Cited by 223Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAutism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Oxytocin treatment, circuitry and autism: a critical review of the literature placing oxytocin into the autism context

Guastella, Adam J., Hickie, Ian B.·2016·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Observed impairment in reciprocal social interaction is a diagnostic hallmark of autism spectrum disorders. There is no effective medical treatment for these problems. Psychological treatments remain costly, time intensive, and developmentally sensitive for efficacy. In this review, we explore the potential of oxytocin-based therapies for social impairments in autism. Evidence shows that acute oxytocin administration improves numerous markers critical to the social circuitry underlying social deficits in autism. Oxytocin may optimize these circuits and enhance reward, motivation, and learning to improve therapeutic outcomes. Despite this, the current evidence of therapeutic benefit from extended oxytocin treatment remains very limited. We highlight complexity in crossing from the laboratory to the autism clinical setting in evaluation of this therapeutic. We discuss a clinical trial approach that provides optimal opportunity for therapeutic response by using personalized methods that better target specific circuitry to define who will obtain benefit, at what stage of development, and the optimal delivery approach for circuitry manipulation. For the autism field, the therapeutic challenges will be resolved by a range of treatment strategies, including greater focus on specific interventions, such as oxytocin, that have a strong basis in the fundamental neurobiology of social behavior. More sophisticated and targeted clinical trials utilizing such approaches are now required, placing oxytocin into the autism context.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.06.028

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Authors
Guastella, A. J., & Hickie, I. B.
Affiliations
The University of Sydney (AU)
Corresponding author
Guastella, Adam J.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-02
Volume
79
Issue
3
Pages
234-242
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W812470321
Cited by
223
References
123
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 8
FWCI
4.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Health and Medical Research Council project (1043664)
  • Simons Foundation
  • Career Development Fellowship (1061922)
  • Australia Fellowship (494914)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Keywords
oxytocin, autism spectrum disorder, social dysfunction, oxytocin therapy, personalized treatment, clinical translation, social motivation, reward processing
MeSH terms
Autistic Disorder, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Oxytocin, Social Behavior, Treatment Outcome

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