Does dextromethorphan (DXM) (in cough syrup) increase oxytocin? and Autism?
Question by Parker232: Does dextromethorphan (DXM) (in cough syrup) increase oxytocin? and Autism?
MDMA creates a sense of euphoria by increasing oyxtocin levels in the brain. DXM abuse is said to create an MDMA-like euphoria, often being sold to pass for ecstasy tablets at clubs. Does DXM also increase oxytocin levels? If not, how does it work?
The reason I ask is because oxytocin has been found to decrease meth addiction, as well as MDMA addiction. It also has been found to help autistic children. It is the cuddle/bonding drug so it makes sense it would help autistic children. Meth babies have a lot of the symptoms of autism, including head banging, sensitivity to sound, no eye contact, insensitivity to cold, and walking on tiptoes. It just so happens that DXM, the main ingredient in cough syrup, is used to make Meth. Could cough syrup be the cause of autism? Not surprisingly, Cough syrup/DXM has also been found to help autistic children, so it wouldn’t surprise me if DXM increased oxytocin levels.
A study shows “An increasing body of evidence from animal models suggests that even brief exposure to drugs such as MDMA, cannabinoids, methamphetamine and phencyclidine can cause long lasting deficits in social behaviour.” The article also states that raising brain oxytocin levels, on the other hand, cures drug withdrawal symptoms. That would make sense as to why autistic children improve with oxytocin/cough syrup.
Link to the above study is
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18475254
Link to a study that shows the connection between MDMA, Meth, Autsm, drug rehabilitation and Oxytocin is
http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/21/what-does-meth-research-have-to-do-with-addiction-and-autism-treatments-its-oxytocin/
Well MDMA addicts need raised oxytocin levels to feel better, because MDMA raises oxytocin levels when you take it, but modifies your brain to be able to produce less natural oxytocin by itself (which is why they become addicted). So taking oxytocin for MDMA users trying to get off the drug would be a lot like taking MDMA without the negative side effects, and that’s why it helps them.
Look at this article that says “Many drugs, including cocaine, opiates, alcohol, cannabis, MDMA and GHB cause long-term changes in markers of oxytocin function and this may be linked to enduring deficits in social behavior that are commonly observed in laboratory animals repeatedly exposed to these drugs.” So if you have less ability to produce oxytocin yourself without help of the drug that is how you become addicted to it, because it changes your brain to not be able to produce oxytocin by itself. And that is why you are left not paying attention to other people and other things in auti
(…continued) in autism (low oxytocin). It seems from the article that it isn’t only MDMA that affects brain’s ability to produce oxytocin, but many other drugs too. This is the link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22198308
I understand now what you say that DXM isn’t used to make meth, but I think it’s interesting to note that it really helps people with autism to function better, therefore it must be doing something to raise their oxytocin levels. Either way, the problem seems to be some kind of medicine mothers are taking that will not affect the mother’s brain because it is such a low dose, but when given/transferred to a forming fetus brain it is high enough a dosage to impede that little teeny brain’s ability to produce natural oxytocin (therefore resulting in autism).
Dopamine might be related, too. The Times article said that it’s possible raising dopamine levels creates obsession with objects, organizing objects, etc that Meth addicts experie
(…continued) experience. From the article, it sounds like Meth addicts get dopamine raised and oxytocin lowered.
Study showing that DXM helps people with autism: Study title is “The treatment of behavioral sequelae of autism with dextromethorphan: A case report”
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10803-005-5041-z?LI=true
Oh, just found this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110822214106AAtv69N
Best answer:
Answer by Twin Giraffes
“It just so happens that DXM, the main ingredient in cough syrup, is used to make Meth.”
Where did you hear this? DXM has never been used to make meth, nor is this true of other random compounds with the word “meth” in their name. While it has a wide variety of potentially interesting pharmacological properties, I’m not aware that DXM has any direct effect on oxytocin.
The Time magazine article is interesting, but the ideas you’re presenting are a bit scattered and not well-connected, logically. There’s also contradiction in your suggestion that dextromethorphan might be a cause of autism, and yet also a treatment. Maybe I don’t understand the details of the question in it’s present form.
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