The neurobiology of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering

•The prairie vole model can be used to study the neurobiological mechanisms of pair bonding, bond disruption, and social buffering.•Oxytocin and dopamine interact to regulate pair bond formation.•Pair bond disruption causes the dysregulation of oxytocin and dopamine.•Social buffering depends on the oxytocin system.

Enduring social bonds play an essential role in human society. These bonds positively affect psychological, physiological, and behavioral functions. Here, we review the recent literature on the neurobiology, particularly the role of oxytocin and dopamine, of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering effects on stress responses, from studies utilizing the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).