Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a nonapeptide mainly produced in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. OT in the brain and blood has extensive functions in both mental and physical activities. These functions are mediated by OT receptors (OTRs) that are distributed in a broad spectrum of tissues with dramatic sexual dimorphism. In both sexes, OT generally facilitates social cognition and behaviors, facilitates parental behavior and sexual activity and inhibits feeding and pain perception. However, there are significant differences in OT levels and distribution of OTRs in men from women. Thus, many OT functions in men are different from women, particularly in the reproduction. In men, the reproductive functions are relatively simple. In women, the reproductive functions involve menstrual cycle, pregnancy, parturition, lactation, and menopause. These functions make OT regulation of women’s health and disease a unique topic of physiological and pathological studies. In menstruation, pre-ovulatory increase in OT secretion in the hypothalamus and the ovary can promote the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and facilitate ovulation. During pregnancy, increased OT synthesis and preterm release endow OT system the ability to promote maternal behavior and lactation. In parturition, cervix expansion-elicited pulse OT secretion and uterine OT release accelerate the expelling of fetus and reduce postpartum hemorrhage. During lactation, intermittent pulsatile OT secretion is necessary for the milk-ejection reflex and maternal behavior. Disorders in OT secretion can account for maternal depression and hypogalactia. In menopause, the reduction of OT secretion accounts for many menopausal symptoms and diseases. These issues are reviewed in this work.
Highlights
Why should we concern women’s health and diseases? Women exhibit menstrual cycle, pregnancy, parturition, lactation, menopause and other unique physiological activities, such as maternal behaviors
OT neurons in the brain are largely aggregated in several neuroendocrine nuclei, typically the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN)
In male prairie voles exposure to Intranasal administration of OT (IAO) during the peri-adolescent period impairs adult pair bonding in a dose-dependent fashion while IAO appears to facilitate pair bonding in females. This is associated with that IAO in females but not in males increases OT receptors (OTRs) binding in the nucleus accumbens shell [74]
Summary
Why should we concern women’s health and diseases? Pregnancy, parturition, lactation, menopause and other unique physiological activities, such as maternal behaviors. Women have some unique reproduction-associated diseases, such as postpartum depression and menopausal syndromes. Women’s biological activities are regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis, and by oxytocin (OT). While OT commonly influences sexual behaviors, production of sex steroids and the maturation of gemmates. OT and Women of both sexes [1], it differently influences women’s health and disease at different reproductive stages. We review the roles of OT in women’s health and disease
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