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DEVELOPMENT OF A GENETICALLY-ENCODED OXYTOCIN SENSOR TO DEFINE THE ROLE OF OXYTOCIN IN PREDICTING SOCIAL REWARD
| Title: | DEVELOPMENT OF A GENETICALLY-ENCODED OXYTOCIN SENSOR TO DEFINE THE ROLE OF OXYTOCIN IN PREDICTING SOCIAL REWARD. |
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| Name(s): |
Mignocchi, Neymi Layne, author Kwon, Hyung-Bae , Thesis advisor Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor Department of Biological Sciences Charles E. Schmidt College of Science |
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| Type of Resource: | text | |
| Genre: | Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation | |
| Date Created: | 2020 | |
| Date Issued: | 2020 | |
| Publisher: | Florida Atlantic University | |
| Place of Publication: | Boca Raton, Fla. | |
| Physical Form: | online resource | |
| Extent: | 201 p. | |
| Language(s): | English | |
| Abstract/Description: | Oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide synthesized in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, functions to increase the precedence of social stimuli and promote the development of a wide range of social behaviors. However, whether OXT has a predicting role in social reward has yet to be examined. In this study, we developed a genetically encoded, scalable OXT sensor named OXTR-iTango2 and applied this technique to define the role of OXT in learned social behaviors. OXTR-iTango2 enables the combination of light- and ligand- dependent gene expression both in vitro and in vivo neural systems. In order to study the predictive role of OXT during expected socially rewarding experiences, we first conditioned animals to a social environment, and then selectively labeled OXT-sensitive ventral tegmental area dopamine (VTA-DA) neurons when animals encountered a conditioned stimulus that stood to predict a familiar social reward. Recurrent exposure to the same social stimulus normally lowered the degree of social interaction, but this reduced interaction was not observed when OXT-sensitive DA neurons were optogenetically inhibited. Thus, our findings support the notion that OXT plays a role beyond promoting social interactions, leading for a new proposed hypothesis that OXT mediation also leads to active avoidance of mundane social interactions. | |
| Identifier: | FA00013509 (IID) | |
| Degree granted: | Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. | |
| Collection: | FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection | |
| Note(s): | Includes bibliography. | |
| Subject(s): |
Oxytocin Oxytocin--Research Social Behavior Oxytocin--physiology Biosensing Techniques |
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| Held by: | Florida Atlantic University Libraries | |
| Sublocation: | Digital Library | |
| Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013509 | |
| Use and Reproduction: | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder. | |
| Use and Reproduction: | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | |
| Host Institution: | FAU | |
| Is Part of Series: | Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections. |
