Study summary · research use only
Oxytocin in neurodevelopmental disorders: Autism spectrum disorder and Prader-Willi syndrome
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This review discusses oxytocin's role in neurodevelopmental disorders, focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Oxytocin's involvement in social recognition, bonding, maternal behaviors, anxiety, food motivation, and hyperphagia is described, along with abnormalities in the oxytocin system reported in the pathophysiology of ASD and PWS. The authors describe clinical trial results on oxytocin for core symptoms of these conditions as discrepant, and outline oxytocin's clinical pharmacology and safety considerations. The authors suggest oxytocin's effects may be greatest in these populations if dosed in a dynamic (PRN) regimen paired with social interventions.
Abstract
This manuscript reviews recent work on oxytocin and its use in neurodevelopmental disorders including spectrum disorder (ASD) and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Oxytocin is involved in social recognition, bonding, maternal behaviors, anxiety, food motivation, and hyperphagia. While the pathophysiology of ASD and PWS involve abnormalities in the oxytocin system, clinical trials have shown discrepant results in the effectiveness of oxytocin as a treatment for core symptoms associated with these disorders. In this review, we outline oxytocin's clinical pharmacology, safety considerations, and results in recent clinical trials. We propose that oxytocin may be most beneficial in these populations if dosed in a dynamic regimen (PRN) and paired with social interventions.
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