Schematic representation of the proposed circuitry for pair bonding in female prairie voles. Various sensory stimuli ultimately result in dopaminergic and peptidergic release at the level of the nucleus accumbens, thereby positioning the nucleus accumbens in an optimal anatomical location to act as a coincidence detector for pair bond formation [226]. DA, dopamine; MeA, medial amygdala; NAc, nucleus accumbens; NTS, nucleus tractus solitarius; PAG, periaqueductal gray; PFC, prefrontal cortex; PVN, paraventricular nucleus; VTA, ventral tegmental area.