oxytocin (ot) is a critical molecule for social recognition and memory that mediates social and emotional behaviours. in addition, ot acts as an anxiolytic factor and is released during stress. Based on the activity of CD38 as an enzyme that produces the calcium-mobilizing second messenger cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR), CD157, a sister protein of CD38, has been considered a candidate mediator for the production and release of OT and its social engagement and anti-anxiety functions. However, the limited expression of CD157 in the adult mouse brain undermined confidence that CD157 is an authentic and/or actionable molecular participant in OT-dependent social behaviour. Here, we show that CD157 knockout mice have low levels of circulating OT in cerebrospinal fluid, which can be corrected by the oral administration of nicotinamide riboside, a recently discovered vitamin precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is the substrate for the CD157-and CD38-dependent production of cADPR. Nicotinamide riboside corrects social deficits and fearful and anxiety-like behaviours in CD157 knockout males. These results suggest that elevating NAD levels with nicotinamide riboside may allow animals with cADPR-and OT-forming deficits to overcome these deficits and function more normally. Oxytocin (OT) plays a role in social recognition, behaviour, and memory through a positive feedback system involving OT-induced OT release in the brain 1-3. OT is released in response to emotional, physical, and pharmacological stresses 1,2. It is known that OT counteracts stress-induced anxiety. Accordingly, OT in the brain is considered an anxiolytic factor 2,3. CD38 and CD157 are two related cell-surface molecules that form the calcium-mobilizing second messenger, cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) 4-8 , the central coenzyme of metabolism 9. cADPR functions as a potential intracellular second messenger that triggers Ca 2+ mobilization from ryanodine receptor Ca 2+ pools to produce cellular responses 4,6. In the hypothalamus, cADPR triggers an increase in intracellular free Ca 2+ concentrations and, subsequently, Ca 2+-dependent OT release from oxytocinergic neurons 10. When this signalling cascade was blocked in CD38 knockout (CD38KO) mice, social memory and recognition and parental nurturing behaviours were disrupted, mainly due to reduced OT secretion 11,12. The treated mice increased levels of social behaviour, which was invoked by local re-expression of human CD38 in the