{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T00:56:04Z","timestamp":1790556964800,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788393600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":2,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788220800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001691","name":"Japan Society for the Promotion of Science","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["18K08483"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["18K08483"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001691","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001691","name":"Japan Society for the Promotion of Science","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["26461366"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["26461366"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001691","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Neuroendocrinology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Oxytocin (Oxt) is a neuropeptide critical for higher brain functions, with its physiological functions dependent on the activity of Oxt\u2010producing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). However, the postnatal maturation process of these neurons remains poorly understood, particularly whether it involves a uniform trajectory or a dynamic functional reorganization. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological maturation of PVN Oxt neurons in rats using a multifaceted approach including electrophysiology, principal component analysis (PCA), and f\u2013I curve fitting. Our analysis revealed a highly heterogeneous maturation timeline for individual electrophysiological parameters. While action potential amplitude and half\u2010width matured relatively early, the resting membrane potential (RMP) and firing threshold showed a much more protracted maturation. To comprehensively capture this, we applied PCA and found that the first principal component (PC1) exhibited a striking inverted U\u2010shaped pattern over time. This pattern suggests a dynamic transition through three distinct functional states: an initial immature state, an intermediate transitional state, and a later mature state. Furthermore,\n                    <jats:italic>f<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2013\n                    <jats:italic>I<\/jats:italic>\n                    curve fitting provided mechanistic insights, identifying a \u201chigh\u2010gain\u201d state around postnatal Day 7, characterized by high firing threshold (\n                    <jats:italic>I<\/jats:italic>\n                    <jats:sub>th<\/jats:sub>\n                    ) and gain (\n                    <jats:italic>k<\/jats:italic>\n                    ). This period temporally overlaps with peak Oxt receptor expression, hinting at a critical window for experience\u2010dependent circuit refinement. Our findings provide a new perspective on neuronal maturation as a complex process of dynamic functional reorganization. The identified \u201chigh\u2010gain\u201d state may represent a critical period for Oxt system development, offering a crucial foundation for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders and developing targeted early interventions.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/jne.70260","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T23:44:16Z","timestamp":1788479056000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Multidimensional maturation of oxytocin neurons: A principal component analysis of postnatal development"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"38","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5370-5758","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yuko","family":"Maejima","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine  Fukushima Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-1340-0166","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manabu","family":"Suzuki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine  Fukushima Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-3711-9491","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wataru","family":"Matsuoka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine  Fukushima Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0702-9538","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yoichi","family":"Ueta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology, School of Medicine University of Occupational and Environmental Health  Kitakyushu Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1539-2532","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kenju","family":"Shimomura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine  Fukushima 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