 The ability to detect, appraise, and respond to another's emotional state is essential to social effective behavior, which is mediated by a network of brain regions including the basolateral amygdala, BLA, and the insular cortex. These regions are necessary for appropriate social effective behavior in both male and female rats, but sex differences exist in the contribution of oxytocin in the insula. This article was authored by Anthony Gergej, Nathaniel S. Rieger, Bridget H. Brady, and others.