Research: The Vasopressin System – From Antidiuresis to Psychopathology

Authored by Frank, E., and Landgraf R. in European Journal of Pharmacology, Volume 583, Issue , p. 226-242, (2008).

Article summary (posted Sep 26, 2008):

Drugs that target the vasopressin system of the body may some day be helpful in the treatment of autism.

This reviews article describes the role of the brain chemical vasopressin in autism. When vasopressin levels were changed in animal studies, the animals sometimes showed signs of autism. Human gene studies have shown that some of the genes that are linked to autism encode for the protein that binds to vasopressin (vasopressin receptor). In people with altered vasopressin receptor genes, it seems that vasopressin levels are normal, but the brain has trouble responding to the levels of vasopressin in the body. There are many studies underway to learn how vasopressin may cause changes in behavior.

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animal-assisted therapy (AAT), autism, drug, gene, protein, science, treatment, vasopressin
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