Sensory systems: The yin and yang of cortical oxytocin

Abstract

Female mice can learn to respond to distress calls from young mice — an ability that has now been found to be improved through signalling by the hormone oxytocin in the left auditory cortex of the brain.

Figure 1. From cryto cortex

Ultrasonic distress calls made by young mice act as social cues that elicit a maternal response in femals that have experience of caring for pups. Mernories associated with this cue seem to be linked to neurons in the auditory cortex, part of the neocortex region of the brain. The hormone oxytonic, which is produced in the hypothalamus, can be released in the neocortex. Marlin et al. report that oxytocin can act directly in the left auditory cortex to facilitate the behavioural response to the cries of pups, which are relayed to this brain region through a sound pathway.