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Science

Oxytocin Regulates Sociosexual Behavior In Female Mice 216

Chipmunk100 writes In a research article in the journal Cell scientists report that there is a subset of neurons that are vital in social interest of female mice for males during estrus, the sexually receptive phase of their cycle. They say that these neurons are responsive to oxytocin. The level of oxytocin rise when we hug or kiss a loved one. The BBC has an article on the findings as well, and reports that Without [oxytocin], female mice were no more attracted to a mate than to a block of Lego ... [The affected] neurons are situated in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain important for personality, learning and social behaviour. Both when the hormone was withheld and when the cells were silenced, the females lost interest in mating during oestrous, which is when female mice are sexually active.
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Oxytocin Regulates Sociosexual Behavior In Female Mice

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  • Oxy-what? (Score:5, Funny)

    by ArcadeMan ( 2766669 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @09:51PM (#48127245)

    Hey, did somebody mention LEGO?!

  • As expected (Score:3, Insightful)

    by russotto ( 537200 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @09:54PM (#48127257) Journal

    Saw this story, knew the comments would provide ammo for the SJWs. Way to go, morons.

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) * on Monday October 13, 2014 @02:38AM (#48128269) Homepage Journal

      Funny, I saw this story and knew it would provide ammo for people who use phrases like Social Justice Warrior. Way to go, moron.

    • Saw this story, knew the comments would provide ammo for the SJWs. Way to go, morons.

      What do Single Jewish Women have to do with anything?

  • Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @10:18PM (#48127369)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • by anethema ( 99553 ) on Monday October 13, 2014 @02:24AM (#48128237) Homepage

      There are several -Genuine- treatments (read: Aphrodisiacs) in trials right now.

      The main promising one right now is PT-141 (Bremelanotide)

      The main downside is it must be injected which will skeeve a lot of women out. It does work on men AND women though.

      From their site: " In a recently completed Phase 2B clinical trial, bremelanotide 1.25 mg and 1.75 mg doses significantly increased sexual arousal, sexual desire and the number of sexually satisfying events, and decreased associated distress in premenopausal women with FSD. Efficacy was seen in both women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and combined HSDD/female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD)."

      Since it is currently just in trails and unscheduled, you can order it right now from research peptide sites.

      Let's say a friend's wife has tried it, and she was as horny as a 18 year old boy for about 2-3 days. It is genuine arousal, not some blood flow modifier etc like Viagra.

      • by StripedCow ( 776465 ) on Monday October 13, 2014 @04:45AM (#48128689)

        Wikipedia states it (Bremelanotide) was found as a side-effect of a tanning agent.

        I genuinely wonder... is this how research works in neurology? Do we even have a basic understanding that could help us design such drugs, or are we just dependent on whatever side-effects come out of drugs from other fields?

        • by devent ( 1627873 )

          Your comment is funny, because the very article for this thread is about neurological research.

        • No, that's how discovery works. People are mucking about doing something and notice something else happening. "Hmm, that's interesting". The science part is often narrowing down a) What's happening, b) what's causing it, c) how to get it to happen by itself.

          A lot of people seem to think that there's a science shovel, and if you pay a scientist enough money to dig long enough, that eventually they'll hit pay dirt and have a geyser of science flowing out. (That's why they wear labcoats and goggles, obviously

        • by Rich0 ( 548339 )

          Wikipedia states it (Bremelanotide) was found as a side-effect of a tanning agent.

          I genuinely wonder... is this how research works in neurology? Do we even have a basic understanding that could help us design such drugs, or are we just dependent on whatever side-effects come out of drugs from other fields?

          Well, if you want another data point viagra was originally being developed for blood pressure I believe, and they found a side-effect. I believe propecia is in the same boat as well.

          Happens all the time, not that this is necessarily the norm.

  • by PPH ( 736903 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @10:23PM (#48127389)

    New Axe body spray with oxytoxin.

    • A body spray is not going to work unless they get some of your skin in their mouth. By then you don't need it :)
      • Re:Downside (Score:5, Informative)

        by Y.A.A.P. ( 1252040 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @11:12PM (#48127575)

        Actually, Oxytocin is destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract in humans. It's normally administered via intravenous injection or nasal spray. So, body spray could actually be useful for getting it to work on people.

        However, it doesn't have the same effect in humans as it apparently does in mice.

        In humans, Oxytocin creates and/or promotes social bonding. It does not create a sexual response in humans, but levels of it become heightened during and after sexual activities.

        So, people can drop the immature sex jokes (or waste their time and keep posting them) as using it on the opposite gender won't automatically cause them to want to have sex.

        OTOH, it could be used to make people like each other. World Peace drug, anyone?

        • Actually, Oxytocin is destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract in humans. It's normally administered via intravenous injection or nasal spray.

          It is actually available in a pill form now, but you have to get it specially compounded. I'm only aware of one pharmacy in the US that does it (though there may be more by now).

          • by Rich0 ( 548339 )

            Actually, Oxytocin is destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract in humans. It's normally administered via intravenous injection or nasal spray.

            It is actually available in a pill form now, but you have to get it specially compounded. I'm only aware of one pharmacy in the US that does it (though there may be more by now).

            Is there any bioequivalence or clinical data that suggests that it actually works? Or did some compounding pharmacy just throw it into a pill and start selling it?

            Compounding pharmacies are both useful and necessary. However, of late some have earned a reputation for just being end-runs around regulations designed to ensure that the drugs we buy are both safe and effective. The fact that they can throw some stuff in a pill doesn't mean that it works.

            Normally if you want to reformulate something into a ne

  • Polar Direction (Score:4, Interesting)

    by gimmeataco ( 2769727 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @10:32PM (#48127419)
    Personally, I'm kinda curious if this could lead to pest control solutions by reducing breeding.
    • Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it: there are many that consider us humans to be pests, and would like nothing more than for us to stop breeding to reduce the population down to a tenth or less what it is now.

      Then again, if oxytocin in humans (and other primates, I assume) results in bonding rather than sex and (more distant assuming) peace, then what do you suppose is happening right now where people will kill you over any slight and trolls rule the online world? Perhaps, the conspiracy th

      • by asylumx ( 881307 )

        there are many that consider us humans to be pests

        Many what? Other humans? Aliens? This doesn't make any sense.

  • by Sasayaki ( 1096761 ) on Sunday October 12, 2014 @10:51PM (#48127497)

    Browsing at -1 in this thread is fucking terrifying.

    • You must be new here. This is an average day on Slashdot. Possibly even more civil than usual. You ought to try browsing at -1 all the time.

  • OK Brits, any other vowels you feel like tossing in there?!

  • by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 12, 2014 @11:25PM (#48127639)

    High concentrations of oxytocin found in larger than average sums of money.

  • by hyades1 ( 1149581 ) <hyades1@hotmail.com> on Monday October 13, 2014 @12:14AM (#48127795)

    Biologists have now discovered the most powerful oxytocin suppressant on Earth.

    It is known as "Wedding Cake".

  • by Thanshin ( 1188877 ) on Monday October 13, 2014 @01:34AM (#48128073)

    Without [oxytocin], female mice were no more attracted to a mate than to a block of Lego.

    And... How attracted are female mice to blocks of Lego?

  • "Well-known social/sexual hormone regulates social/sexual behavior."

    Err ... okay. I'm sure you can do a lot of research into the finer points of oxytocin action, but that it is an immensely important hormone affecting all kinds of social behavior has been known for quite a while ...

  • Oxytocin (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Dollyknot ( 216765 ) on Monday October 13, 2014 @02:46AM (#48128305) Homepage
    In terms of mammals, is a fascinating neurotransmitter, because it's effect is different for males and females, get a room full of females and spray oxytocin in the air and all the females start being nicer to each other. Get a room full of males and do the same thing and the effect is different, all the males start being more competetive, here is the astonishing thing, it make the males more monogamous. When a female breast feeds the nerves in her nipples send signals to her limbic system, which starts producing oxytocin which alters her behaviour.
  • One of the things I've read about is that individuals with Aspergers may have different than normal levels of oxytocin

    http://www.autism.org.uk/livin... [autism.org.uk]

  • by Jhon ( 241832 ) on Monday October 13, 2014 @09:33AM (#48130029) Homepage Journal

    Wasn't this the basic plot of Serenity? They tried to make some type of "peace" drug and ended turning the population that didn't outright die in to "Reavers"?

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