Asperger's and Oxytocin

Oxytocin may help people with Asperger's make eye contact, interact better with others.
The Washington Post (2/16, Stein) reports that "a nasal spray containing" oxytocin, "a hormone that is known to make women more maternal and men less shy apparently can help those with autism make eye contact and interact better with others, according to a" study published Feb. 15 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
"In the study, 13 subjects with Asperger's syndrome and a control group were quizzed about photos of human faces," the Los Angeles Times (2/16, Healy) reports. "Such images normally prompt Asperger's subjects to avert their gaze, especially avoiding the eyes." But, "for 90 minutes after inhaling oxytocin, those subjects were more willing to study faces, including the eyes."
HealthDay (2/15, Gardner) reported, "When observed playing a virtual ball game, individuals who had inhaled oxytocin were able to interact better with their virtual partners compared to untreated participants."
According to WebMD (2/15, Warner), previous studies have "found that children with autism have lower levels of oxytocin than children without autism."