Central release of oxytocin and the ventromedial hypothalamus
1Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh College of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, U.K. n.sabatier@ed.ac.uk
Abstract:
Recent studies on the regulation of social behaviours by neuropeptides indicate that it is the distribution of peptide receptor expression in particular brain areas that determines the specificity of peptide actions; and that, accordingly, peptides can evoke specific behaviours when administered centrally without temporal or spatial selectivity of administration. The release of neuropeptides at synaptic sites appears irrelevant, and in the brain, some peptides are released mainly from dendrites rather than from nerve endings. Dendritic peptide release can be long lasting, semi-independent of electrical activity, and allows the diffusion of peptides to distant targets. The peptide oxytocin regulates many behaviours; in particular, it inhibits food intake. Centrally, oxytocin is released in large amounts by the dendrites of hypothalamic magnocellular neurons. This mini-review considers the possible involvement of dendritically released oxytocin in the regulation of food intake by its actions on the ventromedial hypothalamus.
More Related Videos
09:12Assessing Cellular Stress and Inflammation in Discrete Oxytocin-secreting Brain Nuclei in the Neonatal Rat Before and After First Colostrum Feeding
Published on: November 14, 2018
09:29Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation
Published on: August 4, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Neurotransmitters
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
Regulation of Food Intake
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
The Pituitary Gland
Regulation of Hormone Secretion
Humoral stimuli,...
