Oxytocin and Human Sociality

Back in Control with David Hanscom, MD

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Dr. Sue Carter, the former director of the Kinsey Institute and a world-renowned scientist. She talks about oxytocin’s important role in human social behavior. She underscores the fact that oxytocin affects every tissue of the body and is the physiologic basis for pair bonding and relationships. Under stress, the body produces large amounts of oxytocin, and can help us make better judgments about who it is safe to connect with. She shares how her understanding of oxytocin grew out of her research studies on the social behavior of prairie voles. Sue Carter, PhD is the former director of the Kinsey Institute and a world renowned scientist. Her research program has discovered important new developmental functions for oxytocin and vasopressin, and implicated these hormones in the regulation of human connection and early social experiences. She is also studying oxytocin’s implications for controlling stress and chronic pain.

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