Figure 2.
Representative photomicrographs illustrating vasopressin (AVP; A & B), oxytocin (OT; D & E), corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF; G & H) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; J & K) mRNA labeling in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) in the brain of male prairie voles that were housed with a same sex sibling cage mate (A, D, G, & J) or were socially isolated for 6 weeks post-weaning (B, E, H & K). Socially isolated males expressed higher levels of AVP mRNA (C), OT mRNA (F), CRF mRNA (I), and TH mRNA (L) labeling in the PVN. No group differences were found in AVP and OT mRNA labeling in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SON), CRF mRNA labeling in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and TH mRNA labeling in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). *: p<0.05. Scale bar=400μm.