A new UC Berkeley study shows that the so-called love hormone, oxytocin, is also critical for the formation of friendships. Oxytocin is released in the brain during sex, childbirth, breastfeeding and ...

A spritz of the so-called “love hormone” might be the key to easing persistent feelings of loneliness. In a 2014 study, a team of European and Israeli researchers tested whether oxytocin, the hormone ...

You know those warm and fuzzy feelings you get when you cuddle a puppy, hug your friend, or kiss your partner? That’s oxytocin at work. You may already have heard of oxytocin—what people have called ...

You may want to branch out from dinner-and-a-movie. According to a new study, a different type of date night can bring couples closer together. The research, which was recently published in the ...

If you’ve ever felt better after getting a hug from someone you love or petting your dog, you’re no stranger to the oxytocin effect. Many people are craving that calming sensation, given the constant ...

California mouse (Peromyscus californicus): Working with females of this species, UC Davis researchers found a form of social anxiety that can be a model for human stress and anxiety disorders. (Sarah ...

It’s a common saying that, in life, change is the only constant. From the shifting of the seasons to unexpected personal upheavals, the human body is in a perpetual face-off with its environment. The ...

Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by an accumulation of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) in brain tissue, is a leading cause of dementia. Researchers at Tokyo University of Science have previously ...

The “love hormone” does more than trigger labor and cement emotional ties between people. Oxytocin also helps repair damaged muscles, at least in mice. Oxytocin stimulates muscle stem cells to divide ...

Medically accurate illustration of the vagus nerve. Source: Sebastian Kaulitzki/Shutterstock This Psychology Today blog post is phase three of a nine-part series called "The Vagus Nerve Survival Guide ...