oxytocin

  • A man sleeps with a sleep apnea mask over his nose.

    How the brain responds to sleep apnea

    Researchers have discovered underlying mechanisms within the brain that contribute to high blood pressure for people with sleep apnea.

  • A newborn baby crying while being held.

    How a newborn’s cry triggers the flow of breast milk

    A baby's cry triggers the release of oxytocin, a brain chemical that controls breast milk release in mothers, a new study with mice shows.

  • two hearts with googley eyes

    Without oxytocin receptors, voles are just as lovey-dovey

    The standard understanding of oxytocin, colloquially known as the "love hormone," may be all wrong, prairie vole research indicates.

  • A mouse mother with her pups on a white background

    Mouse moms teach future pup caretakers how to parent

    With help from oxytocin, mice mothers are awesome teachers. The findings offer evidence for the benefits of parenting classes for humans, researchers say.

  • sticker nametag says "HELLO My name is" with "oxytocin" written below

    Should hormones get universal names across species?

    Scientists advocate for cleaning up troublesome jargon by applying new standard nomenclature for the hormones known as oxytocin and vasopressin in humans.

  • mom kissing newborn baby on head

    3D ‘map’ of oxytocin receptor could bring new drugs

    Researchers have determined the 3D structure of the receptor that the hormone oxytocin binds to. The findings could aid drug development.

  • father's day - two toddlers put crown on dad's head

    5 things to know about the science of dad

    Happy Father's Day! Here are five unexpected research findings about dads.

  • b/w image of woman surfacing from under ocean water

    Hormone duo may protect some women against PTSD

    New research could clarify why not all women with traumatic childhoods develop PTSD.

  • orange ecstasy pills

    Ecstasy may reopen brain’s ‘critical period’ to treat PTSD

    Ecstasy has successfully treated some people with PTSD. A new study suggests reopening the "critical period" in the brain may be why.

  • woman kisses man's head by stone wall

    Newlywed brains suggest altruism is hard-wired

    "...altruism is deeply rooted in our evolutionary, neural, and genetic framework."

  • smiling bonobos

    Babysitting teaches bonobos how to be moms

    Not only does looking after babies teach young bonobos how to be parents, it also forges alliances that could be key when things get dangerous.

  • millennial pink balloons and hiding woman

    Oxytocin amps up good and bad social experiences

    The "love hormone" may also affect how we respond to negative social experiences.