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Vasopressin Hormone Research Paper

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The author Julianna Kettlewell, a BBC News Online science staff member, uploaded an article on Wednesday June 16, 2004 which gives us information on how a new gene can alter the Don Juan of voles to go from not caring for their wives or children to an excellent home-loving husband. She describes how a new gene called vasopressin boosts pair-bonding in voles. Before this experiment, the prairie voles would not have sentimental relationships with their partners and have multiple partners at once, likely due to the fact that scientists found that the voles had little vasopressin (V1a) receptors in their forebrain, known as the ventral pallidum region. Scientists hypothesized that if they would inject these vasopressin hormones into the forebrain section they would get a “taming” effect and make a loving husband. …show more content…

The “former playboys,” they stated, changed their ways into the prefect husband. They now focused on one female, even while others tried to tempt them. The scientists believe that when the voles have sex with the females the vasopressin hormone is released, and captures by the V1a receptors which in turn give them a “reward system”. "We think what happens is when the voles mate, vasopressin activates the reward center, and it really makes the animals pay attention to who they are mating with," co-author Larry Young, from Emory University, Georgia, US, told BBC News Online. (Kettlewell,

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