The tendency of prairie voles to form lifelong pair bonds and to share nesting and pup-raising responsibilities has made them invaluable for understanding the neurobiological basis of long-term social bonding. Previous studies in these mammals have implicated oxytocin, vasopressin and dopamine in triggering affiliative behaviour towards a partner (so-called 'partner preference'). Now, Kabbaj and colleagues show that epigenetic mechanisms also have a role in regulating such behaviour.
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