Oxytocin and dopamine in psychostimulant-induced changes in social behaviour

Abstract

Oxytocin (OXT) plays a significant role in regulating social behaviour across various species, making it a key focus in neuroscience. Recent research has expanded beyond the established prosocial effects of OXT to explore its complex interplay with dopamine (DA), a key regulator of both reward processing and social behaviour. DA influences these behaviours both independently and in coordination with OXT. Emerging evidence highlights how psychostimulants disrupt OXT-DA interaction, exacerbating maladaptive social behaviours. This narrative review synthesises findings from pharmacological, optogenetic, and chemogenetic studies to elucidate mechanistic insights into OXT-DA crosstalk in both healthy and drug-compromised social functioning. We examined OXT-DA interaction in non-reproductive social behaviours, such as social approach and aggression, as well as reproductive behaviours, including parental care, offspring attachment, and pair bonding, both in the presence and absence of drugs of abuse. Understanding OXT-DA interaction offers important insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying both healthy and pathological social functioning.