Oxytocin Is Effective in Mice with Autism-Like Behavior

A cardinal feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is a deficit in social interaction and empathy. In animal (and some human) studies, oxytocin, administered as an intranasal spray, improves social interactions (including parenting and partner bonding). Thus, oxytocin pathways in the brain might be deficient in patients with ASDs, although conflicting evidence has been published.

A team from California previously created a mouse model of ASDs by knocking out a single gene. These mice have fewer neurons that react to oxytocin and have lower brain levels of oxytocin. Acute nasal administration of oxytocin promptly (but only temporarily) improved social deficits. A different drug, which causes the brain to release endogenous oxytocin, also …