Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a small, nine amino acid peptide synthesized and released mostly in the brain. It was discovered first as a hormone that facilitates labor and lactation but has since attracted interest for having important roles in social bonding. Although sometimes informally called a 'love hormone', this is erroneous and does not accurately reflect the biological action of oxytocin across different contexts. Here we provide an overview of the organization of the oxytocin system, which subserves different biological functions that ultimately coordinate physiological and behavioral states supporting reproductive success (Figure 1).