Oxytocin for maintaining mental health in older adults

Abstract

Oxytocin is recognized for its role in affection and child-rearing. However, it also plays an important role in maintaining social connections, such as deepening attachment to and trust in others and improving social cognition. Preventing social isolation may thus contribute to reducing the risk of developing dementia. The Kurokawa Study, which was conducted on community-dwelling older people, demonstrated a correlation between higher serum oxytocin levels in older adults and preserved memory and hippocampal volume seven years later. Interventional studies investigating the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin in older adults are warranted to elucidate its role in memory preservation. Given oxytocin's diverse influence on cognitive function, its potential applications in psychiatric care for the older, such as dementia prevention, warrant further exploration.