Massage and Oxytocin

Uvnäs-Moberg will discuss massage in a broad perspective and its ability to activate the calm and connection system. The peptide oxytocin plays an important part in the effects induced by touch and therefore also by massage. Oxytocin may be released into the circulation in response to skin to skin contact, but the focus is an central release of oxytocin from nerves in the CNS which then projects to many important regulatory areas in the brain. Oxytocin can therefore reduce pain thresholds, decrease anxiety, stimulate social behavior, induce relaxing and calming effects.