法國國家科研中心的研究人員日前通過試驗發(fā)現(xiàn),，注射催產(chǎn)素能夠顯著緩解孤獨癥患者的癥狀，這一發(fā)現(xiàn)將為醫(yī)學界開發(fā)治療孤獨癥的藥物提供新思路,。
法國研究人員在最新一期的美國《國家科學院學報》（PNAS）上報告說,，催產(chǎn)素是腦下垂體后葉分泌的一種激素，它不但能促進臨產(chǎn)孕婦的子宮收縮,，幫助其分娩,，還在人的社會行為和情感表達中起著關鍵作用。此前曾有研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，孤獨癥患者血液中催產(chǎn)素的含量嚴重不足,。
為了進一步證實催產(chǎn)素對人的社交行為的影響,，由安杰拉·西里古領導的科研小組給13名孤獨癥患者注射了催產(chǎn)素，這些患者具有正常的智力和語言水平,，但無法主動參與社交活動,，比如在與其他人的談話中，他們會盡量避免與對話者進行眼神的交流,?？蒲腥藛T隨后通過傳球游戲等試驗發(fā)現(xiàn)，注射了催產(chǎn)素的孤獨癥患者社交恐懼感有所減輕,，更喜歡與他人玩耍,，表現(xiàn)得更自信。
科研人員下一步將對催產(chǎn)素的長效機制及其對孤獨癥早期癥狀改善的有效性進行研究,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS February 16, 2010, doi:10.1073/pnas.0910249107
Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders
Elissar Andaria, Jean-René Duhamela, Tiziana Zallab, Evelyn Herbrechtb, Marion Leboyerb, and Angela Sirigua
Social adaptation requires specific cognitive and emotional competences. Individuals with high-functioning autism or with Asperger syndrome cannot understand or engage in social situations despite preserved intellectual abilities. Recently, it has been suggested that oxytocin, a hormone known to promote mother-infant bonds, may be implicated in the social deficit of autism. We investigated the behavioral effects of oxytocin in 13 subjects with autism. In a simulated ball game where participants interacted with fictitious partners, we found that after oxytocin inhalation, patients exhibited stronger interactions with the most socially cooperative partner and reported enhanced feelings of trust and preference. Also, during free viewing of pictures of faces, oxytocin selectively increased patients’ gazing time on the socially informative region of the face, namely the eyes. Thus, under oxytocin, patients respond more strongly to others and exhibit more appropriate social behavior and affect, suggesting a therapeutic potential of oxytocin through its action on a core dimension of autism.
