Oxytocin << OK sih TOH sihn >> is a hormone produced in the bodies of humans and other mammals . Hormones act as chemical messengers, helping different parts of the body to function in a coordinated way. In the body, oxytocin is released in response to positive social interactions and in stressful situations.
Oxytocin is secreted by the pituitary gland , a pea-sized organ that lies at the base of the brain . The hormone is released into the bloodstream, which carries it throughout the body.
Oxytocin plays important roles in several reproductive and physiological processes. For example, oxytocin aids childbirth by causing the uterus to contract forcefully. The uterus, or womb, is the organ inside of which the baby develops. Oxytocin also enables the release of milk necessary for breast-feeding a baby. In addition, oxytocin reduces inflammation and accelerates the healing of wounds.
Specialized nerve cells also release oxytocin directly into the brain. There, oxytocin affects behavioral and cognitive (thinking and awareness) functions. For example, oxytocin helps animals distinguish between familiar individuals and strangers. This distinction influences whether individuals will approach or avoid each other. Oxytocin is also involved in the regulation of many other social behaviors. It plays a role in reproductive behaviors, including sexual intercourse. In addition, oxytocin is involved in friendly social behaviors like hugging and hand-holding in couples. Oxytocin mediates the stable bonds in couples, among parents and their children, and between friends. The hormone also plays a role in the response to stress . It is released during a stressful event. Stress levels become lower as more oxytocin is released.
Scientists are interested in oxytocin for its effects on physiology, reproduction, cognition, and social behaviors. Medical experts recognize that several disorders often involve deficits in social behaviors. Such disorders include autism , depression , schizophrenia , and social anxiety disorder . Aging is also associated with a decline in cognitive and behavioral functions. Scientific studies show that treatments using oxytocin may improve some symptoms associated with such disorders or with aging.
