups we only observed pup whines, a long call with multiple harmonics ranging from 20 kHz to 50 kHz. We found that IN OXT rapidly and selectively enhanced the normal increase in maternal simple sweep USVs when mothers had physical access to pups (habituation and reunion), but not when mothers were physically separated from pups. Maternal-pup USVs were correlated upon reunion, but IN OXT did not influence this correlation. Finally, mothers given IN OXT showed a more positive change in retrievals/carrying and greater total maternal care upon reunion. Behavioral changes were specific to maternal behaviors (e.g. retrievals) as mothers given IN OXT did not differ from controls in stress-related behaviors (e.g. freezing). Overall, these findings highlight the rapid effects and context-dependent effect a single dose of IN OXT has on both maternal USV production and offspring care.

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“…Endogenous hormone and neuropeptide levels are important for biobehavioral feedback and to help animals respond appropriately to various social interactions. Oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide hormone, is a neuromodulator that may be important for weighing social salience and determining appropriate behavioral response to social stimuli (Shamay-Tsoory & Abu-Akel, 2016; Parr et al, 2018; Yao et al, 2018; Johnson et al, 2017; Egito et al, 2020). Previous studies on OXT show its significant effects on prosocial affiliative behaviors such as trust, social bonding, social recognition, and anxiolytic behavior in both human and animal models (Theodoridou et al, 2009; Kosfeld et al, 2005; Ring et al, 2006; Bales et al, 2003; Blocker et al, 2015; Guestella et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intranasal oxytocin reduces pre-courtship aggression and increases paternal response in California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

Guoynes

2021

Preprint

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Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide that can facilitate prosocial behavior and decrease social stress and anxiety. We investigated whether acute pulses of intranasal (IN) OXT influenced social behavior during social challenges that are likely to occur throughout the lifespan of a wild mouse. To test this, we examined the acute effects of IN OXT in the male California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), a monogamous, biparental, and territorial rodent, using a within-subjects longitudinal design. Social challenges included a pre-courtship male-female encounter conducted during the initial aggressive and not the following affiliative phase of courtship, same-sex resident intruder test, and parental care test, with each test and dose separated by at least two weeks. Males were treated with intranasal infusions of 0.8 IU/kg OXT or saline controls 5-min before each behavioral test, receiving a total of three treatments of either IN OXT or saline control. We predicted that IN OXT would 1) decrease aggression and increase affiliation during the pre-courtship aggression phase, 2) increase aggression during resident intruder paradigms and 3) increase paternal care and vocalizations during a paternal care test. As predicted, during pre-courtship aggression with a novel female, IN OXT males displayed less contact aggression than control males, although with no change in affiliative behavior. However, post-pairing, during the resident intruder test, IN OXT males did not differ from control males in contact aggression. During the paternal care test, IN OXT males were quicker to approach their pups than control males but did not differ in vocalizations produced, unlike our previous research demonstrating an effect on vocalizations in females. In summary, during pre-courtship aggression and the paternal care test, IN OXT promoted prosocial approach; however, during the resident intruder test IN OXT did not alter social approach. These data suggest that IN OXT promotes prosocial approach specifically in social contexts that can lead to affiliation.

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Oxytocin increases the social salience of the outgroup in potential threat contexts

Cited by 28 publications

References 29 publications

Salivary Oxytocin Is Negatively Associated With Religious Faith in Japanese Non-Abrahamic People

Salivary Oxytocin Is Negatively Associated With Religious Faith in Japanese Non-Abrahamic People

An acute dose of intranasal oxytocin rapidly increases maternal communication and maintains maternal care in primiparous postpartum California mice

Intranasal oxytocin reduces pre-courtship aggression and increases paternal response in California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

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