RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Nucleus accumbens dopamine release reflects the selective nature of pair bonds
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.11.10.516053
DO 10.1101/2022.11.10.516053
A1 Anne F. Pierce
A1 David S.W. Protter
A1 Gabriel D. Chapel
A1 Ryan T. Cameron
A1 Zoe R. Donaldson
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/11/11/2022.11.10.516053.abstract
AB In monogamous species, prosocial behaviors directed towards partners are dramatically different from those directed towards unknown individuals and potential threats. Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens plays an important role in guiding social behavior, however, its role in real time social decision making in a monogamous species remains largely unknown. We used monogamous prairie voles to investigate how dopamine release differs in voles when seeking and interacting with a pair bonded partner or a novel vole. Employing the sub-second temporal resolution of the fluorescent biosensor, GRABDA, during a social operant task, we found that partner seeking, anticipation, and interaction resulted in more dopamine release than the same events directed towards a novel vole. Furthermore, partner-elicited dopamine release decreases after prolonged partner separation. Thus, differences in partner- and novel-elicited dopamine release reflect the selective nature of pair bonds and may drive the social behaviors that reinforce and cement bonds over time, eroding after partner loss to facilitate new bond formation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.