This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (CFDA 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research) provides $253,066 to The Washington University to conduct research on the impact of induced birth using oxytocin on the postnatal oxytocinergic system and neurobehavioral development in mice.
The key objectives are to: 1) Comprehensively map the developmental trajectory of oxytocin receptor expression in the postnatal mouse brain after induced birth with oxytocin using advanced whole-brain imaging techniques, and 2) Evaluate sex-specific neurobehavioral outcomes in the offspring and correlate them with changes in oxytocin receptor expression. The project involves a sub-award to Pennsylvania State University to perform specialized 3D brain cell mapping using serial two-photon tomography and light sheet fluorescence microscopy. Overall, this research aims to elucidate the mechanistic impacts of perinatal oxytocin exposure on the developing brain and behavior.
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