Intranasal and Intravenous Oxytocin Studies in ASD 109
By 2015 there were over 50 oxytocin administration studies, which included
ASD, schizophrenia, postpartum depression, post‐traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), and irritable bowel syndrome. There have been a growing number of
studies investigating the ability of intranasal oxytocin to treat a range of neu-
robehavioral disorders based on the associations between intranasal oxytocin
and alterations in social decision‐making, processing of social stimuli, certain
social behaviors such as eye contact, and social memory (Figure 4.5). This is
briefly described below.
Intranasal and Intravenous Oxytocin Studies in ASD
Currently medications for ASD alleviate certain symptoms, but do not address
the core features of ASD. Risperidone and aripiprazole may be used for irrita-
bility, whereas guanfacine and clonidine are used for aggression, and selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used to treat anxiety. Recently, oxytocin has
been investigated to target ASD core symptoms, social deficits and restricted,
Number of re
gistrations
Year of registration
20052006200720082009201020112012201320142015
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Figure 4.5 Some of the clinical studies registered on clinical trial registries by 2015.
From 2005 to 2013 the number of studies involving intranasal delivery of oxytocin to
ASD individuals had increased. For 2014 and 2015 the data are incomplete. Source: Adapted
from Ref. [117].
