Table 2.

Preclinical pharmacological neuropeptide administration studies.

Article title	First author & publication year	Sample characteristics	Manipulation & outcome measures	Relevant findings
“An early postnatal oxytocin treatment prevents social and learning deficits in adult mice deficient for Magel2, a gene involved in Prader-Willi syndrome and autism”	Meziane et al. (2015)	Magel2 mouse model Age and sex: neonatal and adult males Mutant: n = 10–14 (OXT); n = 10–14 (NaCl) Wild type: n = 12–14 (OXT); n = 12–14 (NaCl)	Manipulation: -Single s.c. injection of 10 mg/kg OXT or NaCl 1 h before behavioral testing (adult mutant and wild-type mice) -Daily s.c. injections of 2 μg OXT for 7 days, starting from 3 to 5 h after birth (neonate mutant and wild-type mice); behavioral testing performed in adulthood Outcome Measures: -Social recognition -Social interaction	-Single s.c. injection of OXT reversed social recognition deficit in mutant adult mice -Daily s.c. injections of OXT during early postnatal period restored normal social recognition and interaction in adult mutant mice
“Correction of vasopressin deficit in the lateral septum ameliorates social deficits of mouse autism model”	Borie et al. (2021)	Magel2 mouse model Age and sex: adult males (3–4 months old) Mutant: n = 16 (AVP); n = 14 (NaCl) Wild-type: n = 11 (Manning compound AVPR antagonist); n = 15 (NaCl)	Manipulation: -Single injection of 30 μM AVP through cannula implanted in the dorsal LS for 9 min starting 5 min before social trial in mutant mice -Single injection of 10 nM AVPR antagonist through cannula implanted in the dorsal LS for 9 min starting 5 min before social trial in wild-type mice Outcome Measures: -Social habituation/discrimination	-AVP injection increased social discrimination in mutant mice compared to NaCl vehicle-injected mutant controls -AVPR antagonist vs NaCl injection decreased social novelty and discrimination in wild-type mice

AVP, arginine vasopressin; AVPR, arginine vasopressin receptor; LS, lateral septum; NaCl, sodium chloride; OXT, oxytocin; OXTR, oxytocin receptor; s.c., subcutaneous