By the turn of this century, oxytocin became known as the ‘moral molecule’. The hormone that was previously known to induce labour in pregnant women and stimulate the production of breast milk, also became known as being responsible for making people more trusting, more empathetic and therefore more moral. Research implied that people who had a nasal blast of oxytocin became more trusting and willing to open up more. Eventually it became known as the hug hormone, since researchers observed that hugging another person eight times a day can increase oxytocin and make you happier.

However, new research now shows how limited the ‘hug hormone’ view is. A new study mapped where oxytocin receptors reside in the brain, and the resulting atlas suggests that this hormone is involved in many areas, including the regulation of appetite, regulation of experiencing rewards or anticipation, as well as in other social and personal relationships. However, it does not necessarily direct the emotions of these experiences.

This tells us that oxytocin is not just a feel-good hormone. It has a strong role as a regulatory hormone that helps the body maintain homeostasis and that it happens to influence social behaviour. Its regulation function is basically trying to maintain stability in a changing environment. Like many findings in biology, the role oxytocin plays is likely to be extremely nuanced and complicated.