Researchers find epigenetic factor in monogamy for voles

(Phys.org) —A team of researchers at Florida State University has found an epigenetic factor involved in voles' lifelong pair bonding. In their paper published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the researchers describe ...

Social scientists build case for 'survival of the kindest'

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body ...

'Love hormone' guides young songbirds in choice of 'voice coach'

Oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone," plays a key role in the process of how a young zebra finch learns to sing by imitating its elders, suggests a new study by neuroscientists at Emory University. Scientific Reports has ...

'Love hormone' is revealed to have heart healing properties

The neurohormone oxytocin is well-known for promoting social bonds and generating pleasurable feelings, for example from art, exercise, or sex. But the hormone has many other functions, such as the regulation of lactation ...

Dogs cry more when reunited with their owners

Dogs and humans clearly have a special bond. But do dogs, like humans, produce more tears at times when they are flooded with emotion? A new study reported in Current Biology on August 22—which may be the first to look ...

page 1 from 4

Oxytocin

Oxytocin (pronounced /ˌɒksɨˈtoʊsɪn/) is a mammalian hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain.

It is best known for its roles in female reproduction: it is released in large amounts after distension of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, facilitating birth and breastfeeding, respectively. Recent studies have begun to investigate oxytocin's role in various behaviors, including orgasm, social recognition, pair bonding, anxiety, trust, love, and maternal behaviors.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA