The discovery could lead to treatments for social phobia A nasal
spray which increases our trust for strangers is showing promise
as a treatment for social phobia, say scientists from Zurich
University. They found that people who inhaled the "love
hormone" oxytocin continued to trust strangers with their money
- even after they were betrayed. Brain scans showed the hormone
lowered activity in the amygdala - a region which is overactive
in social phobics. Drug trials are under way and early signs are
promising say the scientists. Nicknamed the "cuddle chemical",
oxytocin is a naturally produced hormone, which has been shown
to play a role in social relations, maternal bonding, and also
in sex. Lead researcher Dr Thomas Baumgartner said: "We now know
for the first time what exactly is going on in the brain when
oxytocin increases trust. "We found that oxytocin has a very
specific effect in social situations. It seems to diminish our
fears. "Based on our results, we can now conclude that a lack of
oxytocin is at