We are thrilled to welcome Brian Trainor from UC Davis for our next seminar on Tuesday, November 12th at 4pm in Biology 136. Dr. Trainor will present his findings on “Effects of Social Stress on Oxytocin Neurons and Behavior in Male and Female California Mice”. Mark your calendars and be sure to stop by for another great seminar! Snacks and drinks will be provided.
Abstract:
“Social anxiety disorder (or social phobia) is the most common form of anxiety disorder in the United States. Affected individuals avoid social contexts, which disrupts social relationships and impairs performance at school or work. New treatment approaches are needed because ~40% of affected individuals who seek existing treatments do not respond. Oxytocin is a well-known modulator of social behaviors and has been put forth as a possible therapeutic. In some studies using human participants, intranasal oxytocin enhances social approach related behaviors. However, other studies (especially in women) report that intranasal oxytocin increases social anxiety. How can the same neuropeptide exert such different effects on behavior? Studying California mice, we found that oxytocin acting within the mesolimbic dopamine system drives social approach while oxytocin acting in the extended amygdala drives social avoidance. I will present new data on how social stress alters the reactivity of different populations of oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus, which may help explain sex differences in behavioral responses to social stress.”
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Looking forward to seeing you there!
