Coupled with the increased understanding of both the OT- and AVP-signaling pathways, there has been a corresponding increase in interest in the development of new selective OT-agonists and -antagonists as potential treatment options for other conditions outside parturition: diseases of the central nervous system (4, 202), metabolism (3), cardio-vasculature (203, 204), gastrointestinal tract (205), kidney (206), liver (207), bone (208) and other targets within the reproductive tract (10, 209). The gene discussed is OXT; the disease is central nervous system disorder.