Autism Treatment – Low Cholesterol &Oxytocin;Receptors

I have discussed oxytocin in previous videos. I keep discussing the role of oxytocin because more and more research is showing the a lack of oxytocin plays a significant role in socialization in individuals with Autism. A lack of oxytocin increases their anxiety and a lack of oxytocin also impacts their ability to recognize emotional voice and facial cues. So a lack of oxytocin can make it very difficult for someone to tell the difference between a sad voice or a happy voice or to distinguish when someone some is being inquisitive. The same applies to visual cues like facial expressions. A lack of oxytocin can impact their ability to discern the difference in emotions between when someone is smiling or when they are frowning. So oxytocin has an impact because it is very important at activating the different parts of the brain that are associated with the implementation of these skills.

It is important to understand the relationship between cholesterol and oxytocin and how they are linked. Many children on the spectrum have low cholesterol, some even suffer from very low cholesterol. The lowest cholesterol level in a child that I have seen in my practice is a 65 which is extremely low. Any lab or hospital clinic can perform the necessary tests to give you your child's total cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels and oxytocin are linked because of the fact that cholesterol is the chemical that activates the oxytocin receptors in the brain. Those oxytocin receptors just cannot work as well without the adequate levels of cholesterol needed. It is a lock and key mechanism between the receptors and the various neurochemicals. So in the lock and key analogy, the chemical works as the key, attaching itself to the receptor. When it is the right key, the door opens letting in a flood of chemical information which is transported throughout the brain. So adequate levels of cholesterol are required for proper oxytocin receptor activation.

So you see how critical oxytocin is regarding the social aspects of facial and voice cue recognition, social bonding and anxiety levels. Cholesterol has a big impact on whether the oxytocin receptors function as they should. A simple blood test can tell you what your child's total cholesterol level is. Ideally we aim for cholesterol levels between 170 and 180. And this is a very simple issue to discuss with your child's doctor.