Stress and Trauma Revisited: Oxytocin, Sociostasis, and Hormesis—Missing Pieces of an Evolving Puzzle

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Brain Sciences will showcase papers reviewing the hypothesis that the functions of the vasopressin–oxytocin system play a central role in the regulation of behavioral and physiological responses to stress, including homeostasis and allostasis. Stress is a concept that has been used for almost a century, in many contexts. However, the meanings, mechanisms, and clinical importance of stress are still unclear. Physiological research on stress in mammals historically focused on the body’s response to challenges, emphasizing the importance of neuroendocrine changes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, sometimes called the “stress-response system.” However, studies on the HPA axis have not provided a full explanation for the causes or consequences of stressful experiences, and the biological mechanisms that regulate responses to stressors remain poorly understood. Early stress research also focused on reactions to physical events, but there is an increasing awareness that social factors, acting on specific neural and endocrine pathways, may be of particular importance in determining health outcomes in the face of chronic stressors.

The concept of sociostasis will be introduced here, examining the hypothesis that two neuropeptides, oxytocin and vasopressin, have major roles in explaining how sociality protects, heals, and restores across the human lifespan. Sociostasis suggests a neuroendocrine basis for mechanisms through which social behavior, social attachments, and social bonds support health and wellbeing in humans and other mammals. Sociostasis has been posited to supplement older terms such as homeostasis or allostasis, which often do not incorporate the importance of social interactions in the regulation of responses to stress. Sociostasis is based on the emerging science behind the neurobiology of social relationships, attachments, and bonds that are critical to survival and perceived safety in response to stress.

We also will examine the role of the vasopressin–oxytocin system in “stress-response hormesis.” Hormesis is a biphasic biological process characterized by beneficial consequences following a challenge. There is evidence implicating oxytocin in the benefits of hormetic experiences, including birth, exercise, and even psychedelics. Understanding the role of the vasopressin–oxytocin system in sociostasis and hormesis has potential applications in understanding, preventing, and treating chronic diseases and extending longevity.

Prof. Dr. C. Sue Carter
Dr. Marcy Kingsbury
Dr. Hans Nazarloo
Guest Editors

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• oxytocin
• vasopressin
• stress
• sociostasis
• hormesis