Oxytocin-dependent reopening of a social reward learning critical period with MDMA
Romain Nardou; Eastman M. Lewis; Rebecca Rothhaas; Ran Xu; Aimei Yang; Edward Boyden; Gül Dölen · Nature · 2019 · Experimental mouse study
Original publication · Original publication · Original publication
Recorded summary
In adult mice, MDMA reopened a developmental period for social-reward learning. The effect involved oxytocin-dependent plasticity in the nucleus accumbens, connecting serotonergic drug action with oxytocin signalling and social learning.
Recorded limitations
An animal mechanism study. SLC6A4 is indexed for serotonin-transporter involvement, not a measured change in its gene expression. The study does not establish human treatment efficacy.
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/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- 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/30944474/ · https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- 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
- Social-reward learning, pharmacology and synaptic plasticity
- measured Genes
- None recorded
- relationship Note
- An animal mechanism study. SLC6A4 is indexed for serotonin-transporter involvement, not a measured change in its gene expression. The study does not establish human treatment efficacy.
- source URLs
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- checked At
- 2026-10-23
Topics and recorded topic scores
- key
- general:neurotransmitter-signalling
- title
- Oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine signalling
- collection
- general
- trust Score
- 1
Citation snapshot and identifiers
- id
- pmid-30944474
- doi
- 10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- pmid
- 30944474
- citation Snapshot
- count
- 308
- source
- Crossref
- retrieved At
- 2026-10-23
- url
- https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- citations By Collection
- general
- 308
Complete approved library record
- id
- pmid-30944474
- aliases
- None recorded
- title
- Oxytocin-dependent reopening of a social reward learning critical period with MDMA
- journal
- Nature
- publisher Family
- nature
- publisher Family Label
- Nature Portfolio
- neurotransmitters
Oxytocin · Serotonin · Dopamine
- year
- 2019
- authors
- Romain Nardou; Eastman M. Lewis; Rebecca Rothhaas; Ran Xu; Aimei Yang; Edward Boyden; Gül Dölen
- design
- Experimental mouse study
- kind
- Journal article
- identity Conflict
- Not recorded
- doi
- 10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- pmid
- 30944474
- urls
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- collections
general
- categories
Brain & nervous system
- targets
OXTR · SLC6A4
- priority
- 1
- quotes
- None recorded
- summary
- In adult mice, MDMA reopened a developmental period for social-reward learning. The effect involved oxytocin-dependent plasticity in the nucleus accumbens, connecting serotonergic drug action with oxytocin signalling and social learning.
- limitation
- An animal mechanism study. SLC6A4 is indexed for serotonin-transporter involvement, not a measured change in its gene expression. The study does not establish human treatment efficacy.
- citation Count
- 308
- citation Snapshot
- count
- 308
- source
- Crossref
- retrieved At
- 2026-10-23
- url
- https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- 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/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- 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/30944474/ · https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- review Scope
- Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
- assessed At
- 2026-10-27
- citations By Collection
- general
- 308
- topics
- key
- general:neurotransmitter-signalling
- title
- Oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine signalling
- collection
- general
- trust Score
- 1
- journal Key
- nature
- journal Label
- Nature
- chapter Entries
- title
- Oxytocin-dependent reopening of a social reward learning critical period with MDMA
- journal
- Nature
- year
- 2019
- authors
- Romain Nardou; Eastman M. Lewis; Rebecca Rothhaas; Ran Xu; Aimei Yang; Edward Boyden; Gül Dölen
- design
- Experimental mouse study
- urls
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- doi
- 10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- pmid
- 30944474
- targets
OXTR · SLC6A4
- neurotransmitters
Oxytocin · Serotonin · Dopamine
- categories
Brain & nervous system
- citation Count
- 308
- citation Snapshot
- count
- 308
- source
- Crossref
- retrieved At
- 2026-10-23
- url
- https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- 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/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- reviewed At
- 2026-10-23
- evidence
- evidence Type
- Brain & nervous system
- sample
- Mice
- measurement
- Social-reward learning, pharmacology and synaptic plasticity
- measured Genes
- None recorded
- relationship Note
- An animal mechanism study. SLC6A4 is indexed for serotonin-transporter involvement, not a measured change in its gene expression. The study does not establish human treatment efficacy.
- source URLs
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- checked At
- 2026-10-23
- id
- general-neurotransmitter-signalling-pmid-30944474
- record Id
- pmid-30944474
- quotes
- None recorded
- source Pages
- None recorded
- summary
- In adult mice, MDMA reopened a developmental period for social-reward learning. The effect involved oxytocin-dependent plasticity in the nucleus accumbens, connecting serotonergic drug action with oxytocin signalling and social learning.
- limitation
- An animal mechanism study. SLC6A4 is indexed for serotonin-transporter involvement, not a measured change in its gene expression. The study does not establish human treatment efficacy.
- 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/30944474/ · https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9
- 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
- Social-reward learning, pharmacology and synaptic plasticity
- measured Genes
- None recorded
- relationship Note
- An animal mechanism study. SLC6A4 is indexed for serotonin-transporter involvement, not a measured change in its gene expression. The study does not establish human treatment efficacy.
- source URLs
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1075-9 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30944474/
- 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
- not-indexed
- retrieval Available
- false