More oxytocin = more social skills?

Explore how a preliminary study suggests oxytocin may improve social skills of autism, easing common social challenges.

Written byRazib Khan
| 1 min read
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Ed Yong reviews a new paper:

The social interactions that come naturally to most people are difficult for people with autism and Asperger syndrome. Simple matters like making eye contact, reading expressions and working out what someone else is thinking can be big challenges, even for "high-functioning" and intelligent individuals. Now, a preliminary study of 13 people suggests that some of these social difficulties could be temporarily relieved by inhaling a hormone called oxytocin.

Only 13 individuals. That being said, since we're a medicated nation we might as well consider all possibilities....

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