The petting factor: Oxytocin and social touch

Yan Tang; Ron Stoop

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2022.02.021

The petting factor: Oxytocin and social touch

Neuron. 2022 Mar 16;110(6):909-911. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.02.021.

Authors

Yan Tang¹, Ron Stoop²

Affiliations

¹ Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
² Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: ron.stoop@unil.ch.

PMID: 35298915
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.02.021

Abstract

In this issue of Neuron, Yu et al. (2022) uncovered a sensory pathway by which social touch can activate oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus. Their stimulation protocol could deliver pleasant sensory stimuli to juvenile mice, increasing their later-life social interactions.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Hypothalamus / metabolism
Mice
Neurons / physiology
Oxytocin* / metabolism
Touch
Touch Perception* / physiology

Substances

Oxytocin