The role of oxytocin on peaceful associations and sociality in mammals

Abstract

There is currently substantial evidence indicating that oxytocin, a hypothalamus neuropeptide, modulates many forms of social behaviour and cognition in both human and non-human animals. The vast majority of animal research, however, has concentrated on maternal attachment and reproductive pair-bonds. In order to understand the neurochemical foundations of peaceful associations and sociality, oxytocin’s contribution to other types of social bonds, as well as to individual variation in sociality, should also be explored. Here, we summarise the most current studies that have investigated oxytocin’s role in regulating stable peaceful associations not directly related to mating. We also provide an overview on oxytocin’s role in support of specific social structures, and propose a novel research approach to evaluate the relationship between individual variation in social tendencies and variation in the oxytociergic system. We conclude by discussing avenues of future investigation in the biological substrates of sociality

Nasal Oxytocin Treatment Biases Dogs’ Visual Attention and Emotional Response toward Positive Human Facial Expressions

“…Intranasal administration of oxytocin modulates different aspects of social cognitive functioning in social mammals, including humans ( Campbell, 2010 ; Romero et al, 2016 ). The behavioral effects of oxytocin are also increasingly evidenced in domestic dogs ( Romero et al, 2014 ; Hernádi et al, 2015 ; Kis et al, 2015 ; Nagasawa et al, 2015 ; Oliva et al, 2015 ), an important model animal for studying the evolutionary emergence of human social cognition ( Topál et al, 2009 ).…”

“…The fear-attenuating effect of oxytocin, however, may reduce this response and allows more flexible processing of positive stimuli ( Kirsch et al, 2005 ; Guastella et al, 2008a , b ; Bartz et al, 2011 ; Ebitz et al, 2013 ; Parr et al, 2013 ; Theodoridou et al, 2013 ; Kim et al, 2014 ). Furthermore, oxytocin increases trustworthy and approach behavior ( Bartz et al, 2011 ; Romero et al, 2014 , 2016 ; Shamay-Tsoory and Abu-Akel, 2016 ), which may have increased the dogs’ willingness to look at the smiling eyes as well.…”

“…The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin plays a significant role in the regulation of a variety of social behaviors in both humans and other mammals. Oxytocin is known especially as an “affection hormone” facilitating parental care and pair-bonding, but it can also affect other social behaviors, such as social approach, trust, cooperation and empathy (reviewed in Campbell, 2010 ; Bartz et al, 2011 ; Romero et al, 2016 ; Shamay-Tsoory and Abu-Akel, 2016 ). The influence of oxytocin on complex social behavior is likely based on its modulating effects on rudimentary social processing, as the perception of social cues and encoding emotional information ( Bartz et al, 2011 ; Ellenbogen et al, 2012 ).…”

“…It is increasingly accepted that oxytocin selectively amplifies social approach and inhibits social vigilance in both humans and non-human animals (e.g., Guastella et al, 2008a ; Domes et al, 2012 ; Ebitz et al, 2013 ; Theodoridou et al, 2013 ; Romero et al, 2016 ), and in this study, we aimed to assess the validity of this assumption in the case of domestic dogs. In a placebo-controlled, within-subjects design, dogs after having received either oxytocin or a placebo (saline) treatment were presented with pictures of unfamiliar male human faces displaying either positive or negative emotional expressions.…”

Diversité des relations affiliatives chez les ovins en situation d’élevage : mécanismes comportementaux et neurobiologiques

“…Les mécanismes par lesquels la SVC est à l'origine des réponses maternelles sont issus, tout comme pour la parturition, d'une augmentation des taux d'ocytocine (OT) dans le liquide céphalorachidien (Kendrick et al 1986. Or, au vu de ce qui a été observé chez d'autres espèces, l'OT est un acteur neurophysiologique clé dans l'émergence du comportement maternel (Kendrick 2000) et de la construction des relations sociales (Romero et al 2016). Ainsi, l'injection intra-cérébroventriculaire (i.c.v.)…”