Oxytocin has been found to act in pathologic processes far removed from reproduction and nervous system as well. Links have been made between oxytocin administration and injury healing. Vitalo et al. This may open up vistas for the use of this hormone in chronic ulcers.
Oxytocin secreted from the pituitary gland cannot re-enter the brain because of the blood-brain barrier. Instead, the behavioral effects of oxytocin are thought to reflect release from centrally projecting oxytocin neurons, different from those that project to the pituitary gland. Oxytocin receptors are expressed by neurons in many parts of the brain and spinal cord, including the amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamus, septum and brainstem.
Peripheral, hormonal actions of oxytocin are mediated by specific, high affinity oxytocin receptors. The peripheral actions of oxytocin mainly reflect secretion from the pituitary gland. The letdown reflex and the uterine contractions are both affected this way only. Due to its similarity to vasopressin, oxytocin can reduce the excretion of urine slightly.
More important, in several species, oxytocin can stimulate sodium excretion from the kidneys, and in humans, high doses of oxytocin can result in hyponatremia. Therefore, the potential of oxytocin for drug targeting is immense. While it brings some hope for alleviating serious social disorders, the issue appears extremely complex to tackle, as the specificity of action might be difficult to control.
One of the main and now well-characterized peripheral oxytocin targets is the erectile tissues, i. Though it appears to be an indirect effect, oxytocin injected in the rats induces penile erection. Another promising therapeutic breakthrough in the next years could be the development of oxytocin-based medications to treat altered nociception.
At the peripheral level, oxytocin also seems to be a key component in bone formation, glycaemia, male sexuality, cardiac differentiation, and nonregulated cellular proliferation. The story of oxytocin begins right before pregnancy, continues during birth and later, travels from the brain to the heart and throughout the entire body, triggering, or modulating a full range of physiological functions and emotions: happiness, attraction, love, affection, and hatred after stress.
These are all governed directly or indirectly, at least in part, by oxytocin. The multidimensional nonapeptide appears to play a central role in social behavior, and emerging clinical trials seek to assess and define its therapeutic potential in the treatment of pathophysiological behaviors. Therefore, there is a strong impetus to develop and establish new technological tools that will enable us to harness the full potential of oxytocin and its congeners.
The potential therapeutic uses for oxytocin and more long-acting and specific analogues of oxytocin are huge. Chemical, physiopathological, psychological, philosophical, and ethical studies will reinforce the development of new drugs involving the use of oxytocin, its agonists and antagonists for various human disorders such as autism, premature ejaculation, osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer.
From an innocuous agent as an aid in labor and delivery, to being touted as the latest party drug, oxytocin has come a long way. More research should be encouraged in this field in our country and across the world. Awareness should be generated about the exciting history of this hormone among reproductive and medical endocrinologists, just as it is for insulin.
It seems that during the course of the last years, the hormone of love has had multiple orgasms. It shall experience many more in the times to come. It has been documented that peak nocturnal uterine activity at the end of gestation is because of the nocturnal peak in plasma concentrations of oxytocin. Source of Support: Nil. Conflict of Interest: None declared.
National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. Navneet Magon and Sanjay Kalra 1. Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Corresponding Author: Dr. E-mail: moc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract Oxytocin has been best known for its roles in female reproduction. Keywords: Endocrinology, history, labor, love, obstetrics, oxytocin, pitocin. C ONCLUSION The story of oxytocin begins right before pregnancy, continues during birth and later, travels from the brain to the heart and throughout the entire body, triggering, or modulating a full range of physiological functions and emotions: happiness, attraction, love, affection, and hatred after stress.
On the physiological action of extracts of pituitary body and certain other glandular organs: Preliminary communication. It plays a role in sperm movement and the production of testosterone. A study revealed that people in the early stages of romantic attachment had higher levels of oxytocin, with the levels lasting for at least six months.
Likewise, the hormone is also stimulated during sexual activity and orgasms. When the hormone is released into certain parts of the brain, it can affect emotion and cognitive and social behaviors. Other relationship-enhancing effects also include empathy, trust, and the processing of bonding cues.
Here are some fast and fun facts about this powerful hormone:. It plays a vital role in childbirth and lactation. One of its primary roles in the body is to aid in the contraction of the uterus during labor and lactation.
The hormone is produced in large amounts during labor. Related: 11 interesting effects of Oxytocin. Although maternal bonding may not always be hardwired — after all, human females can adopt babies and take care of them — oxytocin released during pregnancy "does seem to have a role in motivation and feelings of connectedness to a baby," Young said.
Studies also show that interacting with a baby causes the infant's own oxytocin levels to increase, he added. In men, oxytocin also facilitates bonding. In previous research, dads who got a boost of oxytocin via a nasal spray played more closely with their 5-month-old babies than dads who didn't get the hormone zap, Live Science reported. There is another hormone, called vasopressin, which plays a stronger role in bonding for men.
Related: Oxytocin hormone may boost spirituality. This anti-social effect of a social hormone brings some nuance to the story of oxytocin. In one study, researchers found that Dutch students given a snort of the hormone became more positive about fictional Dutch characters, but they were more negative about characters with Arab or German names.
The finding suggests that oxytocin's social bonding effects are targeted at whomever a person perceives as part of their in-group, the researchers reported in January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences PNAS.
In another study, also published in PNAS , men were given a dose of oxytocin and asked to recall memories of their mothers. There is also a positive feedback involved in the milk-ejection reflex. Stimulation of the nipple during breastfeeding leads to increased oxytocin production and secretion into the blood, which then causes milk to be let down into the breast. The positive feedback cycle is maintained until the baby stops suckling. The production of oxytocin during childbirth is also self-limiting; release of the hormone is stopped once the baby is delivered.
At present, the implications of having too much oxytocin are not clear. This may cause difficulty in passing urine. It may be possible to treat this condition by manipulating oxytocin levels; however, more research is needed before any possible treatments are available. Similarly, it is not fully understood at present if there are any implications of having too little oxytocin in the body. A lack of oxytocin in a nursing mother would prevent the milk-ejection reflex and prevent breastfeeding.
Low oxytocin levels have been linked to autism and autistic spectrum disorders e. Asperger syndrome — a key element of these disorders being poor social functioning. Some scientists believe oxytocin could be used to treat these disorders.
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