Impact of oxytocin on social bonding and its potential as a treatment for social anxiety disorder
1 General Directorate of Health Affairs, Department of Psychiatry, Najran, Saudi Arabia, 12271.
2 Vinnytsia National Pirogov Medical University, Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine.
3 Godfrey Okoye University Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Nigeria.
4 Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Research Article
World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2024, 19(01), 197–204.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjbphs.2024.19.1.0418
Publication history:
Received on 01 June 2024; revised on 15 July 2024; accepted on 17 July 2024
Abstract:
This literature review explores the impact of oxytocin on social bonding and its potential as a treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). The review synthesizes recent findings on oxytocin's biological and neurochemical aspects, its role in social bonding across species, and its implications for social anxiety. Studies consistently show oxytocin's involvement in trust, empathy, and attachment formation. Neuroimaging research reveals oxytocin's effects on key brain regions involved in social cognition and anxiety regulation, particularly the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Clinical trials investigating intranasal oxytocin administration for SAD have yielded promising but mixed results, highlighting the need for personalized approaches considering individual differences in oxytocin system functioning. The review also discusses challenges in developing oxytocin-based treatments, including optimal dosing, long-term efficacy, and potential side effects. Future research directions are proposed, emphasizing the importance of large-scale clinical trials, long-term studies, and interdisciplinary approaches to fully elucidate oxytocin's therapeutic potential for SAD.
Keywords:
Oxytocin; Social anxiety disorder; Social bonding; Nucleus accumbens; Prefrontal cortex
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Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0