Oxytocin receptor activation in the basolateral complex of the amygdala enhances discrimination between discrete cues and promotes configural processing of cues

Oxytocin (OT) is an evolutionarily conserved nonapeptide that is associated with various biological, neural and behavioral effects across a wide range of species (Stoop, 2012). Following synthesis in the hypothalamus, OT is secreted into the periphery via the hypothalamic-hypophyseal pathway, mediating uterine contractions, ovulation and lactation. OT is also secreted centrally into the nervous system, modulating neural activity across various brain regions such as the hippocampus, auditory cortex and amygdala (Terenzi& Ingram, 2005; Knobloch et al., 2012; Marlin et al., 2015; Campbell-Smith et al., 2015; Owen et al., 2013).

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 8, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Justine Fam, Nathan Holmes, Andrew Delaney, James Crane, R. Frederick Westbrook Source Type: research