Oxytocin: Not “just a female hormone”: A very special issue and a very special molecule

For decades it was believed that oxytocin was “just a female hormone.” This was a mistake. In the 21st century it has become clear that oxytocin arose from ancient roots, and acquired dozens of diverse functions throughout the mammalian body. This Special Issue of Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology brings together a series of fifteen papers describing different facets and functions of oxytocin. Each author was invited to describe her perspectives on oxytocin, as well as to share experiences that led them to study this remarkable molecule. Many of these stories are highly personal and set in the context of what it means to be a female and to be an academic scientist. Oxytocin is not “just” a female hormone and these articles are not “just” routine descriptions of scientific facts. The readers are invited to join us in a celebration of the molecule that made us human.