This record provides bibliographic details and links to the original research. An editorial study breakdown is not available.
What the researchers found
Early oxytocin administration may be associated with social developmental impairments such as autism spectrum disorders, but oxytocin also shows potential to improve social behaviors in ASD patients. Animal studies reveal contradictory effects of chronic oxytocin exposure, highlighting complex biological mechanisms.
Why it matters
Understanding oxytocin's dual role is crucial for safely using it in obstetrics and exploring its therapeutic potential for social impairments in autism.
How the study worked
This article is a literature review analyzing recent animal and human studies on the long-term effects of neonatal and chronic oxytocin administration on social development and autism spectrum disorders.
What this study cannot tell us
The evidence is largely based on animal studies with contradictory results, and human data are methodologically limited, making definitive conclusions difficult.
Read the original research
The two fold role of oxytocin in social developmental disorders: A cause and a remedy?
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 63, 168-76
Citation
Lefevre, Arthur; Sirigu, Angela. (2016). The two fold role of oxytocin in social developmental disorders: A cause and a remedy?. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 63, 168-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.01.011