Affiliative behavior attenuates stress responses of GI tract via up-regulating hypothalamic oxytocin expression. Auton Neurosci 2012 Jul 02;169(1):28-33
Date
04/03/2012Pubmed ID
22464293DOI
10.1016/j.autneu.2012.03.001Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84862791136 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 11 CitationsAbstract
Hypothalamic oxytocin (OXT) has stress-attenuating effects. Social interaction in a positive environment continuously activates OXT release system. We have recently shown that pair housing restores delayed gastric emptying following chronic heterotypic stress, via up-regulation of OXT mRNA expression in rats. We tested the hypothesis that affiliative behavior attenuates stress responses via upregulating OXT expression. Adult male SD rats were divided into two groups: the rat with a stressed partner (RSP) and the rat with a non-stressed partner (RNSP). RSPs were pair housed with a partner that received different types of stress for 7 consecutive days (chronic heterotypic stress). RNSPs were pair housed with a partner who did not receive any stress. After each stress loading, the rats were returned to their home cages and the behaviors of RSPs and RNSPs toward their partners were videotaped. After the study completion, RSPs and RNSPs were loaded with acute restraint stress. Then, gastric emptying and colonic transit were measured. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and OXT expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were evaluated by real time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The time of affiliative behaviors toward their partners was increased in RSPs, compared to that of RNSPs. Delayed gastric emptying and accelerated colonic transit induced by acute restraint stress were significantly attenuated in RSPs, compared to RNSPs. CRF expression was reduced, while OXT expression was increased in RSPs in response to acute stress, compared to controls. It is suggested that affiliative behaviors may upregulate hypothalamic OXT expression, which in turn attenuates stress responses.
Author List
Babygirija R, Cerjak D, Yoshimoto S, Gribovskaja-Rupp I, Bülbül M, Ludwig K, Takahashi TAuthor
Kirk A. Ludwig MD Chief, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsBehavior, Animal
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone
Down-Regulation
Gastric Emptying
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Gastrointestinal Tract
Gastrointestinal Transit
Immunohistochemistry
Male
Oxytocin
Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus
RNA, Messenger
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Restraint, Physical
Social Behavior
Stress, Physiological
Stress, Psychological
Up-Regulation
