Oxytocin and experimental therapeutics in autism spectrum disorders
Abstract
Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by three core symptom domains: speech and communication abnormalities, social functioning impairments and repetitive behaviours and restricted interests. Oxytocin (OXT) is a nine-amino-acid peptide that is synthesized in the paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by axon terminals in the posterior pituitary where it plays an important role in facilitating uterine contractions during parturition and in milk let-down. In addition, OXT and the structurally similar peptide arginine vasopressin (AVP) are released within the brain where they play a key role in regulating affiliative behaviours, including sexual behaviour, mother-infant and adult-adult pair-bond formation and social memory/recognition. Finally, OXT has been implicated in repetitive behaviours and stress reactivity. Given that OXT is involved in the regulation of repetitive and affiliative behaviours, and that these are key features of autism, it is believed that OXT may play a role in autism and that OXT may be an effective treatment for these two core symptom domains. In this chapter we review evidence to date supporting a relationship between OXT and autism; we then discuss research looking at the functional role of OXT in autism, as well as a pilot study investigating the therapeutic efficacy of OXT in treating core autism symptom domains. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of directions for future research.
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Animal model research points to a strong relationship between socially monogamous attachment behaviors and the expression of oxytocin within the brain, along with vasopressin and dopamine.
“Animal model research points to a strong relationship between socially monogamous attachment behaviors and the expression of oxytocin within the brain—along with that of an affiliated peptide, vasopressin, and a suite of auxiliary hormones and neurotransmitters including dopamine.”
From Could intranasal oxytocin be used to enhance relationships? Research imperatives, clinical policy, and ethical considerations (2013) · cites this paper as [36]
Implanting a vasopressin receptor gene into the ventral forebrain of typically promiscuous male voles caused them to behave much like their monogamous cousins.
“In one study, implanting a vasopressin receptor gene into the ventral forebrain of a sample of typically promiscuous male voles caused them to behave much like their monogamous cousins [36]”
From Could intranasal oxytocin be used to enhance relationships? Research imperatives, clinical policy, and ethical considerations (2013) · cites this paper as [36]
Intranasal oxytocin may reduce repetitive behaviors and increase performance on social recognition tasks.
“Intranasal administration of oxytocin may reduce repetitive behaviors, and increase performance on tasks of social recognition [171].”
From Consensus Paper: Pathological Role of the Cerebellum in Autism (2012) · cites this paper as [171]
Oxytocin is emerging as a pharmacological target for social dysfunction in clinical trials.
“oxytocin is emerging as a pharmacological target for social dysfunction in clinical trials (29, 30).”
From Placebo treatment facilitates social trust and approach behavior (2018) · cites this paper as [29]
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References 80 · Cited by 139
- Authors
- BARTZ, J., & HOLLANDER, E.
- Affiliations
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
- Corresponding author
- BARTZ, J
- ORCID
- Venue
- Progress in Brain Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Published
- 2008
- Volume
- 170
- Pages
- 451-462
- ISSN
- 0079-6123 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1557461627
- Cited by
- 139
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 35.06
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Progress in brain research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Beatrice and Samuel A. Seaver Foundation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (U54MH066673)
- 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, vasopressin, affiliative behavior, social memory, repetitive behavior, social functioning, oxytocin therapy, hypothalamic neuropeptides, pair bonding, stress reactivity
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Animals, Autistic Disorder, Cognition, Communication, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Humans, Mother-Child Relations, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Oxytocin, Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus, Pregnancy, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Social Behavior, Speech Disorders, Supraoptic Nucleus, Uterine Contraction, Parturition
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