Oxytocin and social motivation.

TitleOxytocin and social motivation.
Publication TypeJournal Article
AuthorsGordon, I., C. Martin, R. Feldman, and J. F. Leckman
PubMed ID21984889
PubMed Central IDPMC3185363
Grant ListK05 MH076273-05 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
K05MH076273 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
R25 MH077823 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
R25MH077823 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH018268-26 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH018268 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
K05 MH076273 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States

Humans are fundamentally social creatures who are ‘motivated’ to be with others. In this review we examine the role of oxytocin (OT) as it relates to social motivation. OT is synthesized in the brain and throughout the body, including in the heart, thymus, gastrointestinal tract, as well as reproductive organs. The distribution of the OT receptor (OTR) system in both the brain and periphery is even more far-reaching and its expression is subject to changes over the course of development. OTR expression is also sensitive to changes in the external environment and the internal somatic world. The OT system functions as an important element within a complex, developmentally sensitive biobehavioral system. Other elements include sensory inputs, the salience, reward, and threat detection pathways, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress response axis. Despite an ever expanding scientific literature, key unresolved questions remain concerning the interplay of the central and peripheral components of this complex biobehavioral system that dynamically engages the brain and the body as humans interact with social partners over the course of development.

Title Oxytocin and social motivation.
Publication Title Dev Cogn Neurosci
Publication Type Journal Article
Published Year 2011
Authors I. Gordon; C. Martin; R. Feldman; J.F. Leckman
ISSN Number 1878-9307
PubMed ID 21984889
PubMed Central ID PMC3185363
Grant List
K05 MH076273-05 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
K05MH076273 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
R25 MH077823 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
R25MH077823 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
T32 MH018268-26 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
T32 MH018268 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
K05 MH076273 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States

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