Oxytocin and Gynecomastia: Correlation or Causality?

Abstract

Oxytocin has been administered to patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to improve social skills, communication, and manage repetitive behaviors in the context of research trials. The majority of the studies focus on acute administration; thus, the effectiveness and potential side effects of chronic administration remain unknown. The main goal of this case report is to highlight the importance of the safety parameters for the chronic use of intranasal oxytocin administration. In a single case conducted in our outpatient clinic, one adolescent (15 years old) received intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) twice per day, in accordance with the recommended doses for this age group that varies from 8 - 25 IU twice per day. After three weeks of treatment, the patient presented with gynecomastia. While it is not certain that the gynecomastia was oxytocin-induced, this case highlights the importance of developing optimal regimens for chronic oxytocin administration, with a particular focus on safety parameters.

Multi-centre analysis of networks and genes modulated by hypothalamic stimulation in patients with aggressive behaviours

“…We observed genes associated with clinically relevant brain areas considered to be at the core of the neurocircuitry of aggressive behavior (i.e. Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Prefrontal Cortex and Cingulate Cortex) Gouveia et al, 2021a ; Gouveia et al, 2019 ; Gouveia et al, 2020 ; Gouveia et al, 2021b ; Blair, 2016 , genes linked to oxytocin (a peptide hormone critically implicated in social behaviors) Ne’eman et al, 2016 ; Johansson et al, 2012 ; Neumann, 2008 ; Malik et al, 2012 ; Amorim et al, 2018 and to cell compartments related to neuronal communication and plasticity (e.g. neuron projection, synapse; axon guidance, long-term potentiation).…”

Networks and genes modulated by posterior hypothalamic stimulation in patients with aggressive behaviours: Analysis of probabilistic mapping, normative connectomics, and atlas-derived transcriptomics of the largest international multi-centre dataset

“…We observed genes associated with the clinically relevant brain areas considered to be at the core of the neurocircuitry of aggressive behaviour (i.e. Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Prefrontal Cortex and Cingulate Cortex)(1, 2, 5, 6, 40), genes linked to oxytocin (a peptide hormone critically implicated in social behaviours) (41–45) and to cell compartments that are related to neuronal communication and plasticity (e.g. neuron projection, synapse; axon guidance, long-term potentiation).…”