Oxytocin in the developing brain: relevance as disease-modifying treatment in autism spectrum disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders are lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders with early clinical presentation that affect how individuals communicate and relate to others and their surroundings. In addition, three quarters of ASD patients also manifest severe intellectual disability. Though certain genes have been implicated, ASDs remain largely a mystery, and research looking into causes and cellular deficits are crucial for better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite its high prevalence and insidious nature, there remains to be an extensive resource that provides information about the background and state of current research in the autism field. The first edition of Synaptic Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability serves as a reference for this purpose, and discusses the crucial role synaptic activity plays in proper brain function. This volume discusses these neurodevelopmental synaptopathies and serves as a resource for scientists and clinicians in all biomedical science specialties. This research has been crucial for recent studies that have provided a rationale for the development of pharmacological agents able to counteract functional synaptic anomalies and potentially ameliorate some ASD symptoms.