Blocking the 'love hormone' oxytocin for just a short period during childhood leads to permanent obesity and metabolic changes in adulthood.
April 1, 2026
Original Paper
Inhibition of oxytocin neurons during key periods of development has long-term behavioural and body composition effects.
bioRxiv · 2025.11.13.688271
The Takeaway
This reveals a previously unknown 'critical window' where a social hormone dictates the body's future physical composition. It suggests that early-life hormonal disruptions can hardwire long-term weight gain regardless of later diet.
From the abstract
Background: Oxytocin (OT) is a key neuromodulator of social behavior in mammals, and accumulating evidence supports the existence of a critical period for OT action during infancy. However, other developmental windows remain poorly explored, and it remains unclear whether OT exert distinct functions depending on the timing of its activity. In this study, we aimed to determine whether specific developmental stages exist during which OT-expressing neurons play a decisive role with long-term conseq