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
- 24 Intriguing Facts About Experiencing Love for the First Timeon May 7, 2024 at 10:37 am
Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com. 4. Oxytocin is the Reason You Fall in Love for the First Time Oxytocin is the main hormone responsible for the feeling of love. This natural hormone plays a ...
- Global Oxytocin Market Set to Soar, Projected to Reach US$ 164.9 Million by 2030on May 5, 2024 at 7:12 pm
The global oxytocin market is poised for significant expansion, with Future Market Insights forecasting a robust growth trajectory. By 2030, the global oxytocin market is anticipated to reach a ...
- Hack Your Brain to Boost Happiness by Monitoring These 4 Hormoneson May 4, 2024 at 7:00 am
You have more control over your happiness than it might seem. While you can't control everything that happens to you, you can intentionally work toward increasing the chemicals in the brain that are ...
- Banned Oxytocin still used in Delhi dairies, High Court takes noteon May 3, 2024 at 6:37 pm
While hearing a plea over “rampant use of Oxytocin hormone in the dairy colonies” in the national capital, the Delhi High Court has now called for action against its spurious use in dairy colonies and ...
- Delhi Court Orders Action Against Spurious Oxytocin Use In Dairy Colonieson May 3, 2024 at 5:36 pm
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet P.S. Arora ruled that administering Oxytocin without proper authorisation constitutes an offence under the relevant ...
- Delhi High Court orders police action against oxytocin use on cattle in city dairieson May 3, 2024 at 11:42 am
Delhi High Court orders action against spurious oxytocin use on cattle in dairy colonies, citing animal cruelty and offence.
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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.
via Bing News