TY - JOUR
T1 - Is oxytocin “nature’s medicine”?
AU - Sue Carter, C.
AU - Kenkel, William M.
AU - Maclean, Evan L.
AU - Wilson, Steven R.
AU - Perkeybile, Allison M.
AU - Yee, Jason R.
AU - Ferris, Craig F.
AU - Nazarloo, Hossein P.
AU - Porges, Stephen W.
AU - Davis, John M.
AU - Connelly, Jessica J.
AU - Kingsbury, Marcy A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Address correspondence to: C. Sue Carter, 428 Lindley Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405. E-mail: suecarterporges@ gmail.com This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of National Institutes of Health [Grants F32-HD092051, R21-HD095217, R01-HD098117, and P01-HD075750]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.120.019398.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of National Institutes of Health [Grants F32-HD092051, R21-HD095217, R01-HD098117, and P01-HD075750]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. We are very grateful to Katie Krol, Josh Danoff, and Pat Kratoch-well for editorial assistance.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 by The Author(s).
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - Oxytocin is a pleiotropic, peptide hormone with broad implications for general health, ad-aptation, development, reproduction, and social behavior. Endogenous oxytocin and stimulation of the oxytocin receptor support patterns of growth, resilience, and healing. Oxytocin can function as a stress-coping molecule, an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, with protective effects especially in the face of adversity or trauma. Oxytocin influences the autonomic nervous system and the immune system. These properties of oxytocin may help explain the benefits of positive social experiences and have drawn attention to this molecule as a possible therapeutic in a host of disorders. However, as detailed here, the unique chemical properties of oxytocin, including active disulfide bonds, and its capacity to shift chemical forms and bind to other molecules make this molecule difficult to work with and to measure. The effects of oxytocin also are context-dependent, sexually dimorphic, and altered by experience. In part, this is because many of the actions of oxytocin rely on its capacity to interact with the more ancient peptide molecule, vasopressin, and the vasopressin receptors. In addition, oxytocin receptor(s) are epigenetically tuned by experience, especially in early life. Stimulation of G-protein–coupled receptors triggers subcellular cascades allowing these neuropeptides to have multiple functions. The adaptive properties of oxytocin make this ancient molecule of special importance to human evolution as well as modern medicine and health; these same characteristics also present challenges to the use of oxytocin-like molecules as drugs that are only now being recognized.
AB - Oxytocin is a pleiotropic, peptide hormone with broad implications for general health, ad-aptation, development, reproduction, and social behavior. Endogenous oxytocin and stimulation of the oxytocin receptor support patterns of growth, resilience, and healing. Oxytocin can function as a stress-coping molecule, an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, with protective effects especially in the face of adversity or trauma. Oxytocin influences the autonomic nervous system and the immune system. These properties of oxytocin may help explain the benefits of positive social experiences and have drawn attention to this molecule as a possible therapeutic in a host of disorders. However, as detailed here, the unique chemical properties of oxytocin, including active disulfide bonds, and its capacity to shift chemical forms and bind to other molecules make this molecule difficult to work with and to measure. The effects of oxytocin also are context-dependent, sexually dimorphic, and altered by experience. In part, this is because many of the actions of oxytocin rely on its capacity to interact with the more ancient peptide molecule, vasopressin, and the vasopressin receptors. In addition, oxytocin receptor(s) are epigenetically tuned by experience, especially in early life. Stimulation of G-protein–coupled receptors triggers subcellular cascades allowing these neuropeptides to have multiple functions. The adaptive properties of oxytocin make this ancient molecule of special importance to human evolution as well as modern medicine and health; these same characteristics also present challenges to the use of oxytocin-like molecules as drugs that are only now being recognized.
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U2 - 10.1124/pr.120.019398
DO - 10.1124/pr.120.019398
M3 - Article
C2 - 32912963
AN - SCOPUS:85090798550
SN - 0031-6997
VL - 72
SP - 829
EP - 861
JO - Pharmacological Reviews
JF - Pharmacological Reviews
IS - 4
ER -