A group of researchers led by Dr. Femke Buisman-Pijlman of the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide in Australia have conducted a study that finds that poor development of oxytocin – sometimes called “the love hormone” – in early childhood might explain why some people develop addictive behavior, especially to alcohol or drugs.
Everyone is born with oxytocin in their bodies. The hormone plays an important role in the bond between mother and child, and later in the behavior regarding partnership, social interaction and maternal behavior. People have significant varying levels of oxytocin.
Dr. Buisman-Pijlman notes that our oxytocin systems do not stop developing until the age of three years. The possibility for interruption of that development are great. Dr. Buisman-Pijlman says that the three main factors that control development are genetics, environment and gender. While not much can be done about genetics, environmental factors such as stress and anxiety can hinder the development of a full oxytocin system.
What does this have to do with addiction? According to the researchers, “A well-developed oxytocin system is in a position to directly and indirectly increase resilience, for example by reducing drug reward, increasing social reward, reducing anxiety, reducing stress response and immune stimulation.”
If we can figure out what happens with oxytocin development in the first few years of a child’s life, we may possibly be able to determine what leads to addictive behavior. Such an understanding could lead to new strategies to treat and prevent addiction.
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