Short-term maternal oxytocin administration may protect against poor outcomes of adverse childhood experiences in the offspring

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as early-life adverse events experienced by the mother and fetus during pregnancy (e.g. physical harm or chronic stress) or at early postnatal time points (such as maternal neglect or maternal separation), are major risk factors for future behavioral impairments, including anxiety, heightened pain sensitivity, social impairment, and depression during adolescence and adulthood [1–4]. The long-lasting effects of these adverse experiences are thought to be partially mediated via modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis [5–7].