Monogamous Behavior In The Prairie Voles

The prairie voles’ monogamous behaviors are caused by the neurotransmitters (oxytocin and vasopressin) that they release when they mate. The female’s brain contains many receptors for oxytocin, a hormone that helps with birth and social bonding. On the other hand, the male prairie voles have many receptors for vasopressin, a hormone that affects social behaviors when released to the brain through bloodstream. These neurotransmitters create and regulate the pair bond that forms between the prairie voles, as they become “addicted” to each other when the hormones are sensed by the receptors.
Research also shows that through mating, prairie voles create permanent chemical modifications to their chromosomes. These modifications maintain their sexual