Fig. 3: Pharmacogenetic and pharmacological modulation of the PVN^OXT-VTA neuronal projection fibers affects the emotional and social behaviors of voles following tail pinching.

a Schematic diagram of the AAV11 viral injection site in the VTA. b Representative histological image showing AAV11 (green) expression in the VTA. Objective: ×4. c Histological image of co-staining for OXT and AAV11. White arrows indicate the overlap of OXT and AAV11 cell bodies. Objective: ×20. Enlarged view of the boxed area on the right side, showing OXT, AAV11, DAPI, and merge. Scale bar, 20 μm. d Flowchart of the pharmacogenetic and pharmacological experiments. e Schematic diagram of viral injection. f Cannula implantation. g Diagram of bilateral cannula placement. Objective: ×4. Representative histological image of anti-TH (green). h Representative trajectory heatmap of each group in the OFT (Tail-pinching-mCherry, n = 7; Tail-pinching-hM3Dq, n = 8; repeat 3 times, with one week between each session). i Percentage of time spent in the center area of the OFT. j Number of visits to the center area of the OFT. k Total distance traveled in the OFT. l Representative trajectory heatmap of each group in the sociality phase of the TCS (Tail-pinching-hM3Dq, n = 8; repeat 3 times, with one week between each session). m Time spent investigating U1 and E in the TCS. n Sociability index of the TCS. o Representative trajectory heatmap of each group in the social recognition phase of the TCS. p Time spent investigating U2 and U1 in the TCS. q Social novelty preference index of the TCS. The data presented in n and q were analyzed using one-way repeated-measures ANOVA. The data presented in i, j, k, m and p were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. ns, P > 0.05 (not significant), *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Results shown are mean ± standard error of the mean.