Oxytocin-induced increase in N,N-dimethylglycine and time course of changes in oxytocin efficacy for autism social core symptoms.
Yasuhiko Kato, Hitoshi Kuwabara, Takashi Okada and 14 others
PMID 33622389WHAT IT FOUND
In men with autism, six weeks of oxytocin raised blood levels of a metabolite called DMG.
This rise tracked with early behavioral improvements that faded by week four, but did not correlate with overall six-week outcomes, suggesting DMG marks timing of efficacy rather than total benefit.
Key findings
01Repeated oxytocin administration significantly increased plasma levels of N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) compared to placebo.
02The increase in DMG correlated with facial expression improvements in the first two weeks, but also with deterioration in the following two weeks.
03DMG levels did not correlate with overall clinical or behavioral improvements measured at the six-week endpoint.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study only included Japanese adult males with high-functioning autism, so results may not apply to women, children, or those with intellectual disabilities. Metabolite levels were measured in blood, which may not reflect changes in the brain. Dietary intake and body weight changes were not tracked, which could influence DMG levels. Blood samples were only collected at baseline and endpoint, so the exact timing of DMG changes during the treatment period is unknown.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development. The text does not list specific author conflicts of interest or commercial sponsorships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that rising DMG levels mean the oxytocin treatment is working overall. The biomarker correlated with early improvements that later faded, and it showed no relationship with the total six-week clinical outcomes.