Prosocial effects of an oxytocin metabolite, but not synthetic oxytocin receptor agonists, in a mouse model of autism.

ABSTRACT: Currently, there are no established pharmaceutical strategies that effectively treat social deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Oxytocin, a neurohormone that plays a role in multiple types of social behaviors, has been proposed as a possible therapeutic against social impairment and other symptoms in ASD. However, from the standpoint of pharmacotherapy, oxytocin has several liabilities as a standard clinical treatment, including rapid metabolism, low brain penetrance, and activity at the vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) receptors. The present studies describe findings from a preclinical screening program to evaluate oxytocin receptor (OXTR) agonists and oxytocin metabolites for potential clinical use as more optimal treatments. We first investigated two synthetic oxytocin analogs

SUBMITTER: Moy SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7384330 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature