Vasopressin involvement in antipyresis, social communication, and social recognition: a synthesis

This review concentrates on the sexually dimorphic neuronal cells and fibers that contain arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and are present in several extrahypothalamic brain areas besides the neurohypophyseal system. Of particular interest are the vasopressinergic neurons that project from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medial amygdala to the lateral septum because their content of vasopressin is a positive function of circulating levels of testosterone. Physiological and behavioral data suggest that androgen-dependent vasopressin plays an important role in antipyresis and social recognition. In addition, there is evidence that extrahypothalamic AVP-sensitive neurons and hypothalamic AVP-containing neurons control scent marking, a form of social communication in hamsters, in a sex-dependent manner. The interrelationships of these different functions of brain vasopressin are discussed.