Oxytocin pathways and the evolution of human behavior.
1Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599; and Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115;
Annual Review of Psychology
|September 21, 2013
Summary
Oxytocin pathways, including oxytocin and vasopressin, are central to human nervous system evolution and social behavior. These peptides facilitate birth, maternal care, brain development, and social attunement, impacting health and well-being.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Evolutionary Biology
- Social Neuroscience
Background:
- The evolution of the human nervous system and complex social behaviors is not fully understood.
- Oxytocin and vasopressin are key neuropeptides involved in social bonding and physiological regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the hypothesis that oxytocin pathways were central to human nervous system evolution and the development of sociality.
- To explore the role of oxytocin in encephalization, intellectual development, and social attunement.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review of existing literature.
- It synthesizes findings on the physiological and genetic roles of oxytocin and vasopressin.
Main Results:
- Oxytocin facilitates critical functions like birth, lactation, and maternal behavior, potentially enabling neocortex growth and encephalization.
- Peptide-facilitated attachment supports prolonged nurturing essential for human intellectual development.
- Oxytocin enhances social sensitivity, attunement, and emotional safety, moderating the autonomic nervous system.
Conclusions:
- Oxytocin pathways played a crucial role in the evolution of the human brain and social behavior.
- The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin are fundamental to human sociality, development, and health.
- Social behavior, modulated by oxytocin, confers adaptive benefits for emotional and physical health.
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