OXT encodes oxytocin, a nine-amino-acid neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary 1. Oxytocin binds to the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), a G protein-coupled receptor activating signaling cascades including MAPK, PKC, PLC, and CaMK pathways that converge on transcription factors like CREB 2. Peripherally, oxytocin promotes uterine smooth muscle contraction during labor and milk let-down during lactation 2. Centrally, oxytocin regulates diverse behavioral and physiological functions: it modulates social-approach behaviors, pair bonding, maternal behavior, anxiety, and trust 2. Lower OXT DNA methylation correlates with enhanced sociability, secure attachment, and improved emotion recognition 3. Emerging evidence reveals metabolic roles—oxytocin promotes lipolysis through sympathetic neurons and reduces energy intake, with potential therapeutic applications in obesity 14. In disease contexts, oxytocin dysfunction characterizes Prader-Willi syndrome, contributing to hyperphagia and social deficits 5. Recent findings suggest oxytocin restoration ameliorates Alzheimer's disease pathology in preclinical models 6. OXT and OXTR genes show population-specific positive selection signatures, indicating evolutionary importance in adaptive emotional and social responses 7. Overall, oxytocin represents a pleiotropic system integrating reproductive, metabolic, social, and emotional functions.