Low Oxytocin May Lead to Low Empathy, Study Finds

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http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313911.php

   
     As you may have learned, oxytocin is "the love hormone" produced in the hypothalamus.  It is released during sex, as well as child birth and breast-feeding and has been found to reduce stress and other negative emotions.  Previous studies have revealed that there is a relationship between oxytocin levels and empathy.  For example, a study done with autism patients showed that increasing their oxytocin levels allowed them to experience better interactions with other people as well as an increase in trust (Sandoiu, 2016).  

     New studies done with patients whose medical conditions inhibit their oxytocin production in some way show that low levels of oxytocin does result in low empathy.  Katie Daughters, the leader of this study, stated that the study was "the first study which looks at low oxytocin as a result of medical, as opposed to psychological, disorders" (Sandoiu, 2016).

     I found this article relevant to the topics we discussed in class because it reveals the importance of different hormones on a person's behavior.  Someone could have a medical condition that is making them less empathetic towards others and have no idea that the medical condition is what is causing the behavior.  This is why it is important to check hormone levels in patients who may be at risk like those in this article.

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 28, 2016 at 7:20 PM

    I wonder if low Oxytocin levels are also present in individuals with antisocial personality disorder or in psychopaths and sociopaths, since these all share the characteristic of a lack of empathy. If so, treatments similar to the study of autism patients you'd mentioned could be developed to help those affected with antisocial personality disorder, too.

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  2. UnknownNovember 29, 2016 at 3:31 AM

    It seems as though increasing oxytocin levels in those with Autism may greatly benefit them, however more research would have to be done. Autism Spectrum Disorder contains more aspects to the disconnection between people with the disorder and their environment and why a lot of of them are not able to communicate effectively with others, yet it is interesting to find another component that may be contributing to this disconnection.

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