Oxytocin is not only a hormone. It can also be considered a neurotransmitter since it evokes electrical signals in certain neuronal pathways in the brain. Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and stored and released by the posterior pituitary.
Oxytocin acts in:
Lactation – milk letdown
- Childbirth – stimulates uterine contractions and the dilation of the cervix
- Oxytocin release is stimulated by:
- Estrogens
- Kissing and skin-to-skin contact
