Animal studies have shown that oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are crucial regulators of social behaviour. In this Review, Meyer-Lindenberg and colleagues consider behavioural, genetic and neuroimaging studies that show that these peptides also influence social behaviour and cognition in humans, and suggest that the OXT and AVP systems could be targets for the treatment of mental disorders characterized by social dysfunction.
- Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Gregor Domes
- Markus Heinrichs
