Monday, February 19, 2007
Hey! After learning so much about oxytocin and the importance of it, the next question is, what happens when our oxytocin hormone malfunctions? Read on to find out! =D
Oxytocin malfunction
When our oxytocin is working…
Some researchers did a research to find that our ability to love and bond to others arises from the activation of certain brain circuits that are thought to help reinforce behaviors by producing feelings of pleasure or reward. For example, in one recent study, researchers used imaging techniques to highlight the brain activity of people experiencing romantic love or maternal love. Participants in the romantic group professed to be "deeply, and madly in love" with a lover. Researchers measured the groups' brain activity while they viewed pictures of their lover compared with pictures of friends. In the maternal group, mothers viewed pictures of their infants, compared with pictures of other babies. The study found that regions in the brain's reward system were active in those experiencing romantic love or maternal love. Also, the areas coincide with some regions where oxytocin and vasopressin are active.
When our oxytocin is not working…
A lack of genes for oxytocin receptors results in a deficit in social recognition. Some researches have indicated that these hormone systems may malfunction in people who have difficulties with social interaction. Included are those with autism who also tend to have problems communicating and often repeat activities again and again. One study discovered that a group of children with autism had lower levels of oxytocin in their blood than a group of normal children, suggesting that their oxytocin systems were failing.
Researchers found that infusions of oxytocin reduced repetitive behaviors in adults with autism while they were receiving the hormone.
In these two images, the blue coloring signals where oxytocin can create actions in the vole brain and the red coloring signals where vasopressin can create actions. Some of these highlighted brain areas are thought to be associated with reward. Researchers believe that oxytocin and vasopressin create bonding in mammals, and possibly humans, by activating brain areas that produce feelings of pleasure or reward, which helps reinforce behaviors.
In the case where there is oxytocin deficiency, clinically significant problems rarely occurs. Oxytocin is most important during labor and delivery at the end of pregnancy, and can be replaced in that circumstance by pitressin.
(http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_loveAndTheBrain)
Anyway, hope you have a better understanding of the effects when oxytocin in our body malfunctions. Ok, I'm pretty tired now, so good night! See you tomorrow! =)
