Oxytocin-induced yawning: Sites of action in the brain and interaction with mesolimbic/mesocortical and incertohypothalamic dopaminergic neurons in male rats

► Oxytocin facilitates sociosexual interactions and yawning, a primitive form of empathy. ► Oxytocin given into the ventral tegmental area, hippocampus and amygdala induces yawning. ► Yawning occurs with increased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. ► Similar results occur with apomorphine that activates paraventricular oxytocinergic neurons. ► This oxytocin-dopamine link plays a role in oxytocin facilitation of sociosexual interactions.