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Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs - Coggle Diagram
Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs
Oxytocin
Hypothalamic neuropeptide linked to reproductive and maternal activities in mammals: parturition and lactation.
Linked to social behaviors such as parental care, sexual behavior, pair bonding, peer recognition, and social memory
More complex behaviors induced by oxytocin such as generosity, cooperation, and trust
Previous research
Mostly focuses on pair-bonding and lacks study on other relationships
Same-sex bonds have been observed to increase fitness and offspring survival in a number of species
Social interaction has been shown to influence peripheral oxytocin levels in dogs and chimpanzees
Research has shown that oxytocin influences alloparental care and other cooperative relationships but has not been proven
Present study
Domestic dogs are used to observe the effects of oxytocin levels on non-reproductive relationships
Hypothesis: If oxytocin levels regulate formation and maintenance of social bonds, the experimental group that is given oxytocin will show more positive behaviors towards partners
Parameters observed are affiliation, approach, and time in proximity
Oxytocin was administered through intranasal delivery and the effects were observed for 60 minutes for each dog with their owners and a familiar peer
Urinary oxytocin levels were observed before and after experimentation
Results
Urinary oxytocin levels showed stability over time and correlated between the two experimental sessions
Experimental group initiated more affiliative behavior than the control group towards peers and towards owners
Experimental group showed more social orientation to their owners but showed no preference in social orientation towards peers
Dogs that began with low oxytocin levels showed a more significant effect than those that began with higher oxytocin levels
There was a positive correlation between change in oxytocin levels and reciprocated affiliative behaviors
Dogs treated with oxytocin showed higher levels of HF HRV relative to the saline solution group
Discussion
Social relationships must have had adaptive value to have natural selection that promotes its maintenance
The same neurological functions that promote bonding within a species can facilitate relationships with other species such as with dogs and humans
Exogenous oxytocin increased parasympathetic autonomic cardiac control
Intranasal administration can penetrate into the central nervous system
Citation: Romero T. Nagasawa M. Mogi K. Hasegawa T. Kikusui T. 2014. Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs. PNAS. 111(25): 9085-9090.