Research suggests “bonding hormone”
February 28th, 2010 Posted in NewsWorking with colleagues in Germany and Japan, scientists at the University of Edinburgh recently demonstrated the role of the hormone vasopressin in scent memory and recognition.
Adult rats were left sniffing youngs to memorise their smell. The adults were later placed in an enclosure containing the previously interacted baby and several unknown young rats. Results of the research indicate that adults whose vasopressin were removed failed to recall the baby, in comprison to normal rats who could.
“(The study shows that) vasopressin may help to filter sensory information according to its emotional significance,” said Professor Mike Ludwig, who led the research. The malfunction of the vasopressin system in the brain may prevent people from forming deep emotional bonds with other individuals, and it might be the underlying cause of conditions such as autism and social phobia.
- Dong Liu
