Figure 6. Effect of weaning and forced swim stress on oxytocin receptor (OTR) binding in the amygdala.

Quantitative autoradiographic binding of OTRs in the (a) amygdaloid nuclei and (b) within the whole amygdala of the weaned and non-weaned rats in the presence of absence of forced swim stress. Data expressed as the mean specific binding of [¹²⁵I]-OVTA (fmol/mg tissue equivalent) ± SEM (n = 6). Two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s post-hoc test *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. (c) Representative computer-enhanced autoradiograms of OTR binding from coronal brain sections of weaned and non-weaned rats in the presence of absence of forced swim stress. Color bars show a pseudo-color interpretation of the relative density of images calibrated in fmol/mg tissue equivalent. Images presented are taken from the level of the amygdala; Bregma (−2.80 mm). Representative images for the non-specific binding (NSB) (50pM [¹²⁵I]-OVTA in the presence of 50 μM unlabeled oxytocin; third column) are also shown. Abbreviations: BLA, basolateral amygdaloid nuclei; BMA, basomedial amygdaloid nuclei; CeA, central amydaloid nuclei; NS, non-stressed; S, stressed.