A five week treatment with the synthetic hormone oxytocin significantly improved social, emotional and behavioral issues among young children with autism, according to University of Sydney research published today in Molecular Psychiatry.
The study, led by researchers at the University’s Brain and Mind Centre, is thought to be the first evidence of a medical treatment for social impairments in children with autism. It is also the first clinical trial investigating the efficacy, tolerability and safety of intranasal-administered oxytocin in young children with autism.
Autism is a group of complex brain developmental disorders characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication, and stereotypical and repetitive behaviours. The diagnosed incidence is estimated to be one in 68 children and effective interventions remain limited.
Behavioural therapies can improve social, emotional and behavioural impairments but these are typically time consuming (40 hours per week), remain costly and show mixed outcomes. There is currently no medical treatment for these problems.
In this new study, 31 children aged three to eight years of age received a twice daily course of oxytocin in the form of a nasal spray.
“We used some of the most widely used assessments of social responsiveness for children with autism,” said autism expert, Associate Professor Adam Guastella of the Brain and Mind Centre.
“We found that following oxytocin treatment, parents reported their child to be more socially responsive at home, and our own blind independent clinician ratings also supported improved social responsiveness in the therapy rooms of the Brain and Mind Centre,” he said.
Overall, the nasal spray was well tolerated and the most common adverse events were thirst, urination and constipation.
This is the first time a medical treatment has shown this type of benefit for children with autism and findings reinforce outcomes from a longer sustained program of research by this team.
Over the last 10 years Brain and Mind Centre researchers have been documenting the benefits of oxytocin in humans, revealing that it enhances eye gaze, emotion recognition and memory across a range of populations.
Study co-author and co-director of the Brain and Mind Centre, Professor Ian Hickie noted the new results were a critical first advance in the development of medical treatments for the social deficits that characterize autism.
“The potential to use such simple treatments to enhance the longer-term benefits of other behavioural, educational and technology-based therapies is very exciting,” he said.
Read more: Oxytocin has social, emotional and behavioral benefits in young kids with autism
The Latest on: Oxytocin
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Oxytocin” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Oxytocin
- Delhi HC Orders Action Against Spurious Oxytocin Use In Dairy Colonieson May 3, 2024 at 6:28 am
The Delhi High Court has issued directives to combat the use of spurious Oxytocin hormone in the dairy colonies across the na ...
- Philippines summons Chinese envoy over South China Sea water cannon attackon May 3, 2024 at 1:03 am
New Delhi [India], May 3 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has viewed that there is an urgent need to rehabilitate and relocate the Ghazipur Dairy and Bhalswa Dairy, as they are situated adjacent to the ...
- Top 6 Best Oxytocin Supplement in 2024on April 25, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Oxytocin, often referred to as the ‘love hormone,’ is a natural hormone in humans that plays a significant role in social bonding, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Recently, oxytocin supplements ...
- Mapping the Neural Circuit of Social Avoidanceon April 25, 2024 at 7:51 am
Moving forward, Lin plans to continue studying this circuit to uncover other neuronal populations and brain regions that may contribute to social avoidance learning. She also wants to examine this ...
- Subcutaneous injection of oxytocin can reduce perception of heat pain, claims studyon April 22, 2024 at 9:30 am
A recent clinical trial provided strong evidence that subcutaneous injections of oxytocin which is often often associated with social bonding, to hold the key to manage certain types of ...
- Want to Be Happier? Pay Attention to These Hormoneson April 22, 2024 at 7:00 am
Almost everything that makes you feel "happy" is linked to one of the four happiness hormones: dopamine, serotonin, endorphin and oxytocin. Here are some ways you can boost them naturally.
- Positive Results for Intranasal Oxytocin in Adults With Autismon April 8, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Budapest, Hungary — Twice daily intranasal oxytocin has been associated with improved social functioning, quality of life, and overall symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD ...
- Exploring how oxytocin interacts with testosterone while humans play a game modeling intergroup conflicton April 7, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently carried out a study specifically exploring how the hormones oxytocin and testosterone modulate people's behavior during an experimental ...
- How Oxytocin Affects Our Relationshipson March 29, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter that has been shown to substantially impact a range of social and reproductive activities, such as pair bonding and maternal, collaborative, and sexual behaviors ...
- Oxytocin News and Researchon February 3, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Oxytocin (OXT) is a hormone that is known for its effects on psychological well-being and emotional bonding in animals. Study reveals that gut microbiota from individuals with social anxiety ...
via Bing News