 Oxytocin is a hormone that is released during labor and breastfeeding, but it has also been associated with bonding and sexual arousal, giving it the nickname the "love hormone." Oxytocin has the capacity to shape human social behavior by inducing a general sense of well-being, improved social interactions, increased trust and reduced fear. Therefore, oxytocin can potentially be used to enhance interpersonal relationships and might have applications for autism and parental behaviors, as well as treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders - especially those characterized by persistent fear, repetitive behavior, reduced trust and avoidance of social interactions. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center published a case report of a male treated with a course of intranasal oxytocin for social anxiety. The patient had significant, broad-spectrum improvements in sexual function, including libido, erection, and orgasm; and oxytocin was well tolerated. In autism, there are 3 core deficits - social communication, repetitive behavior, and fixated or restricted interest. Studies have shown that blood levels of oxytocin are lower in children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, a total of 32 individuals (all males, average age 13), oxytocin appeared to normalize core deficits in ASD. A single-dose, placebo-controlled, double-blind study found intranasal oxytocin to be safe and highly effective in the management of chronic migraine. Compared with a placebo, intranasal oxytocin decreased the percentage of patients with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Studies have shown no difference in side effects between intranasal oxytocin and a placebo. Our compounding pharmacy can prepare oxytocin as a nasal spray or a sublingual dosage form. Ask us for more information. REFERENCES Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2013 Jul 9. [Epub ahead of print] JAffect Disord. 2011 Apr;130(1-2):1-9. Epub 2010 Jul 2. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Mar 27; : 18375074. J Sex Med. 2012 May;9(5):1407-10. Epub 2012 Mar 28. J Sex Med. 2008 Apr;5(4):1022-4. BMC Psychiatry. 2012; 12: 110. Published online 2012 August 13. 12th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR). Abstract 122.007. Presented May 3, 2013. Neurosci Res. 2010;67(2):181-91. 2013 International Headache Congress. Abstract P59. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2011 Sep;36(8):1114-26. Epub 2011 Mar 23.
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