Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Animal Models
  • Published:

Neuropeptides and social behavior: animal models relevant to autism

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages S38–S39 (2002)Cite this article

While it is tempting to assume that complex neuropsychiatric disorders involving disturbances in social interactions, social communication, and social cognition, such as autism, can only be properly investigated in humans, even a disorder of primarily social and higher cognitive processes is accompanied by certain features amenable to investigation in non-human species. The investigation of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying normal social behavior in animal models may provide insights into the neuropathology of these disorders. Here we present studies on two animal models that suggest that the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin play an important role in the regulation of affiliation, social attachment and social recognition. Based on these studies, both neuropeptides and their respective receptors should be considered candidates contributing to the behavioral phenotypes associated with autism.

Microtine rodents, or voles, offer an excellent model for investigating the neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms regulating affiliation and social attachment.1 The social structures of voles vary greatly across species. For example, prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are highly social and form long lasting pair bonds after mating. In contrast, montane vole (M. montanus) are relatively asocial, and do not form pair bonds. The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) play a critical role in regulating the social behavior of prairie voles. Central infusion of OT in female prairie voles during cohabitation with a male facilitates the formation of a partner preference.2 While OT promotes pairbonding in females, AVP plays a similar role in male prairie voles. AVP facilitates, and a selective AVP receptor antagonist prevents partner preference formation.3

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Insel TR, Young LJ . Nature Neurosci 2001 3: 129–136

  2. Williams JR et al. J Neuroendocrinol 1994 6: 247–250

  3. Winslow J et al. Nature 1993 365: 545–548

  4. Young LJ et al. Horm Behav 2001 40: 133–138

  5. Pitkow LJ et al. J Neurosci 2001 21: 7392–7396

  6. Young LJ et al. Nature 1999 400: 766–786

  7. Ferguson JN et al. Nature Genet 2000 25: 284–288

  8. Ferguson JN et al. J Neurosci 2001 21: 8278–8285

  9. Adolphs R et al. Nature 1994 372: 669–672

  10. Critchley HD et al. Brain 2000 123: 2203–2212

  11. Schultz RT et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000 57: 331–340

  12. Baron-Cohen S et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2000 24: 355–364

  13. Modahl C et al. Biol Psychiatry 1998 43: 270–277

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    L J Young, L J Pitkow & J N Ferguson

Authors
  1. L J Young
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L J Pitkow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J N Ferguson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L J Young.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Young, L., Pitkow, L. & Ferguson, J. Neuropeptides and social behavior: animal models relevant to autism. Mol Psychiatry 7 (Suppl 2), S38–S39 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001175

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001175

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links