Electrically Evoked Dopamine Release in Virgin and Postpartum Rats: Lack of Modulation by Nasal Oxytocin
Public Deposited- Last Modified
- February 26, 2019
- Creator
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Mace, Kyla
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
- Abstract
- The oxytocin (OT) and dopamine (DA) systems are highly intertwined and have been implicated in a number of similar behaviors, particularly social, sexual, and maternal behaviors. However, the direct pharmacological effect of OT administration on the DA system is yet to be determined. Additionally, although nasal OT is the primary route of administration in human research, it is rarely used in animal studies, with researchers often relying on other routes for systemic OT administration (e.g., intraperitoneal injection). The present study aims to fill this gap in the literature by examining the effect of nasal OT on the DA system using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. Specifically, stimulated DA release in the nucleus accumbens was measured before and after nasal OT administration in female rats. Because the peripartum period is rife with neuroendocrine changes, both virgin and postpartum animals were used to examine how pregnancy affects OT-DA interactions. However, no effect of OT was found, which is inconsistent with past research and suggests an indirect mechanism by which OT affects DA and DA-driven behaviors. Parity status was found to have a significant effect on baseline levels of evoked DA release, with postpartum animals showing larger concentrations of DA compared to virgin females. This corroborates past studies finding alterations in the DAergic system following pregnancy.
- Date of publication
- spring 2016
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- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Note
- Funding: Tom and Elizabeth Long Excellence Fund for Honors
- Advisor
- Robinson, Donita
- Degree
- Bachelor of Arts
- Honors level
- Highest Honors
- Degree granting institution
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Extent
- 31
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