Publication Name	World Journal of Psychiatry
Manuscript ID	115109
Country	China

Category	Psychiatry
Manuscript Type	Review
Article Title	Attenuating neuropsychiatric disorders of early-life stress: The protective role of oxytocin
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Yuan Zhang, Shu Wang and Ming-Yan Hei
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Ming-Yan Hei, MD, Professor, Neonatal Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, No. 56 Nanlishi Road, Beijing 100045, China. heimingyan@bch.com.cn
Key Words	Early-life stress; Oxytocin; Neuropsychiatric disorders; Neurodevelopment; Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; Clinical trials; Precision medicine
Core Tip	Early-life stress increases lifelong risk for neuropsychiatric disorders via lasting neural, endocrine, and epigenetic changes. Oxytocin, a key neuropeptide, shows promise in mitigating these effects by normalizing amygdala-prefrontal connectivity, reducing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity, promoting hippocampal neurogenesis, and reversing stress-associated epigenetic marks. However, its efficacy is context-dependent and influenced by factors like sex, timing, and administration route. Future oxytocin-based therapies should be integrated with psychosocial support and tailored through a precision medicine framework to effectively promote resilience in the affected individuals.
Citation	Zhang Y, Wang S, Hei MY. Attenuating neuropsychiatric disorders of early-life stress: The protective role of oxytocin. World J Psychiatry 2025; In press

Received	2025-10-09 17:15
Peer-Review Started	2025-10-09 17:16
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2025-11-04 05:51
Return for Revision	2025-11-04 05:51
Revised	2025-11-20 14:24
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2025-12-23 02:37
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2025-12-23 07:18
Articles in Press	2025-12-23 07:18
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	2220-3206 (online)
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