r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Feb 08 '25

Neuroscience Specific neurons that secrete oxytocin in the brain are disrupted in a mouse model of autism, neuroscientists have found. Stimulating these neurons restored social behaviors in these mice. These findings could help to develop new ways to treat autism.

https://www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs/research_news/rr/20250207_1/index.html
6.0k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

367 comments sorted by

View all comments

159

u/BlueDotty Feb 08 '25

Treatment would be welcome for those struggling with having high support needs.

I am low support needs and wouldn't seek out a treatment / medication to alter my Atypical brain. I like how it functions

7

u/BonJovicus Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25

Others might not get the chance to protest that. Some of these neural circuits are important at various points of early development. For some of these treatments, it would likely be the case that you receive them as a child, meaning your parents would make that decision for you. 

3

u/tenuj Feb 09 '25

Only time will tell if that's actually a good thing. I don't think there's any data for what "treating" autism looks like and what it does for someone's development and later success in life. We'll probably need to wait 10-20 years after treatments become commonplace.

Will it make children more susceptible to peer pressure? Will it make them less suicidal? Will it do anything to ease the sensory issues?