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Jurek, Benjamin ; Meyer, Magdalena

Anxiolytic and Anxiogenic? How the Transcription Factor MEF2 Might Explain the Manifold Behavioral Effects of Oxytocin

Article

Jurek, Benjamin and Meyer, Magdalena (2020) Anxiolytic and Anxiogenic? How the Transcription Factor MEF2 Might Explain the Manifold Behavioral Effects of Oxytocin. Frontiers in Endocrinology 11 (186), pp. 1-7.

DOI to cite this document: 10.5283/epub.43193


Abstract

The neuromodulator oxytocin, since its first synthesis by du Vigneaud in 1953, has mainly been associated with beneficial physiological effects, as well as positive social and emotional behaviors. This overall positive picture of oxytocin as the "love-, cuddle-, or bonding-hormone" has repeatedly been challenged since then. Oxytocin-induced effects that would be perceived as negative by the ...

The neuromodulator oxytocin, since its first synthesis by du Vigneaud in 1953, has mainly been associated with beneficial physiological effects, as well as positive social and emotional behaviors. This overall positive picture of oxytocin as the "love-, cuddle-, or bonding-hormone" has repeatedly been challenged since then. Oxytocin-induced effects that would be perceived as negative by the individual, such as increased anxiety or potentiation of stress-induced ACTH release, as well as the regulation of negative approach-related emotions, such as envy and schadenfreude (gloating) have been described. The general consent is that oxytocin, instead of acting unidirectional, induces changes in the salience network to shift the emphasis of emotional contexts, and therefore can, e.g., produce both anxiolytic as well as anxiogenic behavioral outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms leading to alterations in the salience network are still unclear. With the aim to understand the manifold effects of oxytocin on a cellular/molecular level, a set of oxytocin receptor-coupled signaling cascades and downstream effectors regulating transcription and translation has been identified. Those oxytocin-driven effectors, such as MEF2 and CREB, are known modulators of the neuronal and glial cytoarchitecture. We hypothesize that, by determining cellular morphology and connectivity, MEF2 is one of the key factors that might contribute to the diverse behavioral effects of oxytocin.



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Details

Item typeArticle
Journal or Publication TitleFrontiers in Endocrinology
PublisherFrontiers
Open Access TypeGold (with APC)
Place of PublicationLAUSANNE
Volume11
Number of Issue or Book Chapter186
Page Rangepp. 1-7
Date8 April 2020
Date of publication14 May 2020 09:33
InstitutionsBiology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Zoologie > Tierphysiologie/Neurobiologie (Prof. Dr. Inga Neumann)
Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Zoologie > Tierphysiologie/Neurobiologie (Prof. Dr. Inga Neumann)
Identification Number
ValueType
10.3389/fendo.2020.00186DOI
KeywordsBRAIN OXYTOCIN; NEURONAL-ACTIVITY; PLASMA OXYTOCIN; TRPC6 CHANNELS; AUTISM; RECEPTOR; ANXIETY; RELEASE; VASOPRESSIN; PLASTICITY; oxytocin; salience; MEF2; anxiety; stress; cellular morphology
Dewey Decimal Classification500 Science > 570 Life sciences
500 Science > 590 Zoological sciences
StatusPublished
RefereedYes, this version has been refereed
Created at the University of RegensburgYes
URN of the UB Regensburgurn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-431932
Item ID43193

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