ACUTE OXYTOCIN ADMINISTRATION AVOID ANXIETY LIKE BEHAVIOR IN MALE AND FEMALE MICE

Abstract

Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter and hormone with a well-established role in prosocial behaviors in animals and humans. It is currently being tested in clinical trials for the treatment of social symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorders. However, the behavioral effects of oxytocin treatment in humans have been variable with both prosocial (increased empathy) and antisocial (increased competitiveness) behaviors. Previous studies in our lab have shown increased anxiety-like behaviors in mice treated chronically with oxytocin (12 ug dose per day for 14 consecutive days, data unpublished). The current study aims to see the effect of acute oxytocin administration on anxiety and social behavior in male and female mice to determine if the schedule of oxytocin administration affects behavioral outcomes. Adult C57BL/6J mice will be acutely pretreated with saline or oxytocin (12 μg) via intranasal (i.n.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration an hour before the behavior tests. Mice completed a battery of behavioral tests including the elevated plus maze (EPM), three-chamber sociability task (3C), and free dyadic social interaction (FDSI) after drug administration to determine changes in social behavior and anxiety-like behavior. Human coders coded anxiety-like behaviors, social preference, and social novelty. With acute oxytocin administration, sociability increase as measured by the 3C and FDSI tasks while avoiding increases in anxiety-like behaviors, as measured by the EPM task, associated with chronic administration. Understanding the effects of acute oxytocin administration on anxiety in mice might lead to the development of new treatments for anxiety disorders in humans.