BNS 10-Year Anniversary Celebration: Epigenetic tuning of the oxytocin receptor after variation in early biparental care

10-year Anniversary Celebration

Behavioral Neuroscience

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI COLLOQUIUM

Epigenetic tuning of the oxytocin receptor after variation in early biparental care

Allison Perkeybile, Ph.D.  ‘08

The Kinsey Institute

Indiana University

Early life experiences have the potential to profoundly and permanently alter developmental trajectories in offspring. Here I discuss our work studying the impact of early biparental care on epigenetic regulation of the oxytocin receptor gene via DNA methylation in the socially monogamous prairie vole. Results show early care alters epigenetic markers at key sites on the oxytocin receptor gene that are homologous to sites in the human genome and that these markers are found in neural regions controlling social behavior, suggesting the prairie vole may be uniquely suited for modeling factors that impact complex social behavior in humans.

3:30 p.m. Research Talk in Fawcett 339A

4:30 p.m. Q & A in Fawcett 339 (light refreshments)