Clinician's Roundtable Oxytocin and Autism: Improved Social Interaction?
Oct 15, 2008
Dr. Larry Young, a leading expert in social attachment and behavior from Emory University, delves into the fascinating connections between oxytocin and autism. He discusses how oxytocin influences social bonding in both voles and humans, shedding light on genetic factors that may impact social interactions. The potential of intranasal oxytocin to enhance social cognition in individuals with autism is explored, alongside its ethical considerations. Young's insights pave the way for new therapeutic strategies to improve social engagement in those affected by autism.
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Oxytocin Drives Social Bonds
- Prairie voles form lifelong social bonds through oxytocin in females and vasopressin in males.
- These bonds are facilitated by receptors located in brain reward areas absent in asocial vole species.
Gene Variation Influences Social Bonding
- Variation in the vasopressin receptor gene promoter affects social attachment in prairie voles.
- Analogous human gene variants correlate with relationship satisfaction and crises.
Oxytocin Enhances Social Cognition
- Intranasal oxytocin increases trust and enhances the ability to read others' emotions.
- Oxytocin might improve social cognition deficits in autism spectrum disorders.