Rapid CommunicationDifferently shaped spines increase in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of oxytocin knockout female mice

- Oxytocin is an important synaptic modulator in the posterodorsal medial amygdala.
- Oxytocin can modulate the number of differently shaped spines.
- Oxytocin plays a crucial role in the regulation of female mice reproduction.

The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) is a sexually dimorphic area in the social behavior neural network, with high concentration of oxytocin (OT) receptors. Wild type (WT) and OT knockout (OTKO) females were studied in proestrus, and Golgi-impregnated spines in the MePD were classified. Results show that the OTKO group has increased density of thin, mushroom, and stubby/wide spines when compared to the WT (p < 0.01 in all cases). These data indicate that OT is an important synaptic modulator in the MePD, a finding that is likely involved with the display of the female sexual behavior.