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.

Does too much texting puts teenagers at risk?

A seemingly harmless method of communication - text messaging on mobile phones could damage teenagers physically and psychologically a new study has revealed.

1 Jul 2010

Cytokine PharmaSciences completes misoprostol vaginal insert Phase II study

Cytokine PharmaSciences, Inc. today announced the completion of a Phase II study of the misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI), a proprietary, controlled-release and retrievable polymer chip containing prostaglandin E(1) (PGE1). Results of the dose-finding study in pregnant women at term gestation confirm the efficacy and safety of this investigational product and suggest that the MVI may reduce time to delivery after induction, support more natural labor, and reduce the rate of cesarean delivery.

16 Jun 2010

Positive results reported from Phase IIa clinical trial of intranasal oxytocin for CDH

Trigemina, Inc., a Mountain View based privately-held biopharmaceutical company, reports positive results from a time-based interim analysis of its Phase IIa clinical trial in Chronic Daily Headache. The trial is a collaborative effort between Trigemina and Dr. Egilius Spierings of MedVadis Research Corporation located outside of Boston. The study compares intranasal oxytocin with placebo in patients suffering from CDH.

26 May 2010

2010 funding program for Inova Life Sciences - George Mason University research collaboration open

What do you get when you mix a world-class health system with an innovative, entrepreneurial university? A very successful research collaboration.

20 May 2010

Choir singing induces state of stimulated regeneration in IBS patients

A Swedish investigation has compared choir singing and group discussion in irritable bowel syndrome in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

19 May 2010

Oxytocin enhances ability to experience fellow-feeling

48 healthy males participated in the experiment. Half received an oxytocin nose spray at the start of the experiment, the other half a placebo. The researchers then showed their test subjects photos of emotionally charged situations in the form of a crying child, a girl hugging her cat, and a grieving man. The test subjects were then invited to express the depth of feeling they experienced for the persons shown.

30 Apr 2010

Study shows benefits of oxytocin nasal spray in children with ASD

Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders usually diagnosed in childhood. Children with ASDs have impairments in social interactions and communication, and a tendency towards repetitive behaviors. A hallmark of autism is a difficulty in understanding and reciprocating the emotion of others.

8 Apr 2010

Massages help bereaved relatives move forward with their lives

Receiving soothing massages for eight weeks after the death of a loved one can provide much-needed consolation during an intense, stressful period of grieving, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

24 Mar 2010

Researchers identify a novel way to study species-specific reproductive behavior

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have discovered that injecting a simple hormone into leeches creates a novel way to study how hormones and the nervous system work together to produce species-specific reproductive behavior.

17 Mar 2010

Oxytocin hormone improves social behavior in autistic patients

Autism is a disease characterized by difficulties in communicating effectively with other people and developing social relationships. The team led by Angela Sirigu at the Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive (CNRS) has shown that the inhalation of oxytocin, a hormone known to promote mother-infant bonds and social relationships, significantly improved the abilities of autistic patients to interact with other individuals.

17 Feb 2010

Negative life experiences can harm developing capacity for love

Do you make the same mistakes in love over and over again? For example, do you always seem to pick the wrong partner or always experience the same negative romantic outcome? If so, you need to understand your developmental history of love and break the pattern, according to Dr. Mark Beitel, a licensed clinical psychologist and psychotherapist at Greenwich Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine in Cos Cob, CT.

15 Feb 2010

Top ten myths about sex

Boston Medical Group, a national physician network specializing in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, today released ten of the top myths surrounding sex. From which gender spends the most time fantasizing to whether size really matters, the list covers some of the common misconceptions about time spent between the sheets.

10 Feb 2010

TI commences Phase IIa clinical trial for its lead molecule in CDH

Trigemina, Inc. (TI), a Mountain View based startup, has begun a Phase IIa clinical trial for its lead molecule in Chronic Daily Headache (CDH) in collaboration with Dr. Egilius Spierings at MedVadis Research Corporation located outside of Boston.

10 Feb 2010

Research suggests pomegranate seed extract could stimulate uterine contractions

The team identified beta-sitosterol - a steroid that can inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine - as the main constituent of pomegranate seed extract. The research suggests that pomegranate extract could be used as a natural stimulant to encourage the uterus to contract during labour.

28 Jan 2010

Social scientists say compassion is humans' strongest trait

Researchers at UC Berkeley are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence to show we are evolving to become more compassionate and collaborative in our quest to survive and thrive.

10 Dec 2009

Regular sexual activity can help improve the overall health in men

Boston Medical Group, a national physician network specializing in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, today released the top ten reasons regular sexual activity can help improve men’s overall health. From decreased blood pressure to more restful sleep, sexual activity is essential for maintaining bodily functions as well as overall health and well-being.

7 Dec 2009

Oxytocin hormone affects behaviors, finds new study

A new study carried out at the University of Haifa has found that oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone", which affects behaviors such as trust, empathy and generosity, also affects opposite behaviors, such as jealousy and gloating.

12 Nov 2009

Rodents may serve as useful models to interpret parent-offspring relationships

Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, have demonstrated that prairie voles may be a useful model in understanding the neurochemistry of social behavior. By influencing early social experience in prairie voles, researchers hope to gain greater insight into what aspects of early social experience drive diversity in adult social behavior.

1 Sep 2009

New consortium to tackle African sleeping sickness and Leishmaniasis

A new consortium has been formed to boost drug development for the treatment of two deadly diseases, African sleeping sickness and Leishmaniasis, which affect millions of people worldwide.

17 Aug 2009

Scientists discover 27 genes associated with Asperger's syndrome, autistic traits and empathy

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have identified 27 genes that are associated with either Asperger Syndrome (AS) and/or autistic traits and/or empathy. The research will be published tomorrow in the journal Autism Research. This is the first candidate gene study of its kind.

15 Jul 2009