No association between oxytocin or prolactin gene variants and childhood-onset mood disorders.

Background: Oxytocin (OXT) and prolactin (PRL) are neuropeptide hormones that interact with the serotonin system and are involved in the stress response and social affiliation. In human studies, serum OXT and PRL levels have been associated with depression and related phenotypes. Our purpose was to determine if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the loci for OXT, PRL and their receptors, OXTR and PRLR, were associated with childhood-onset mood disorders (COMD).