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Social reward requires coordinated activity of nucleus accumbens oxytocin and serotonin

Gül Dölen; Ayeh Darvishzadeh; Kee Wui Huang; Robert C. Malenka · Nature · 2013 · Experimental mouse study

Original publication · Original publication · Original publication · Original publication

Recorded summary

In mice, social reward required coordinated oxytocin and serotonin signalling in the nucleus accumbens. Removing oxytocin receptors from dorsal raphe inputs, or blocking accumbens serotonin 5-HT1B receptors, prevented the rewarding effect of social interaction.

Recorded limitations

The experiments identify a mouse neural mechanism. They do not measure SLC6A4 gene expression or test a human therapy.

Evidence and provenance

Chapter Trust Factor uses a minimum of three distinct qualifying studies. Publication records retain their own evidence and assessment.

Study design and assessment
design
Experimental mouse study
assessment
category
peer-reviewed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Experimental mouse study. No masked human randomized trial classification is assigned.
sources

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

reviewed At
2026-10-23
trust Factor
score
1
scope
Paper
status
assessed
randomized Controlled Trial
false
blinding
not-applicable
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Experimental mouse study. No masked human randomized trial classification is assigned.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/ · https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
jadad
status
unassessed
score
Not recorded
evidence
evidence Type
Brain & nervous system
sample
Mice
measurement
Receptor deletion, pharmacology, synaptic responses and social reward
measured Genes
None recorded
relationship Note
The experiments identify a mouse neural mechanism. They do not measure SLC6A4 gene expression or test a human therapy.
source URLs

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

checked At
2026-10-23
Topics and recorded topic scores
  1. key
    general:neurotransmitter-signalling
    title
    Oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine signalling
    collection
    general
    trust Score
    1
Citation snapshot and identifiers
id
pmid-24025838
doi
10.1038/nature12518
pmid
24025838
citation Snapshot
count
1160
source
Crossref
retrieved At
2026-10-23
url
https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1038/nature12518
citations By Collection
general
1160
Complete approved library record
id
pmid-24025838
aliases
None recorded
source References
  1. ref
    NPL-83
    record Id
    pmid-24025838
    source Type
    Journal publication
    title
    Social reward requires coordinated activity of nucleus accumbens oxytocin and serotonin.
    authors
    Dölen G, Darvishzadeh A, Huang KW, Malenka RC.
    year
    2013
    journal
    Nature
    doi
    10.1038/nature12518
    pmid
    24025838
    pmcid
    PMC4091761
    patent Number
    Not recorded
    original Assignee
    Not recorded
    original Citation
    Dölen G, Darvishzadeh A, Huang KW, Malenka RC (2013). "Social reward requires coordinated activity of nucleus accumbens oxytocin and serotonin." Nature 501(7466):179–184
    original Section
    Gene-Correlated Platonic Solid Inference Vectors
    metadata Status
    metadata-matched
    claim Review
    Not independently appraised
    source URL
    https://www.notion.so/3807b9c99c5680599be7d8337c817b15
    publication URL
    https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518
    metadata URL
    https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/search?query=TITLE%3A%22Social+reward+requires+coordinated+activity+of+nucleus+accumbens+oxytocin+and+serotonin%22&format=json&resultType=core&pageSize=4
    corrections
    None recorded
    topic Id
    Not recorded
    role
    Related context in complete bibliography
source Type
Journal publication
source Verification
Bibliographic metadata matched; scientific claims await appraisal.
source Collection
Hyperspectral Imaging · patent section 2.4
title
Social reward requires coordinated activity of nucleus accumbens oxytocin and serotonin
journal
Nature
publisher Family
nature
publisher Family Label
Nature Portfolio
neurotransmitters

Oxytocin · Serotonin

year
2013
authors
Gül Dölen; Ayeh Darvishzadeh; Kee Wui Huang; Robert C. Malenka
design
Experimental mouse study
kind
Journal article
identity Conflict
Not recorded
doi
10.1038/nature12518
pmid
24025838
urls

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

collections

general

categories

Brain & nervous system

targets

OXTR · HTR1B

priority
1
quotes
None recorded
summary
In mice, social reward required coordinated oxytocin and serotonin signalling in the nucleus accumbens. Removing oxytocin receptors from dorsal raphe inputs, or blocking accumbens serotonin 5-HT1B receptors, prevented the rewarding effect of social interaction.
limitation
The experiments identify a mouse neural mechanism. They do not measure SLC6A4 gene expression or test a human therapy.
citation Count
1160
citation Snapshot
count
1160
source
Crossref
retrieved At
2026-10-23
url
https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1038/nature12518
study Design Assessment
category
peer-reviewed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Experimental mouse study. No masked human randomized trial classification is assigned.
sources

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

reviewed At
2026-10-23
paper Trust Assessment
score
1
scope
Paper
status
assessed
randomized Controlled Trial
false
blinding
not-applicable
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Experimental mouse study. No masked human randomized trial classification is assigned.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/ · https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
citations By Collection
general
1160
topics
  1. key
    general:neurotransmitter-signalling
    title
    Oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine signalling
    collection
    general
    trust Score
    1
journal Key
nature
journal Label
Nature
chapter Entries
  1. title
    Social reward requires coordinated activity of nucleus accumbens oxytocin and serotonin
    journal
    Nature
    year
    2013
    authors
    Gül Dölen; Ayeh Darvishzadeh; Kee Wui Huang; Robert C. Malenka
    design
    Experimental mouse study
    urls

    https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

    doi
    10.1038/nature12518
    pmid
    24025838
    targets

    OXTR · HTR1B

    neurotransmitters

    Oxytocin · Serotonin

    categories

    Brain & nervous system

    citation Count
    1160
    citation Snapshot
    count
    1160
    source
    Crossref
    retrieved At
    2026-10-23
    url
    https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1038/nature12518
    study Design Assessment
    category
    peer-reviewed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    basis
    Experimental mouse study. No masked human randomized trial classification is assigned.
    sources

    https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

    reviewed At
    2026-10-23
    evidence
    evidence Type
    Brain & nervous system
    sample
    Mice
    measurement
    Receptor deletion, pharmacology, synaptic responses and social reward
    measured Genes
    None recorded
    relationship Note
    The experiments identify a mouse neural mechanism. They do not measure SLC6A4 gene expression or test a human therapy.
    source URLs

    https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

    checked At
    2026-10-23
    id
    general-neurotransmitter-signalling-pmid-24025838
    record Id
    pmid-24025838
    quotes
    None recorded
    source Pages
    None recorded
    summary
    In mice, social reward required coordinated oxytocin and serotonin signalling in the nucleus accumbens. Removing oxytocin receptors from dorsal raphe inputs, or blocking accumbens serotonin 5-HT1B receptors, prevented the rewarding effect of social interaction.
    limitation
    The experiments identify a mouse neural mechanism. They do not measure SLC6A4 gene expression or test a human therapy.
    paper Trust Assessment
    score
    1
    scope
    Paper
    status
    assessed
    randomized Controlled Trial
    false
    blinding
    not-applicable
    peer Reviewed
    true
    basis
    Experimental mouse study. No masked human randomized trial classification is assigned.
    sources

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/ · https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/

    review Scope
    Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
    assessed At
    2026-10-27
    collection
    general
    chapter Number
    8
    topic Id
    neurotransmitter-signalling
    topic Title
    Oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine signalling
    trust Score
    1
evidence
evidence Type
Brain & nervous system
sample
Mice
measurement
Receptor deletion, pharmacology, synaptic responses and social reward
measured Genes
None recorded
relationship Note
The experiments identify a mouse neural mechanism. They do not measure SLC6A4 gene expression or test a human therapy.
source URLs

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12518 · https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12518 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4091761/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025838/

checked At
2026-10-23
jadad
status
unassessed
score
Not recorded
condition Evidence
None recorded
conditions
None recorded
topic Trust Scores

1

full Text
status
reuse-review
retrieval Available
false
url
https://pmc-oa-opendata.s3.amazonaws.com/PMC4091761.1/PMC4091761.1.xml?md5=dd9cf28cfcbd56357d225ae24cd6952e
pmcid
PMC4091761
rights
license
TDM
use
Private text mining
public Fulltext Redistribution
false
provider Upload
false
model Training
false
basis
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/tools/pmcaws/
article Rights

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sha256
8a7f6e76a44ee08309747c9de2ffa5d1b99c4e1e162365d03c807c54a3cfb84c
checked At
2026-10-24

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