Social neurobiologist Lawrence Young of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and his colleagues injected a virus carrying the V1aR gene into the brains of meadow voles to boost levels of V1aR. (sciencemag.org)
In the new work, Miranda M. Lim of Emory University and her colleagues inserted a gene that encodes for the vasopressin receptor protein directly into the brains of male meadow voles. (scientificamerican.com)
Using the monogamous prairie vole (vs. the promiscuous meadow vole) as a model organism, Young and his research team identified the oxytocin and vasopressin receptors as key mediators of social bonding and attachment. (emoryhealthsciblog.com)