Oxytocin affects emotional behavior by projecting fibers in the brain

axons of large cellular endocrine cells in the hemland directly extend to the pituitary back, the pituitary gland, which forms the helium-neuroploid system.
November 19th, Zhejiang
published online the results of the teamwork between Zhejiang University and Hua zhong University of Science and Technology. The team analyzed the three-dimensional fine structure and central function of the helium-neurodegeneration endocrine system.
Duan Shumin, dean of the School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine at Zhejiang University and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the China Science Journal that the work reveals that oxytocin does not only act as a hormone by releasing it into the outer weeks, but also affects our emotional behavior by projecting it into the emotional control area of the brain.
" healing-pituitary neuroendocrine system in medical textbooks have a classic description, this work through the application of new technology and sophisticated experimental design, so that we have a new understanding of this classic structure. Duan Shumin detailed introduction, through high-resolution whole brain tracking and fine analysis, found that these healing endocrine neurons some protrusions are not directly projected to the pituitary gland, but around the line projected to the brain some emotional regulation of the brain region. Using photogenetic methods to specifically stimulate these bypass projection fibers regulates the social behavior of animals.
There is a special group of neuroendocrine cells in the hemland, which not only retain the discharge properties of neurons, but also release hormones into the blood, act on the outer target organs, and play an important role in regulating the growth and development of the body, metabolic reproduction and internal environmental stability.
, neurons that secrete angiopressin (AVP, also known as anti-diuretic hormone) and oxytocin (OXT) are located primarily in the hyalural cervial nib (PVN) and visual nucleus (SON). Their cytosomes are large, axons are long and are projected directly into the pituitary gland, forming the helium-nerve pituitary system, or large cellular neuroendocrine system.
AVP and OXT released into the blood from the pituitary gland regulate the body's water salt balance, delivery and lactation and other important processes, pharmacological studies in recent years show that AVP and OXT as neuropeptide neuromodulation, in the brain can regulate the body's social, fear and emotion, but endogenous OXT is released into the brain after the outer week, or large cell endocrine neurons (MNCs) directly in the brain release OXT function is not clear. It is expounded that the function and mechanism of endogenous OXT depend on the fine 3D reconstruction of MNCs whole brain projection and the precise targeting of its functional activities.
with these questions, Duan Shumin and Professor Gao Zhihua's team subtly injected the reverse tracer virus into the pituitary bodies of rats, lighting up the entire HNS using the characteristics of the virus's efficient reverse transport along the axis. The team then worked with Professor Yin Hui of Wuhan Photoelectronics National Research Center of Hua zhong University of Science and Technology to image the whole brain of rats using the self-developed fluorescent micro-optical sliced fault imaging (fMOST) technology and completed the high-resolution 3D reconstruction of HNS for the first time.
the study found that in addition to the classic PVN and SON, multiple nuclear groups in the hem brain have AVP and OXT neurons projected into the pituitary glycoplasm, and that some OXT-positive large cells can emit axon side branches (collaterals) projected into the outer regions of the hem of the cortical layer, amygdala, volt kernels, sprites, etc., suggesting that they may release OXT to both the outer and central regions.
To further explore the function of OXT large cells, the researchers constructed OXT-Cre genetically modified rats (which express Cre recombinant enzymes in OXT-positive cells) and injected Cre-dependent, reverse-transmissive chemical genetic viruses into their pituitary glands, using drug induction to specifically manipulate OXT large cells.
study found that activating OXT large cells not only releases OXT through spindle protrusions projected into the pituitary glycopter, increasing the amount of OXT in the outer blood, but also releases OXT through the lateral branches of the brain, promoting social behavior in rats; It is suggested that OXT large cells can release OXT in the outer and central regions, coordinating the steady state and central behavior of the body.
the research was supported by key national research and development projects, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Guangdong Science and Technology Program, the basic research business expenses of central universities and the China Postdoctoral Science Fund. (Source: Cui Xueqin, China Science Daily)
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