Developmental Exposure to Oxytocin--Animal Models

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The purpose of the project is to examine the short-term and long-term consequence of developmental exposure of oxytocin (OT). The time parameters, doses and specificity of OT will be examined, in experiments that will be used to define animal models for the more fine-grained analyses of Projects II-IV. Animals from this project will be used in Project IV in an analysis of cFos changes as an immediate result of treatment with OT during development. Basic functions, including patterns of growth, reproduction and basal endocrine parameters will be examined in rats and voles. The behaviors and endocrine measures to be studied are functions which have been shown to be sensitive to OT in adulthood. Among the behaviors to be measured are birth, maternal behavior and mating and natural estrus, along with pain thresholds. Among the endocrine parameters to be measured are steroid and peptide hormones (including OT and AVP). We also will examine the growth patterns of these animals and metabolic hormones including CCK, insulin, as well as glucose.