Effects of systemic oxytocin receptor activation and blockade on risky decision making in female and male rats

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 14, 2024

The neuropeptide oxytocin is traditionally known for its roles in parturition, lactation, and social behavior. Other data, however, show that can modulate behaviors outside of these contexts, including drug self-administration some aspects cost-benefit decision making. Here we used a pharmacological approach to investigate the contributions signaling making under risk explicit punishment. Female male Long-Evans rats were trained on risky decision-making task which they chose between small, "safe" food reward large, "risky" was accompanied by varying probabilities mild footshock. Once stable choice behavior emerged, tested following acute intraperitoneal injections or receptor antagonist L-368,899. Neither affected performance males. In females, both L-368,899 caused dose-dependent reduction preference large reward. Control experiments showed effects could not be accounted alterations motivation shock sensitivity. Together, results reveal sex-dependent effect rats.

Language: Английский

Sex differences in risk/reward decision making

Elsevier eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 706 - 725

Published: May 20, 2024

Language: Английский