Oxytocin and Vasopressin: Genetics and Behavioral Implications

Abstract

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) can profoundly affect animal physiology and behavior. Over the past 20 years, the genes that encode OT and VP, as well as their respective receptors, have been identified and intensively studied leading to a greater understanding of the hormones’ functions. The use of transgenic animals, including knockout mice, and viral vectors have opened new vistas of research on the behavioral roles of OTand VP. In this chapter, we briefly review the history and the evolutionary origins of OTand VP, as well as their structures, regulation, and neuroanatomy. Finally, we highlight recently explored roles for OT and VP in physiology and behavior.