Genetically modifying prairie voles to make their vasopressin receptors non-responsive causes them to switch from monogamous to polygamous behavior.
"So they've done studies in prairie voles where they actually genetically engineer them to not be able to respond to vasopressin. So they like engineer their vasopressin receptor to be nonresponsive, and these prairie voles, which are monogamous, become polygamous like that." (said at 0:02:49)
The claim is contradicted by direct genetic engineering studies in prairie voles. When researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to create vasopressin 1a receptor knockout (V1aR KO) prairie voles whose receptors are functionally inactive, the animals still formed normal partner preferences and monogamous pair bonds; the loss of V1aR signaling suppressed selective aggression toward strangers rather than abolishing pair bonding. The speaker appears to conflate these findings with classic viral vector studies that did the reverse—increasing vasopressin receptor expression in naturally promiscuous meadow voles to promote partner-preference behavior—or earlier pharmacological antagonist studies.
- contradicts: Oxytocin receptor or vasopressin 1a receptor knockout suppresses same-sex conspecific aggr… (Hormones and behavior 2026)
"Here, we generated vasopressin 1a receptor knockout (V1aR KO) prairie voles using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and compared their aggressive behavior with that of oxytocin receptor knockout (OXTR KO) and wildtype (WT) males. ... Notably, partner preference and social investigation were preserved in both knockout lines." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)