@article{NING2026, 
author = {Shuyi NING and Hao LI and Shen LI and Rui YANG and Yan YU and Haitao WU},
title = {Functional investigation of Oxtr+ neurons in the basal forebrain during chronic social defeat stress},
year = {2026},
journal = {Military Medical Sciences},
volume = {50},
number = {6},
pages = {408-416},
keywords = {basal forebrain, oxytocin receptor, chronic social defeat stress, social avoidance, social fear},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.7644/j.issn.1674-9960.2026-00004},
doi = {10.7644/j.issn.1674-9960.2026-00004},
abstract = {ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory role of oxytocin receptors (Oxtr) in the basal forebrain in chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) -induced social avoidance behavior.Methodsc-Fos immunofluorescence staining, stereotaxic injection, fiber photometry calcium recording, and RNAscope in situ hybridization were employed to compare behavioral performance and neural activity between wild-type mice and those with basal forebrain-specific Oxtr deletion under the CSDS model.ResultsCompared with the control group without CSDS exposure, CSDS-exposed mice had their social interactions with unfamiliar CD1 mice significantly shortened, accompanied by a marked increase in the proportion of c-Fos-positive neurons in the basal forebrain. Fiber photometry recordings suggested that calcium activity in Oxtr+ neurons of the basal forebrain was significantly enhanced during social interactions in CSDS mice. Notably, selective deletion of Oxtr in the basal forebrain significantly alleviated CSDS-induced social avoidance and effectively attenuated stress-induced neuronal hyperactivation.ConclusionBasal forebrain Oxtr+ neurons play a key regulatory role in chronic social defeat stress-induced social avoidance and the processing of social fear-related cues.}
}