Oxytocin News and Research

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Oxytocin is a small but potent nine-amino acid hormone secreted within the brain, from the hypothalamus.

New survey: Breastfeeding mothers show greater response to their infant's cry

A new study from The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry finds that mothers who feed their babies breast milk exclusively, as opposed to formula, are more likely to bond emotionally with their child during the first few months after delivery.

21 Apr 2011

Elevated levels of sodium limit body's natural responses to stress

All those salty snacks available at the local tavern might be doing more than increasing your thirst: They could also play a role in suppressing social anxiety.

6 Apr 2011

WHO releases first list of 30 priority medicines for women, children

The WHO on Monday released a list of 30 medicines that "are essential for treating common diseases of mothers and children," Ghana News Agency reports (3/21).

23 Mar 2011

Fruit fly faeces provides answers to pregnant women's bloating and constipation

Clues about how the human gut helps regulate our appetite have come from a most unusual source - fruit fly faeces. Scientists at the University of Cambridge are using the fruit fly to help understand aspects of human metabolism, including why pregnant women suffer from bloating and constipation, and even the link between a low calorie diet and longevity.

5 Jan 2011

Oxytocin makes individuals feel calmer and dampens effect on fear receptor in the brain

"My husband of thirty-five years passed away seven years ago, and I lost my daughter in a car accident last year, I honestly could no longer find the energy to smile or laugh," recounts sixty-year-old widow Opal Perry. "My son suggested I try a new hormone being touted to help with symptoms of depression, called oxytocin. After the second day I was driving and caught myself smiling in the mirror. I couldn't believe it. I had to do a double take. I hadn't really smiled in seven years! I thought I would never smile again until now."

23 Dec 2010

New findings could help bypass unnecessary use of oxytocin in normal deliveries

It is standard practice in Swedish delivery rooms to use oxytocin to stimulate a labour that has been slow to start or has grind to a halt for a few hours. However, it is also fine to wait for a further three hours in first-time mothers, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

17 Nov 2010

RNA-based drugs may prevent premature birth: Research

Tiny molecules called microRNAs act together with hormones to control the onset of labor, raising the prospect that RNA-based drugs might be able to prevent premature labor, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in a preclinical study.

15 Nov 2010

Researchers find additional work of oxytocin hormone

New human research suggests the chemical oxytocin dubbed the "cuddle hormone" because of its importance in bonding between romantic partners and mothers and children also influences feelings of well-being and sensitivity to advertising.

15 Nov 2010

Motherhood helps women grow their grey matter: Study

According to the latest research motherhood helps women grow their grey matter. The study was conducted by scientists at the National Institute of Mental Health in Maryland and it showed that the brains of new mothers substantially gained in nerve cells while they coped with the steep learning curve of dealing with a newborn. Also in a bizarre way, mothers who ‘gushed’ the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key parts of the brain.

24 Oct 2010

Motherhood may cause brain to grow

Motherhood may actually cause the brain to grow, not turn it into mush, as some have claimed. Exploratory research published by the American Psychological Association found that the brains of new mothers bulked up in areas linked to motivation and behavior, and that mothers who gushed the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key parts of the mid-brain.

21 Oct 2010

Mothers who gush about babies grow bigger brains

21 Oct 2010

Five tips to sustain couple relationship

In honor of Emotional Wellness Month this October, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) has released a podcast to help couples keep the flame alive.

14 Oct 2010

Cook Medical invites experts to discuss postpartum hemorrhage

Cook Medical has invited experts in women's health and postpartum hemorrhage from North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa to participate in a roundtable discussion with the world press to explore the causes, risk factors and prevalence of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) a fatal complication of childbirth that affects approximately 14 million women annually.

21 Sep 2010

Spike mat reduces muscle tension pain: Study

Spike mats do not alleviate chronic pain. Nor do they lead to a better night's sleep. But pain sufferers who have tested a spike mat did experience a measurable reduction in the worst peaks of pain. This is shown in a research study performed at Karlstad University in Sweden.

17 Sep 2010

Study finds alternative birthing room reduces Caesarian section surgery

Giving birth in an alternative setting within a hospital like a bed-free birthing room or one designed to be "homelike" is just as safe for healthy women as laboring in a traditional hospital bed and women who use these rooms are nearly twice as likely to be satisfied with their birth experiences, according to an updated Cochrane review.

8 Sep 2010

Increased levels of Oxytocin hormone fosters trust, increases generosity

Oxytocin (OT) is a hormone that plays an important role in social behavior-it has even been nicknamed "the love hormone" and "liquid trust." Increased levels of OT have been associated with greater caring, generosity, and trust.

25 Aug 2010

Oxytocin level associated with parent-specific styles of interaction: Research

The hormone oxytocin has come under intensive study in light of emerging evidence that its release contributes to the social bonding that occurs between lovers, friends, and colleagues. Oxytocin also plays an important role in birth and maternal behavior, but until now, research had never addressed the involvement of oxytocin in the transition to fatherhood.

21 Aug 2010

Trigemina reports positive results from TI-001 Phase IIa clinical trial for Chronic Daily Headache

Trigemina, Inc., a Mountain View, CA based pharmaceutical company, reports positive results from its Phase IIa proof-of-concept clinical trial for TI-001 in Chronic Daily Headache. The trial is a collaborative effort between Trigemina and Dr. Egilius Spierings of MedVadis Research Corporation located outside of Boston, and compares intranasal TI-001 with placebo in patients suffering from CDH.

11 Aug 2010

FSU biologist-mathematician team receives $2.64 million grant to study prolactin secretion

A Florida State University biologist and mathematician have joined forces to find out exactly how the brain oversees the secretion of the hormone prolactin from the pituitary gland, research that could lead to new ways to treat hundreds of disorders, including infertility.

4 Aug 2010

MDMA (Ecstasy) holds promise for chronic treatment-resistant PTSD

MDMA (-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as Ecstasy), may one day offer hope for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), even people for whom other treatments have failed. Clinical trial results out today in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, published by SAGE, suggests that MDMA can be administered to subjects with PTSD without evidence of harm and could offer sufferers a vital window with reduced fear responses where psychotherapy can take effect.

20 Jul 2010