Fig. 2: Oxytocin receptor activation in the central amygdala (CeA) is required for the immediate and maintained fear-reducing effects of social buffering, and is sufficient for inducing immediate but not maintained reduction of fear. | Nature Communications

Fig. 2: Oxytocin receptor activation in the central amygdala (CeA) is required for the immediate and maintained fear-reducing effects of social buffering, and is sufficient for inducing immediate but not maintained reduction of fear.

From: Social buffering in rats reduces fear by oxytocin triggering sustained changes in central amygdala neuronal activity

Fig. 2: Oxytocin receptor activation in the central amygdala (CeA) is required for the immediate and maintained fear-reducing effects of social buffering, and is sufficient for inducing immediate but not maintained reduction of fear.The alt text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a, b Effects of bilateral injection of vehicle or oxytocin receptor antagonist OTA (21 ng/side/0.3 µl) in the CeA (central amygdala) 10–15 min (a) before exposure to “conditioned stimulus” CS1 in the presence of companion rat—on the acute (Day 2, SBF + OTA “Oxytocin antagonist”, n = 7 or vehicle, n = 5, F(3,20) = 14.12; p < 0.001) and retention of SBF (Retention of SBF + OTA or vehicle, F(5,30) = 14.79, p < 0.001), and (b) before re-exposure to the CS1 and CS2 on Day 3—on the retention of SBF (Retention of SBF + OTA, n = 6, or vehicle, n = 5, F(5,27) = 7.732; p < 0.001). c Effects of injection in CeA of vehicle (n = 5 animals) or oxytocin receptor agonist TGOT (n = 7 animals; 10–15 min before SBF, 7 ng/side/0.3 µl before exposure to CS1 on the immediate (F(3,20) = 22.6, p = 0.0011) and maintained reduction of freezing without companion (Retention, F(5,30) = 0; p = 1, n.s.). Two-way ANOVA (pre-tone, CS1, CS2) and group ([“Companion + vehicle” or “+ OTA”]; [“No companion + vehicle” or “+ TGOT”]), for each session (Habituation, Fear recall, SBF, Retention of SBF), Bonferroni-corrected p values in the figures. Insets on the left indicate injection sites. Individual and mean values ± SEM are shown.

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