Sex and Monogamy

I attend quite a few talks a week. So far this week, I've learned about

how misfolded proteins may be the precipitating factor leading to a number of neurodegenerative diseases (Huntingtons, Parkinsons, Alzheimer's, polyglutamine, etc),

that thyroid hormone metabolites can act as inhibitors of the dopamine and norepinephrine transporters (similar to the actions of cocaine)

and how oxytocin gets released during sex and facilitates the formation of partner preference (i.e. monogamy).

None of these talks are related to what I study. And I love that. It is wonderful to learn new things and be able to see parallels between the different fields of research. Since this last talk happened an hour ago, it is fresh on my mind. At the lunch following the talk, I asked the following:

If oxytocin gets released during sex and leads to an animal preferring their sexual partner, what happens if you abolish the memory of that partner? Would the animal still show a preference for their partner, would they prefer the next male they saw, or would no partner preference be made? Short version: what's important... oxytocin, the memory or do you need both to form a 'monogamous' relationship? And flip side, if you are unconscious (or conscious but not fully lucid), can sex still lead to a release of oxytocin?

People looked at me and laughed. I was surprised, it was a real question. I was asked how one could block the memories. Although there are a number of drugs that could do it, roofies (i.e. the date rape drug, rohypnol) immediately came to mind. Short version: nobody knows the answer. I'm still curious.