Title: Oxytocin receptors in the brain: new therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental disorders
Talk at 16:00 at Y55H12
Abstract: Despite the well known effects of oxytocin in regulating neuroendocrine, social and cognitive functions, and the preliminary clinical trials showing a beneficial effect of oxytocin in autistic patients, the molecular mechanisms of oxytocin-induced signalling in nervous and glial cells is still largely unknown. We will present data showing how oxytocin can trigger different signalling pathways in neuronal cells regulating excitation/inhibition balance in early steps of neurodevelopment. We will also discuss animal models in which genetically induced deficits in the oxytocin system lead to impaired social interactions, and how such animal models can be instrumental to understand the neurochemical basis of autistic-like symptoms.