American researchers say that a nasal spray containing the ‘Love hormone’ oxytocin could help children with autism behave more normally in social situations. Scans of autistic children showed that the chemical made the brain respond better to faces. This could make social interactions easier for them. The researchers said oxytocin might help other treatments that are used to help people with autism in social situations. “Over time, there would be more normal social responding. Autistic people would be more interested in interacting with other people; there would be more eye contact and more conversation,” said Kevin Pelphrey, of Yale University.
Do the researchers expect oxytocin to interact well with other treatments?
Yes, it can be combined with existing treatments No, oxytocin will not be effective if other treatments are used Yes, if the patient already has normal social responses The researchers think it is too early to know