Image: Immunostaining showing oxytocin expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

 

PROJECT: The hypothalamic neuropeptide called oxytocin (OXT) receives increasing interest due to its impact on social behaviors. Expression of OXT receptors is particularly enriched in the piriform cortex, one of the primary processing centers for social chemosignals in the mouse brain. Given that OXT facilitates social recognition memory, we hypothesize that OXT shapes piriform circuits function to shapes social interactions both between adults and during (allo)parental behaviors.