ReviewFrontiers in behavioral neuroscience2014
Evolution of oxytocin pathways in the brain of vertebrates.
Review in Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 110 papers.
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Who cites it
110 citing papers in PubMed, 259 citations in OpenAlex.
- Oxytocin reduces the functional connectivity between brain regions involved in eating behavior in men with overweight and obesity.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2020Trial
- On the nature of grief: uncovering the evolutionary roots of loss across the animal realm.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2026Review
- The Neural Distribution of Vasotocin, Oxytocin, Dopamine, and Serotonin in Two Australian Skinks With Contrasting Social Lives.The Journal of comparative neurology · 2026Article
- Multi-transmitter characteristics and functional specialization of oxytocin neuron subpopulations in zebrafish.The Journal of experimental biology · 2026Article
- Increase in Comforting Behavior (Allogrooming) During Social Interaction in Male Mice Deficient for theBrain sciences · 2026Article
- Oxytocin release patterns and effects, with a focus on touch, social interaction, and closeness.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
- Oxytocinergic Signaling in Zebrafish: Translational Perspectives for Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of neurochemistry · 2026Review
- Oxytocin, Vasopressin and Stress: A Hormetic Perspective.Current issues in molecular biology · 2025Review
- The psychedelic-peptide paradox: a hormetic hypothesis.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2025Review
- An oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism is associated with distinct neural responses to mating encounters in male prairie voles.Hormones and behavior · 2025Article
- The Role of Oxytocin and Oxytocin Gene Receptor Methylation During Withdrawal Therapy in Males With Alcohol Use Disorder.Addiction biology · 2025Article
- Complexity of the Hypothalamic Oxytocin System and its Involvement in Brain Functions and Diseases.Neuroscience bulletin · 2025Review
- The dynamic relationship of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and oxytocin: Introducing the concept of neurosocial plasticity.Neuroprotection (Chichester, England) · 2025Review
- The Relationship Between Oxytocin and Alcohol Dependence.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2025Review
- Neuroendocrinology of bone.Pituitary · 2024Review
- Impaired oxytocin signalling in the central amygdala in rats with chronic heart failure.The Journal of physiology · 2024Article
- Sensitive detection of oxytocin in nonhuman primate plasma using a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay.Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM · 2024Article
- Review
- An evolutionary timeline of the oxytocin signaling pathway.Communications biology · 2024Article
- The Yin and Yang of the oxytocin and stress systems: opposites, yet interdependent and intertwined determinants of lifelong health trajectories.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
50 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The central oxytocin system transformed tremendously during the evolution, thereby adapting to the expanding properties of species. In more basal vertebrates (paraphyletic taxon Anamnia, which includes agnathans, fish and amphibians), magnocellular neurosecretory neurons producing homologs of oxytocin reside in the wall of the third ventricle of the hypothalamus composing a single hypothalamic structure, the preoptic nucleus. This nucleus further diverged in advanced vertebrates (monophyletic taxon Amniota, which includes reptiles, birds, and mammals) into the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei with accessory nuclei (AN) between them. The individual magnocellular neurons underwent a process of transformation from primitive uni- or bipolar neurons into highly differentiated neurons. Due to these microanatomical and cytological changes, the ancient release modes of oxytocin into the cerebrospinal fluid were largely replaced by vascular release. However, the most fascinating feature of the progressive transformations of the oxytocin system has been the expansion of oxytocin axonal projections to forebrain regions. In the present review we provide a background on these evolutionary advancements. Furthermore, we draw attention to the non-synaptic axonal release in small and defined brain regions with the aim to clearly distinguish this way of oxytocin action from the classical synaptic transmission on one side and from dendritic release followed by a global diffusion on the other side. Finally, we will summarize the effects of oxytocin and its homologs on pro-social reproductive behaviors in representatives of the phylogenetic tree and will propose anatomically plausible pathways of oxytocin release contributing to these behaviors in basal vertebrates and amniots.
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