R01MH125408
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Breaking Bonds in Prairie Voles
In humans, social attachment with partners, relatives, or friends acts as a protective buffer against many negative consequences of life stress. On the other hand, lack of social attachments can lead to serious pathologies including dysphoria, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular problems, and immune system deficits.
In the social prairie voles, both acute and chronic social isolation, as well as partner separation, induce anxiety and depression-like behaviors. These conditions also enhance stress response and alter activities of several neurochemical systems, including the oxytocinergic system. Data from our group and others have shown that oxytocin (OT) is involved not only in the formation of pair bonds in this species but also in the response to social isolation/partner separation, as well as social buffering of stress responses.
In this proposal, we will verify the overall hypothesis that breaking bonds in voles alters the OT circuitry projecting from the hypothalamic PVN to the nucleus accumbens. It is important to note that the nucleus accumbens represents 90% of OT projections to the nucleus accumbens. This alteration in the OT circuitry is expected to lead to negative consequences on social behaviors in both male and female prairie voles.
In humans, social attachment with partners, relatives, or friends acts as a protective buffer against many negative consequences of life stress. On the other hand, lack of social attachments can lead to serious pathologies including dysphoria, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular problems, and immune system deficits.
In the social prairie voles, both acute and chronic social isolation, as well as partner separation, induce anxiety and depression-like behaviors. These conditions also enhance stress response and alter activities of several neurochemical systems, including the oxytocinergic system. Data from our group and others have shown that oxytocin (OT) is involved not only in the formation of pair bonds in this species but also in the response to social isolation/partner separation, as well as social buffering of stress responses.
In this proposal, we will verify the overall hypothesis that breaking bonds in voles alters the OT circuitry projecting from the hypothalamic PVN to the nucleus accumbens. It is important to note that the nucleus accumbens represents 90% of OT projections to the nucleus accumbens. This alteration in the OT circuitry is expected to lead to negative consequences on social behaviors in both male and female prairie voles.
Awardee
Funding Goals
NOT APPLICABLE
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Tallahassee,
Florida
323043556
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 442% from $555,695 to $3,014,360.
Florida State University was awarded
Enhancing Social Bonding in Prairie Voles Through Oxytocin Circuitry
Project Grant R01MH125408
worth $3,014,360
from the National Institute of Mental Health in March 2022 with work to be completed primarily in Tallahassee Florida United States.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 9 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 5/21/26
Period of Performance
3/1/22
Start Date
12/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$3.0M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.0M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to R01MH125408
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
R01MH125408
SAI Number
R01MH125408-3422199149
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75N700 NIH National Institute of Mental Health
Funding Office
75N700 NIH National Institute of Mental Health
Awardee UEI
JF2BLNN4PJC3
Awardee CAGE
3S772
Performance District
FL-02
Senators
Marco Rubio
Rick Scott
Rick Scott
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0892) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $1,212,212 | 100% |
Modified: 5/21/26