**5. References**


(Karakas et al., 2011b).

**4.3. Conclusion** 

maze.

**Author details** 

*Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences,* 

neurons. *Eur Neuropsychopharm* 14, Supplement 3: S124

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*Abant Izzet Baysal University,Bolu, Turkey* 

Alper Karakas

Hamit Coskun

**5. References** 

*Turkey* 

coincidence hypothesis, melatonin exerts an effect only when its circadian secretion is coincident with target tissue sensitivity. This hypothesis supposes that the time of presence of melatonin is important (Stetson and Tay, 1983; Hong and Stetson, 1987). In line with this explanation, we found in our another study that pinealectomy and only admistration of melatonin via timed injections caused impairment of the learning performance of the rats

In conclusion, the results of the present experiment have indicated that the data coming from the elevated plus maze and the open field are consistent to each other. However, our results have suggested that elevated plus maze measurements were more sensitive to the melatonin microinjections to amygdala than open field measurements, since the differences were more evident in this maze. This suggests that pinealectomy treatment interacts with anxiety provoking test situations. In open field, it was assumed that the anxiety level experience by animals may be greater in elevated plus maze than open field. In open field the mobility was smaller in pinealectomized rats than controls since the anxiety level may be low compared to the elevated plus maze. This explanation requires further experimental

research that illuminates differential effects of pinealectomy on testing conditions.

*Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu,* 

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**Chapter 3** 

© 2012 Nephew, licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2012 Nephew, licensee InTech. This is a paper distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

**Behavioral Roles of Oxytocin and Vasopressin** 

Arginine Vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) are peptide hormones found in most mammals that have vital physiological and behavioral actions. The major sites of AVP production are the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei in the hypothalamus, although AVP and its receptors are found in numerous brain nuclei and peripheral tissues. AVP's physiological roles, which are mediated through both peripheral and central mechanisms, include regulating fluid homeostasis and blood pressure. It is also an important component of the endocrine stress response through its actions in the posterior pituitary gland, where it is a secretagogue of ACTH, stimulating the release of corticosteroid stress hormones and catecholamines from the adrenal glands. The three receptor subtypes for AVP are V1a, V1b, and V2. V2 receptors mediate the fluid regulating actions of AVP in the periphery, where the behavioral and central endocrine functions of AVP are mediated by the V1a and V1b receptors in the brain. These receptors are also involved in the central

Oxytocin's major physiological roles are to facilitate uterine contractions during birth through a positive feedback mechanism during the second and third stages of labor, and to mediate milk letdown. In lactating mammalian mothers, OXT initiates milk letdown in the mammary glands, and the release of OXT is stimulated by suckling. OXT has one known receptor which has several alleles. The focus of the present chapter will be on the social behavior functions of both AVP and OXT. While some of these actions are mediated the

The behavioral roles of oxytocin and vasopressin have been studied and characterized in several animal species over the past few decades, and these findings have recently stimulated related work in humans. While the specific direction of the effects often vary between species, the general behavioral functions of AVP and OXT, as well as several related ancestral peptides, are conserved across taxa. The study of the diversity of these systems in birds [1] and fish [2] has been particularly useful in identifying the mechanisms

PVN and SON, several other behaviorally active brain regions will also be discussed.

Benjamin C. Nephew

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/50422

control of cardiovascular activity.

**1. Introduction** 

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
