Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition

项目摘要 催产素（OT）系统可能是增强社会认知的最可行的神经生物学靶点， 社会功能受损的精神障碍，包括自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）。在动物中， OT增强神经对社会线索的反应，从而促进社会识别，依恋和 奖励在ASD患者中，鼻内OT增强了大脑奖励系统对社会刺激的反应， 凝视他人的眼睛，并改善社会互惠。鼻内OT作为社会性疾病治疗的疗效 精神障碍是有限的穷人进入大脑。为了告知未来的翻译应用，我们的目标是 更好地理解OT影响社会信息处理的确切机制 在内在或外在奖励的背景下。社会学习涉及社会信息处理的背景 奖励，是最重要的规范社会技能的发展，和OT在这一过程中的作用是一个核心 中心的主题。我们将维持一个高度协调的跨学科研究计划， 一个杰出的调查团队，以测试这一假设，即OT促进社会学习，通过加强流动 神经网络中涉及显著性和奖励的信息。项目科学家将使用尖端技术 技术来操纵OT信号在特定的电路在社会参与，以了解如何OT 影响社交相关的神经交流项目1将检查药理学诱发的 一夫一妻制草原社会性突显脑网络中社会性遭遇期间内源性OT释放 具有高或低密度OT受体的田鼠。项目2将同时进行电生理检查 记录在三个大脑区域，处理社会信息和奖励在社会债券的形成， 草原田鼠电路的光遗传学操作将被用来测试OT之间的因果关系， 依赖性神经活动和社会依恋。项目3将分析光遗传学刺激的影响 OT释放和有针对性的基因突变对大鼠在社会学习背景下的神经通信的影响 范例使用外部的验证器。将检查OT和胆碱能系统的潜在相互作用。 项目4将记录恒河猴在局部注射OT后这些相同脑区的神经活动 同时执行基于外部奖励的社会歧视视觉任务。生物分析核心将提供至关重要的 为研究项目提供组织学、基因分型和神经分子表型服务。行政 核心将管理所有中心相关活动（研讨会系列，会议，试点项目赠款），提供统计数据， 咨询和协调中心人员的外联和培训活动，加强现有的 与众多组织建立关系并建立新的关系。因此，该中心将创造一个充满活力的 合作研究，培训和推广环境，将对心理健康产生全国性影响 research.中心教师收集的数据将具有重要的翻译意义， 治疗精神疾病中社会缺陷的策略。

PROJECT SUMMARY The oxytocin (OT) system is perhaps the most viable neurobiological target for enhancing social cognition in psychiatric disorders with compromised social function, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In animals, OT enhances neural responsiveness to social cues, thereby facilitating social recognition, attachment and reward. In humans with ASD, intranasal OT enhances brain reward system responses to social stimuli, increases gaze to the eyes of others, and improves social reciprocity. The efficacy of intranasal OT as a therapy for social disorders is limited by poor penetrance into the brain. In order to inform future translational applications, our goal is to gain a better understanding of the precise mechanisms by which OT influence social information processing in the context of intrinsic or extrinsic reward. Social learning involves social information processing in the context of reward and is paramount to normative social skill development, and the role of OT in this process is a central theme of the Center. We will sustain a highly coordinated, interdisciplinary research program involving an outstanding team of investigators to test the hypothesis that OT facilitates social learning by enhancing the flow of information across neural networks involved in salience and reward. Project scientists will use cutting-edge techniques to manipulate OT signaling in specific circuits during social engagement to understand how OT influences socially relevant neural communication. Project 1 will examine the effect of pharmacologically-evoked endogenous OT release during a social encounter on a social salience brain network in monogamous prairie voles that have high or low densities of OT receptors. Project 2 will perform simultaneous electrophysiological recordings in three brain regions that process social information and reward during social bond formation in prairie voles. Optogenetic manipulations of the circuit will be used to test causal relationships between OT- dependent neural activity and social attachment. Project 3 will analyze the influence of optogenetic stimulation of OT release and targeted genetic mutations on neural communication in rats in the context of a social learning paradigm using extrinsic reinforcers. A potential interaction of OT and cholinergic systems will be examined. Project 4 will record neural activity in these same brain regions following local OT infusion in rhesus macaques while performing an extrinsic reward-based social discrimination visual task. A Bioanalytic Core will provide vital histological, genotyping and neural molecular phenotyping services for the research Projects. An Administrative Core will manage all Center related activities (seminar series, meetings, Pilot Project grants), provide statistical consultation and coordinate outreach and training activities of Center personnel by strengthening existing relationships and forging new ones with numerous organizations. As a result, the Center will create a vibrant collaborative research, training and outreach environment that will have a national impact on mental health research. The data collected by Center faculty will have important translational implications that will inform novel strategies for treating social deficits in psychiatric disorders.