Final answer:
Increasing oxytocin receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens of pre-pubertal female prairie voles enhances alloparental responsiveness and partner preference formation as adults.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking about the effect of increasing oxytocin receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens of pre-pubertal female prairie voles on alloparental responsiveness and partner preference formation as adults.
Research in animals has shown that oxytocin plays a role in social bonding and parental behavior. Increasing oxytocin receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region involved in reward and motivation, can enhance the ability of pre-pubertal female prairie voles to respond to the needs of unrelated pups (alloparental responsiveness) and form strong bond with a chosen partner (partner preference) in adulthood.
This finding suggests that oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens are important for the development of social behaviors in female prairie voles.