{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Age-related decline in social interaction is associated with decreased c-Fos induction in select brain regions independent of oxytocin receptor expression profiles.
{Author}: Ravenel JR;Perkins AE;Tomczik A;Defendini A;Strnad HK;Varlinskaya E;Deak T;Spencer RL;
{Journal}: Aging Brain
{Volume}: 5
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024
暂无{DOI}: 10.1016/j.nbas.2024.100107
{Abstract}: Social behavior decreases with aging, and we have previously found a substantial decline in social investigative behavior of old female rats. In this study we examined the neural activation pattern (c-Fos mRNA) of young (3 month) and old (18 month) female rats after brief 10 min exposure to a novel female rat in order to identify forebrain regions that show selective age-related alterations in their neural response to social investigation. We also measured relative oxytocin receptor expression (Oxtr mRNA) as a possible factor in age-related declines in c-Fos induction after social interaction. Young rats exposed to a social partner had a greater c-Fos mRNA response than those exposed to novel context alone in the lateral septum and septohypothalamic area, with blunted increases evident in old rats. In addition, c-Fos mRNA levels in the lateral septum were positively correlated with social investigative behavior. Interestingly, age-related differences in c-Fos gene induction were unrelated to the local amount of Oxtr expression within specific brain regions, although we found an age-related decline in Oxtr expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus. This functional neuroanatomical characterization may point to certain brain regions that are especially sensitive to age-related declines associated with social interaction behavior.