Relationships: Oxytocin & VasopressinThere has been new information found regarding the effects of Vasopressin and Oxytocin in the brain and the ability for pair-bonding in voles. Due to an environmental separation, the one category of voles diverged into prairie voles and meadow voles. Both are genetically identical and can mate since they are the same species. However, over time, there was notice that the prairie voles formed monogamous relationships, shared dens, and reared pups together. Yet, the meadow vole carried out promiscuous relations, did not co-habitat, and the mothers were the only ones responsible in rearing her pups, but had no attachment to them after a short period of feeding. So what caused this? After a few dissections of both prairie and meadow vole’s brains, it was found that when prairie voles copulate & bond, levels of Vasopressin (in males) & Oxytocin (in females) rise sharply. The meadow voles, however, lacked Vasopressin and Oxytocin receptors.
Additionally, with further exploration this could correlate to humans and why some cheat repeatedly and some are better at forming monogamous relationships in our present society.
