The Oxytocin Is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter, stimulating our neurons to intervene in the regulation of State of mind , Affectivity, predisposition to establish new social relationships and sexual behavior, among others.
In addition to modeling these aspects, it is interesting to highlight the role it plays during the physiological processes that occur at the time of delivery. Oxytocin is potentially released resulting in contractions, and subsequently secreting breast milk.
Also, it is interesting to note that the role of this hormone at the time of delivery and its good evolution, is also the responsibility of the fetus and its particular production of this hormone.
This aspect makes us understand a little more the strength and the maternal-filial bond that is created from the moment of the baby's birth.
How is oxytocin released and acted upon?
Oxytocin is produced by pituitary gland And is regulated by the cells of the Hypothalamus , Which from its position in the center of the brain, is responsible for controlling and regulating each of the hormonal glands, sending nerve impulses to the brain.
Then, when oxytocin passes through the bloodstream, in the Cerebral amygdala There will be a set of reactions conducive to behavior, encouraging social patterns, sexual and parental behavior, as I said before.
Oxytocin symbolizes the hormone of love par excellence, of contact and sexuality. Thus, their release is only favored when situations arise in relation to these conditions. Therefore, making love, giving a hug or a caress, are key examples to activate oxytocin production.
On the contrary, the hormone known as adrenalin , Inhibits oxytocin. Adrenaline is released by the body of all mammals in situations of alertness or emergency: moments of panic, danger or blockage. In this way the production of hormones is regulated naturally, based on specific situations.
The levels of oxytocin depend on other hormones and also influence the production of others such as estrogens, dopamine, serotonin, prolactin and endorphins.
The Prolactin For example, is directly involved in the process of breast development, milk production and baby care. Dopamine, on the other hand, focuses its attention on what we call positive reinforcement, which induces the subject to repeat the same pattern of performance with which that reward is achieved. Finally, the endorphins, are responsible for providing a relaxing effect thus reducing, high levels of stress and / or anxiety.
What effects does oxytocin produce?
Next, I'll tell you about 7 key aspects where the effects of oxytocin can differently infer in human behavior. And is that the role of this hormone goes beyond love:
Sexuality and excitement
The release of this hormone into women's brains during intercourse favors the proliferation of stable partner relationships. In fact, there are studies that show a high rate of oxytocin in people who claim to be in the initial infancy stage.
Childbirth and lactation
In the case of lactating mothers, oxytocin is also involved in the secretion of milk, acting from the Mammary glands . The suction performed by the baby on the nipple, is transmitted to the hypothalamus inducing the producing neurons to manufacture oxytocin for this to occur.
Maternal-filial bond
It is known that babies respond to the vocal stimuli they perceive from their mothers, causing a great deal of Emotional attachment Between both. Therefore, when a child is in a Emotional stress Caused by different factors, the sound stimulus that comes from the maternal voice activates the production of oxytocin, generating peace and tranquility.
Reduction of social phobias
The secreted oxytocin in certain situations produces a sensation of calm in our organism. On the other hand, as explained by the researchers in the journal The Journal of Neuroscience , Oxytocin is known to promote pro-social behavior.
This hormone has a direct influence on the amygdala (region of the brain in charge of social interactions and in the identification of emotional threats). Thus, the amygdala plays a key role in the processing of emotional reactions.
Autism
Studies have been found, which claim to have found reduced levels of oxytocin in the plasma of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (TORCH). It should be added that, later, another study carried out after the administration of intravenous oxytocin determined that it helped adults with autism to retain the concept of knowing how to evaluate the emotional meaning according to the different speech intonations (sadness, happiness, anger, .
Addictions
Oxytocin may be the solution to the control of severe addictions caused by excessive consumption of alcohol and other drugs, according to a recent study by the University of Adelaide (Australia).
The study is based on the thesis that addictive behavior may be associated with weak development of the oxytocin hormonal system during early childhood. Babies are born with levels of oxytocin, created following the maternal-filial bond.
Nevertheless, these levels continue to grow until the 3 years, being at the mercy of diverse influences. In this way, oxytocin could reduce the sensation of pleasure offered by drugs and abstinence caused by lack of consumption, if the oxytocin system has developed properly.
Eating disorders
It has been proven that the contribution of oxytocin to treat anxiety and stress states could be useful in the treatment of people with anorexia, since it inhibits the obsessive tendency, in this case, to the physical.
Curiosities
1- Oxytocin and falling in love Cause or consequence?
There are several studies, which have determined the bidirectional relationship between brain activation and hormone secretion.
In this way, we stop to think that just as oxytocin produces certain feelings or sensations in us, we could also be those that provoke the release of oxytocin by certain affective acts.
Thus, physical contact with a person increases oxytocin levels, even if it is not a contact for love or sexual purposes. Practice other activities such as the Yoga , Eating something that we like or even caress our pet, also make us release oxytocin.
2 - Kiss me, kiss me a lot"
"A good kiss works like a drug" , Says Sheril Kirshenbaum, a researcher at the University of Texas and author of 'The Science of Kissing' , The book that details what happens in our body and our brain when we kiss.
Next, I will detail how our brain experiences the reactions and sensations triggered by this physical approach, through the chain action of several hormones related to each other:
Dopamine
Euphoria is the result of the performance of this neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Dopamine levels soar as we kiss, and can be equated with certain obsessive thoughts associated with an infatuation in its initial phase, producing in our brain sensations comparable to those of an addiction.
Serotonin
It is a neurotransmitter in charge of regulating the emotions and transmit information to the Cerebral cortex . It is related to sexuality and intrinsically influences mood states.
Adrenalin
It is a substance that is segregated through the Kidney glands , Accelerating the heart. Adrenaline rates are triggered in the body, when we do some risky sports, such as Bungee jumping The skydiving.
As an annotation, note a curiosity drawn from a psychological study by psychologist John Bohannon, where 90% of respondents claimed to remember the details of their first romantic kiss. The first kiss, Bohannon argues, It leaves a more indelible imprint than the first time love is made??.
Oxytocin
Dopamine levels drop as the first stage of infatuation passes. Thus, oxytocin becomes the guarantee of success in the couple, since it reinforces the bond between two people.
Cortisol
In this case, it is a hormone other than the others, as it is activated when the body experiences a state of alert or threat. Sometimes their production is activated when the environment is inappropriate to perform certain behaviors.
3- Oxytocin and social skills
Research has shown that oxytocin makes people more extroverted.
The more introverted people often find social encounters stressful. Christmas parties seem like endless meetings, and even a first date makes them feel as if they were in a job interview.
Such discomfort can lead to poor performance in the exercise of social interaction, leaving a bad impression and even make other people feel uncomfortable. And is that we have all experienced those kinds of moments in which we feel out of place or socially awkward.
Oxytocin, a natural hormone released after childbirth or during social relationships, has been investigated for its impact on human behavior.
Marcos Ellenbogen, Chair of Research in Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Concordia and member of the Center for Research in Human Development, carried out a study which shows that the administration of oxytocin via the nasal route can change the way one perceives oneself, leaving Aside from the introversion and stress caused by direct confrontation with diverse social environments.
The study was performed with 100 men and women between 18 and 35 years. The sample consisted of healthy adults, non-smokers, no history of mental illnesses and no consumption of some type of medication. The researchers asked the subjects to inhale oxytocin from a nasal spray. Subsequently, the subjects completed a questionnaire on how they felt 90 minutes after inhalation. Participants were assessed on:
- Emotional instability
- Extroversion
- Predisposition to new life experiences
- Conscientiousness
Researcher Christopher Cardoso, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology of Concord and a member of the Center for Research in Human Development concluded:
"Participants who were treated with oxytocin via intranasal had higher scores on the degree of extroversion and predisposition to live novel experiences than those on a placebo.
The study is based on previous experimental research in Concordia which has shown that the administration of oxytocin via intranasal can influence how people perceive their ability to cope with difficult circumstances.
4-Oxytocin and mitomania
Oxytocin turns out not to be as good as we thought. A small scientific study argues that it induces people to tell lies:
Participants selected for the present study should attempt to predict the outcome of a coin (face or cross), and then receive positive reinforcement for the number of hits they declare themselves.
One group of participants was given one dose of oxytocin, and one group was given a placebo. Those who received the placebo lied, and declared a 67% success, and those who received the hormone also lied, but much more: they declared to have been successful 80% of the time, almost 30% more than expected by chance.
CONCLUSIONS
As we have seen throughout this article, oxytocin has various and curious ways of reacting in our brain, transporting its results to our way of behaving and understanding human relationships.