| Few hormones have captured as much interest from scientists and laypeople alike as oxytocin. This hormone is produced primarily in the brain, where it acts as a neurotransmitter, but it also has functions throughout the body. Researchers have known for more than a century that oxytocin helps to initiate childbirth and facilitate breastfeeding, for example, and a wealth of research over the past two decades supports its role in social behavior as well. Administering the hormone may even ease the social difficulties characteristic of autism, according to studies in both animals and people. Thanks to these findings, interest in oxytocin as a treatment for autism is progressing through a ‘hype cycle,’ which characterizes many innovations: Initial excitement is followed by disappointment when results fail to meet high expectations, and then a plateau phase, when expectations match actuality. |
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