New research from the University of Adelaide in Australia suggests that poor development of oxytocin in early childhood may explain why some individuals succumb to addictive behavior, such as alcohol or drug abuse.
Oxytocin, more commonly referred to as the "love hormone," is known to play an important role in partnership, social interaction and maternal behavior.
The research team, led by Dr. Femke Buisman-Pijlman of the School of Medical Sciences at the university, recently published their findings in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior.
Dr. Buisman-Pijlman says previous research has shown that people have significantly varying levels of oxytocin in their bodies.
"We're interested in how and why people have such differences in oxytocin, and what we can do about it to have a beneficial impact on people's health and well-being," she adds.
We are all born with oxytocin in our bodies. The hormone plays an important role in the development of a bond between mother and child.
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