The oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism rs2268491 and serum oxytocin alterations are indicative of autism spectrum disorder: A case-control paediatric study in Iraq with personalized medicine implications.

Background: Impairment of social functioning skills is a key hallmark of autism. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) is a blood-based biomarker of social functioning, and a candidate for individualized treatment of ASD. The effects of OXT on the social brain are mediated by the OXT receptor (OXTR).