Oxytocin in the hypothalamus is the biological basis of social recognition, trust, love and bonding. Previously, we showed that CD38, a proliferation marker in leukaemia cells, plays an important role in the hypothalamus in the process of oxytocin release in adult mice. Disruption of Cd38 (Cd38 (-/-)) elicited impairment of maternal behaviour and male social recognition in adult mice, similar t...

OBJECTIVES To compare oral misoprostol versus intramuscular oxytocin in the management of third stage of labour. METHODS The quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit II, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from June 20 to December 19, 2006. A total of 70 patients diagnosed in active phase of labour who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected by non-probability...

The objective of this study was to compare the course of parturitions induced with sole oxytocin with those induced with the combination of intracervical prostaglandin E2 jelly and oxytocin. For this purpose 13 mares in advanced pregnancy were allocated to the groups pretreated with either intracervical PGE2 (experimental group) or saline (control group) two hours before intravenous oxytocin (5...

BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated that the neuropeptide oxytocin modulates social behaviors and reduces anxiety. However, effects of oxytocin on startle reactivity, a well-validated measure of defense system activation related to fear and anxiety, have been inconsistent. Here we investigated the influence of oxytocin on startle reactivity with particular focus on the role of trait a...

Naloxone increases oxytocin secretion in pregnant rats, suggesting restraint by endogenous opioids but we have previously reported that oxytocin nerve terminals in the neural lobe become desensitized to opioid actions in late pregnancy. Therefore, we sought evidence for opioid inhibition on oxytocin cell bodies and their inputs at this time. In conscious 21 d pregnant rats naloxone increased th...

background: oxytocin infusion is used for induction or augmentation of labor to prevent prolonged labor. a cheap and nonaggressive alternative which is effectively used for contraction stress test is nipple stimulation. however research regarding its efficacy and safety is still limited. this study aims to compare the effectiveness of nipple stimulation and oxytocin infusion on the duration of ...

Stress or arousal responses to novel social contexts ease off when individuals get familiar with the social context. In the present study we investigated whether oxytocin is involved in this process of familiarization-habituation as oxytocin is known to increase trust and decrease anxiety. Fifty-nine healthy female subjects took part in the same experimental procedure in two sessions separated ...

The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin, known for its involvement in social affiliation and bonding in animals, has recently been associated with a host of prosocial behaviors that are beneficial for maintaining positive social relationships in humans. Paradoxically, however, people with high endogenous levels of oxytocin also tend to report relational distress and interpersonal difficulties in...

background: phytoestrogens, a group of plant-derived polyphenolic compounds have recently come into considerable attention due to the increasing information on their potential adverse effects in human health. some of phytoestrogens show estrogenic activity that may be carcinogenic for human. in the present study, we investigated the transcriptional effects of variety of phytoestrogens on the bo...

Oxytocin protects against ischemia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress, and is associated with GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter) signaling transduction in neurons. However, the molecular mechanism by which oxytocin affords neuroprotection, especially the interaction between oxytocin receptor and GABAA receptor (GABAAR), remains to be elucidated. Primary rat neural...