Oxytocin and Sensory Network Plasticity

Abstract

An essential characteristic of nervous systems is their capacity to reshape functional connectivity in response to physiological and environmental cues. Endogenous signals, including neuropeptides, governs nervous system plasticity. Particularly, oxytocin has been recognized for its role in mediating activity-dependent circuit changes. These oxytocin-dependent changes occur at the synaptic level and consequently shape the cellular composition of circuits. Here we discuss recent advances that illustrate how oxytocin functions to reshape neural circuitry in response to environmental changes. Excitingly, recent findings pave the way for promising therapeutic applications of oxytocin to treat neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases.

Keywords: disease; oxytocin; plasticity; sensory; synapse.

FIGURE 1

Oxytocin signaling cascades lead to LTP and behavioral changes. OXTRs are G-protein-coupled-receptors that can activate a number of downstream pathways upon ligand binding. Here we highlight two such pathways that drive LTP in the mammalian brain.

FIGURE 2

Oxytocin receptor expression in the brain is functionally specific across species. High Oxtr expression in the visual pathways of primates correlates with the heavy reliance of primates on the visual system. Similarly, birds demonstrate high Oxtr expression in the auditory system, mirroring their heavy reliance on auditory signaling. Finally, mice potently express Oxtr in the olfactory bulb, reflecting their reliance on olfactory cues. Adapted from Grinevich et al. (2016).

FIGURE 3

Neurogenesis is a potent driver of neural plasticity in the brain. Adult born neurogenesis follows a stereotyped developmental pathway. Each step of this pathway is modified by a number of outside factors. Oxytocin potently regulates this process in a number of ways, thus governing cellular plasticity in the brain. The time periods marking the top of each developmental step refer to the time at which these steps occur in mice. The “+” and “−” signs denote the increase or decrease, respectively, of each step (Proliferation, etc.) in the presence of the factor (Oxytocin, etc.) associated with each sign. Adapted from Gage (2019).