A large body of research has focused on the ability
of oxytocin to facilitate social bonding in both
marital and parenting relationships in human females.
A new laboratory study, led by Dr. Ruth Feldman from
Bar-Ilan University in Israel and published in the
current issue of Biological Psychiatry, has found
that oxytocin administration to fathers increases
their parental engagement, with parallel effects
observed in their infants.
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that plays an important
role in the formation of attachment bonds. Studies
have shown that intranasal administration of
oxytocin increases trust, empathy, and social
reciprocity.
In this study, researchers examined whether oxytocin
administration to the parent enhances physiological
and behavioral processes that support their social
engagement with their infant and improves their
parenting. They also examined whether oxytocin
effects on the parent's behavior would affect
related physiological and behavioral processes in
the infant.
Thirty-five fathers and their five-month-old infants
were observed twice, once after oxytocin
administration and once after placebo
administration. The fathers received the nasal
sprays in a solitary room while their infant was
cared for in another room. After 40 minutes, fathers
and infants were reunited and engaged in
face-to-face play that was micro-coded for parent
and child's social behavior. Salivary oxytocin
levels were measured from the fathers and infants
both before and several times after the drug
administration.
"We found that after oxytocin administration,
fathers' salivary oxytocin rose dramatically, more
than 10 fold, but moreover, similar increases were
found in the infants' oxytocin. In the oxytocin
conditions, key parenting behavior, including father
touch and social reciprocity, increased but infant
social behavior, including social gaze and
exploratory behavior, increased as well," explained
Feldman.
In addition, respiratory sinus arrhythmia - a
measure that indexes better autonomic readiness for
social engagement - was higher in both parent and
child.
"We should not be surprised that social bonding in
male parents is affected by many of the same
biological mechanisms that have been identified for
females," commented Dr. John Krystal, Editor of
Biological Psychiatry. "The question arising from
this study is whether there is a way to harness the
'power' of oxytocin to promote paternal engagement
with their infants in families where this is a
problem."
Feldman concluded, "Such findings have salient
implications for the potential treatment of young
children at risk for social difficulties, including
premature infants, siblings of children with autism,
or children of depressed mothers, without the need
to administer drug to a young infant."
For more information
"Oxytocin Administration to Parent Enhances Infant
Physiological and Behavioral Readiness for Social
Engagement" by Omri Weisman, Orna Zagoory-Sharon,
and Ruth Feldman (doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.06.011).
The article appears in Biological Psychiatry, Volume
72, Issue 12 (December 15, 2012), published by
Elsevier.
http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/home
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