There is new information
indicating that an
rel="tag">oxytocin
nasal spray could be used to
treat shyness. Oxytocin is a peptide hormone best known for
its role in childbirth and breastfeeding. These are known as
peripheral actions, meaning they take place outside of the central
nervous system (CNS).
However,
it also is
known as a neurotransmitter, having effects within the CNS.
It
has been touted as a chemical that can increase trust and reduce fear.
It also has been claimed to have a role in the difference in
how
href="http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/471090,CST-FTR-berman17.article">men
and women perceive, or even dream about, sex.
Some companies have been
href="http://www.verolabs.com/product.php?UID=2007071818582067.164.132.115">marketing
a perfume-like spray, which they claim a person can wear to affect the
behavior of others. That seems preposterous, but then, I
haven't
seen their data.
This new application has at least some data to support it...
href="http://www.socialbehavior.unizh.ch/static/home/heinrichs/"
rel="tag">Markus Heinrichs, et. al.,
working at the
rel="tag">University of Zurich, reports that it
may work by affecting the amygdala. This would have the
effect of reducing the fear response. This builds on prior
work indicating that it reduces phobic fear, improves trust, and
improves the ability to discern the emotional states of other people.
The details of those studies can be found on his web page, linked above.
The study about the use in shyness have been reported in the media (
href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19526124.700-hormone-spray-could-banish-shyness.html">New
Scientist,
href="http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20070717/shyness-relieving-spray/">Coolest
Gadgets). Apparently the original media report came
from Asian
News International, as reported by
href="http://in.news.yahoo.com/070714/139/6i1jk.html">Yahoo.
Reportedly, the results are to be formally presented at the
href="http://www.ibro.org/">International Brain Research
Organization's World
Congress of Neuroscience in Melbourne, Australia this week.
A quick Medline search indicates that the results are not in print yet.
That being the case, it is difficult to make informed
comments on whatever data he may have. The media reports
indicate that a commercial pharmaceutical product may be available in a
little as five years.
Presumably, it would be intended as a treatment for
href="http://www.socialphobia.org/">Social Phobia.
If it really is safe and effective, it would be a welcome
advance. Currently the best drugs for Social Phobia are the
rel="tag"
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase_inhibitor">monoamine
oxidase inhibitors.
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepines">Benzodiazepines
can be used as well.
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSRI" rel="tag">SSRIs
can be used too, but frankly I have not been impressed by their
efficacy. There are problems will all of those approaches.
In fact, psychotherapy is probably the best treatment at this
time.
Interesting. Is there a potential for Autism Spectrum Disorders perhaps?
Several years ago I was part of a lab with (among other people) a bonding researcher interested in oxytocin. At the time it was difficult to do research on oxytocin in the U.S. because the nasal spray form was illegal to use in research. I'm assuming it still is. If so, that may help make it difficult to get it approved in the states for stuff other than what it's currently prescribed for (breastfeeding mothers needing help with letdown, afaict).
btw, apparently some other people have been thinking about the autism angle too... (Not commenting on politics at the moment, just linking to what I could find on oxytocin/autism.)
There is some very early indication that it might be helpful for autism:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/556321
As for any possible link to the rise in autism, well, if autism is increasing in frequency, then anything else that is increasing can be linked to it. Or decreasing, for that matter. Maybe it is the declining number of pirates that is causing more autism.
I've heard many anecdotes from users of the drug ecstasy that it has greatly reduced their social phobias and moderated the symptoms of mild Asberger's. I seem to remember it was recently shown that ecstacy causes an oxytocin rush. There's also strong evidence from other species that oxytocin is fundamental in social bonding (for example in studies of prairie voles, it modulates paternal care and social monogamy). So it wouldn't surprise me at all if we could one day treat these social disorders with oxytocin.
The recent Scientific American article on mirror neurons and autism indicated as well that MMDA can have positive effects.