# Mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between peers

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2024 · $667,467

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Humans form social attachments and develop friendships throughout our lifetimes, with fundamental
consequences for wellbeing. Decades of research have established the importance of the neuropeptide
oxytocin (OT) for social bond formation with reproductive partners. In contrast, very little is known about the
mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between non-mate peers. Prairie voles exhibit a human-like social
structure, forming specific and selective relationships with mates and same-sex peers, unlike other laboratory
rodents. The goal of this project is to understand the roles oxytocin plays in shaping the selectivity of peer
relationships in prairie voles, particularly its dual functions in promoting acceptance of familiar partners and
avoidance of unfamiliar individuals. We will use complementary neuropharmacological and genetic
manipulations to test the necessity and sufficiency of oxytocin signaling for partner approach and stranger
avoidance and aggression. We make use of natural contrasts between reproductive (mate) and non-
reproductive (same-sex peer) relationships in prairie voles, as well as species comparisons between peer
relationships in prairie voles and prior studies in meadow voles to understand the specificity and generality of
these mechanisms. By manipulating oxytocin across multiple circuits, we have a unique opportunity to
determine how OT influences selectivity across brain regions and relationship types. This work has the
potential to elucidate the neural basis of peer relationships, and to provide the foundation for understanding
how prosocial and antisocial factors of relationships are related and mediated. Our long-term goal is to better
understand how friendship-like relationships are established and maintained, and how the mechanisms
underlying social relationships in prairie voles can be translated to human relationships.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10882611
- **Project number:** 1R01MH132908-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Annaliese K. Beery
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $667,467
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-05-06 → 2029-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10882611

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10882611, Mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between peers (1R01MH132908-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10882611. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*