ArticleNature neuroscience2021
Astrocytes mediate the effect of oxytocin in the central amygdala on neuronal activity and affective states in rodents.
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Article in Nature neuroscience, 2021. 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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110citing papers in PubMed
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110 citing papers in PubMed, 182 citations in OpenAlex.
- Oxytocin Reduces Subjective Fear in Naturalistic Social Contexts via Enhancing Top-Down Middle Cingulate Amygdala Regulation and Brain-Wide Fear Representations.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Trial
- Rescuing anxiety by targeting the neuronal-astrocytic iron signaling axis in male mice.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Article
- Oxytocin receptor signaling in the dorsal lateral septum is essential for social transmission of food preference in mice.PLoS biology · 2026Article
- A Brain-Wide Atlas of Astrocytic Oxytocin Receptors Reveals a Glial Basis for Nucleus Accumbens Modulation of Affiliative Behavior.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Low Dose Ketamine Preconditions Astrocyte Mitochondria to Achieve Antidepressant Efficacy via Adenosine, Humanin, and Melatonin Upregulation and Efflux.Alpha psychiatry · 2026Article
- Machine learning-based gait classification and genome-wide association identify a QTL for gait type in Colombian paso horses.iScience · 2026Article
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- Cellular and molecular mechanisms of astrocyte plasticity in learning and memory.Trends in neurosciences · 2026Review
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- Signaling cascades shape functional subpopulations of cortical astrocytes in male wild-type mice and APP/PS1dE9 Alzheimer's disease model.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Modular nanotherapeutics with spatiotemporal precision for phase-specific treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage.Bioactive materials · 2026Article
- Spatial organization and sex differences of paraventricular hypothalamic oxytocin neurons projecting to distinct brain regions.Brain structure & function · 2026Article
- Astrocytes mediate a positive feedback loop for oxytocin.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Astrocyte Regulation of Spinal Circuit Function.Journal of neurochemistry · 2026Review
- Recent optical approaches for anatomical and functional dissection of neuron-astrocyte circuitry.The Journal of physiology · 2026Review
- Astrocytic PERK Deficiency Drives Prefrontal Circuit Dysfunction and Depressive-Like Behaviors.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Circuit logic of oxytocin and vasopressin complementary actions.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Review
- Stress induces oxytocin-Gαi-dependent remodeling of astrocytes to shape neuronal response in the amygdala.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Vasopressin-to-oxytocin receptor crosstalk in the preoptic area underlying parental behaviors in male mice.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Chronic Stress and Astrocyte Dysfunction in Depression: Molecular Mechanisms and Gene Expression Changes.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
50 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
37 authors at 11 institutions in 7 countries.
Jérôme Wahis *Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Angel Baudon *Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Ferdinand Althammer *Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, USA.
Damien Kerspern *Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Stéphanie GoyonCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Daisuke HagiwaraDepartment of Neuropeptide Research for Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Arthur LefevreCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2847-0859
Lara BarteczkoDepartment of Neuropeptide Research for Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Benjamin Boury-JamotCenter for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Hôpital de Cery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Benjamin BellangerCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Marios AbatisCenter for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Hôpital de Cery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Miriam Da Silva GouveiaGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
Diego BenusiglioDepartment of Neuropeptide Research for Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6093-1398
Marina EliavaDepartment of Neuropeptide Research for Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Andrei RozovOpenLab of Neurobiology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia, Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Moscow, Russia and Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4932-4095
Ivan WeinsantoCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Hanna Sophie Knobloch-BollmannDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA.
Matthew K KirchnerCenter for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6960-7685
Ranjan K RoyCenter for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6234-8043
Hong WangDepartment of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Marie PertinPain center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Perrine InquimbertCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2625-1468
Claudia PitzerInterdisciplinary Neurobehavioral Core (INBC), Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, Heidelberg, Germany.
Jan SiemensDepartment of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9051-9217
Yannick GoumonCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Benjamin BoutrelCenter for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Hôpital de Cery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4988-759X
Christophe Maurice LamyDivision of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6944-9787
Isabelle DecosterdPain center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Jean-Yves ChattonPain center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Nathalie RouachNeuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiopathology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7241, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5574-888X
W Scott YoungSection on Neural Gene Expression, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6614-5112
Javier E SternCenter for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta GA, USA.
Pierrick PoisbeauCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Ron StoopCenter for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Hôpital de Cery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Pascal DarbonCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France.
Valery GrinevichDepartment of Neuropeptide Research for Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. valery.grinevich@zi-mannheim.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6337-8866
Alexandre CharletCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Strasbourg, France. acharlet@unistra.fr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4837-3706
Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives · FRHeidelberg University · DEGeorgia State University · USHôpital de Cery · CHUniversity of Lausanne · CHCollège de France · FRGerman Cancer Research Center · DEHarvard University · USKazan Federal University · RUNational Institutes of Health · USUniversity of Geneva · CH
Funding
Roles of Oxytocin and Vasopressin in BrainZIAMH002498 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI YOUNG, WALTER SCOTT · 2009 to 2022
$26.3MAltered CNS Intercellular Signaling Mechanisms in Cardiovascular DiseaseR01HL090948 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · PI STERN, JAVIER E · 2008 to 2017
$3.0MDENDRITIC RELEASE OF NEUROPEPTIDES: ROLE IN BODILY HOMEOSTASISR01NS094640 · NINDS · GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY · PI STERN, JAVIER E · 2016 to 2020
$1.4MIntramural NIH HHS ZIA MH002498NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL090948NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS094640
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) orchestrates social and emotional behaviors through modulation of neural circuits. In the central amygdala, the release of OT modulates inhibitory circuits and, thereby, suppresses fear responses and decreases anxiety levels. Using astrocyte-specific gain and loss of function and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrate that a morphologically distinct subpopulation of astrocytes expresses OT receptors and mediates anxiolytic and positive reinforcement effects of OT in the central amygdala of mice and rats. The involvement of astrocytes in OT signaling challenges the long-held dogma that OT acts exclusively on neurons and highlights astrocytes as essential components for modulation of emotional states under normal and chronic pain conditions.
Indexed as
AnimalsAstrocytesBehavior, AnimalCentral Amygdaloid NucleusEmotionsFemaleMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLNeuronsOxytocinRatsRats, WistarReceptors, OxytocinOxytocinReceptors, Oxytocin
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.