摘要：SummaryOxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP), two neuropeptides involved in socio-emotional behaviors have been anatomically defined in the adult brain. Yet their spatial organization during postnatal development is not clearly defined. We built a developmental atlas using 3D imaging of cleared immunolabeled tissue over four early postnatal (P) stages, from birth (P0, P3, P7, P14) to young adulthood (≥P56). Our atlas-based mapping revealed that the number of OXT neurons doubles according to unique temporal dynamics in selective hypothalamic regions, namely, the periventricular and paraventricular nuclei, and in a novel location we named the antero-lateral preoptic. In the paraventricular nucleus, single-cell densities and fluorescence analysis demonstrated selective expansion of OXT cells in the antero-ventral division, whereas the postero-dorsal division contained cells present at birth. No changes were observed for AVP neurons. Our findings show the coexisting of innate and plastic OXT/AVP brain circuits probably triggered by environmental adaptation of the social brain.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•The OXT system continues to mature during early development but not the AVP system•OXT hypothalamic nuclei emerge at different rates after birth•PVN cells gradually acquire an oxytocinergic phenotype•OXT cells are organized into innate and adaptive neural networksOptical imaging; Neuroscience; Developmental biology
