Oxytocin, commonly called the “love hormone” might have an impact on social skills in kids. That is, kids with higher levels of the hormone in their blood may interact more easily with their peers than those with lower level. Research indicates that those with more oxytocin navigate conversations better and read nonverbal social cues more readily.

The study was originally focused on how oxytocin might be linked to autism. Oxytocin has long been suspected as being a root cause of autism and the study hoped to test this hypothesis by establishing a correlation between oxytocin levels and autism spectrum disorders. To look for the connection, researchers analyzed levels in blood samples taken from kids both with and without the developmental disorder.

No significant variations were found between the two groups. The analysis did reveal that in both sets of children the level of the hormone found in their blood reflected their social functioning.

This discovery adds a bit of weight to the hope that some scientists have of developing an oxytocin-based therapy to aid in social development among those with autism. Social impairment is characteristic of autism, though to varying degrees and it is thought that even those with severe impairment could benefit from the therapy.

More evidence for this type of therapy exists with promising short term benefits. A study out of Japan found that adults with autism who were considered “high-functioning” were able to better identify facial cues indicating emotion after a single dose of oxytocin. Brain scans revealed that when administered through a nose spray the hormone seemed to cause an increase in activity in parts of the brain linked to empathy and recognizing emotions.

The effects of this type of treatment, though promising, are thought to be temporary, which could limit the overall usefulness of the therapy.

Blood tests did not reveal a connection between the amount of oxytocin present and the development of autism, but researchers say that oxytocin in the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain has yet to be examined. Despite the lack of connection made in this study, researchers state that it is not out of the question that oxytocin might play a role in the development of the disorder.