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Holtfrerich SKC, Diekhof EK. Selective attention towards infants in nulliparous women across the menstrual cycle. Horm Behav 2024; 160:105492. [PMID: 38306878 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Research in women showed that testosterone is associated with decreased selective attention towards infant stimuli, which can be compensated for by oxytocin administration. In theory, caregiving behavior is thought to be mediated by oxytocin. Oxytocin binds to dopaminergic neurons and thus supposedly motivates aspects of caregiving through its influence on dopaminergic transmission. Most previous studies on caregiving behaviors were thereby performed in women under hormonal contraception to avoid hormonal fluctuations. However, recent studies repeatedly demonstrated decisive influences of the hormonal changes across the female menstrual cycle on dopamine-mediated behaviors, suggesting that estradiol acts as dopamine agonist in the follicular phase and progesterone as dopamine antagonist in the luteal phase. In the present study, we investigated selective attention towards infants as one central aspect of caregiving behavior over the natural menstrual cycle and in relation to interindividual differences of estradiol and progesterone. As expected, we found that women with higher estradiol in the follicular phase also showed higher selective attention towards infant faces among adult distractors, whereas the correlation disappeared in the luteal phase. In contrast, progesterone did not correlate with selective attention towards infants. The present findings collectively support the assumption that estradiol may act as dopamine agonist in the follicular phase, thereby supposedly promoting an important aspect of caretaking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K C Holtfrerich
- Universität Hamburg, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Neuroendocrinology and Human Biology Unit, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Esther K Diekhof
- Universität Hamburg, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Neuroendocrinology and Human Biology Unit, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany.
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2
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Hendry E, McCallister B, Elman DJ, Freeman R, Borsook D, Elman I. Validity of mental and physical stress models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105566. [PMID: 38307304 PMCID: PMC11082879 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Different stress models are employed to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and explore potential interventions. However, the utility of these models remains a critical concern, as their validities may be limited by the complexity of stress processes. Literature review revealed that both mental and physical stress models possess reasonable construct and criterion validities, respectively reflected in psychometrically assessed stress ratings and in activation of the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The findings are less robust, though, in the pharmacological perturbations' domain, including such agents as adenosine or dobutamine. Likewise, stress models' convergent- and discriminant validity vary depending on the stressors' nature. Stress models share similarities, but also have important differences regarding their validities. Specific traits defined by the nature of the stressor stimulus should be taken into consideration when selecting stress models. Doing so can personalize prevention and treatment of stress-related antecedents, its acute processing, and chronic sequelae. Further work is warranted to refine stress models' validity and customize them so they commensurate diverse populations and circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Hendry
- Center for Autonomic and Peripheral Nerve Disorders, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brady McCallister
- Center for Autonomic and Peripheral Nerve Disorders, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dan J Elman
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roy Freeman
- Center for Autonomic and Peripheral Nerve Disorders, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Borsook
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Department of Anesthesiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Igor Elman
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
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3
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Garduño-Gutiérrez R, Rodríguez-Manzo G, Velázquez-Alvarado A, Miller-Pérez C, León-Olea M. The endocrine disruptor DE-79 alters oxytocinergic transmission and sexual behavior expression in male rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 479:116723. [PMID: 37844777 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants are persistent organic pollutants exerting important health effects. PBDEs with >5 bromide substitutions were considered less harmful and therefore extensively used commercially. DE-79 was a widely used PBDE mixture of hexa-, hepta-, octa- and nona-brominated compounds that increases vasopressin (AVP) production. AVP and oxytocin (OT) are both produced in neurons of the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) hypothalamic nuclei projecting to the neurohypophysis and to brain regions involved in copulatory behavior. OT plays an important role in male copulation. Since DE-79 alters AVP expression in the SON and PVN, it might also modify OT content and alter male sexual behavior. We analyzed if repeated DE-79 exposure of adult male rats affected OT content and OT receptor (OTR) density in the SON, PVN, medial preoptic area (mPOA), ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, and amygdala, and if male copulatory behavior was affected. We show that DE-79 exposure produces a generalized decrease in brain OT immunoreactivity, increases OTR density in all brain regions analyzed but the mPOA, and reduces the ejaculatory threshold after a first ejaculation. The documented ejaculation-induced OT release might participate in this last effect. Thus, one-week DE-79 exposure alters the OT-OTR system and modifies male rat sexual performance. Based on the literature it could be speculated that these effects are related to the putative endocrine disrupting actions of DE-79, ultimately altering brain OT levels and OTR expression that might affect copulation and other important OT-mediated brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Garduño-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Cinvestav Sede Sur, Calzada de los Tenorios 235, Col. Granjas Coapa, Delegación Tlalpan, Ciudad de México C.P.14330, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Rodríguez-Manzo
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Cinvestav Sede Sur, Calzada de los Tenorios 235, Col. Granjas Coapa, Delegación Tlalpan, Ciudad de México C.P.14330, Mexico.
| | - Alejandro Velázquez-Alvarado
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", Av. México-Xochimilco101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Ciudad de México C.P. 14370, Mexico
| | - Carolina Miller-Pérez
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", Av. México-Xochimilco101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Ciudad de México C.P. 14370, Mexico
| | - Martha León-Olea
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", Av. México-Xochimilco101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Ciudad de México C.P. 14370, Mexico.
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4
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Souza MS, Sanvicente-Vieira B, Zaparte A, Baptista T, Nagai MA, Mangone FR, Pavanelli AC, Viola TW, Grassi-Oliveira R. Cocaine use disorder effects on blood oxytocin levels and OXTR DNA methylation. Neurosci Lett 2023; 816:137506. [PMID: 37778686 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorders have been associated with alterations in the oxytocinergic system, but few studies have investigated both the peptide and epigenetic mechanisms potentially implicated in the regulation of oxytocin receptor. In this study, we compared plasma oxytocin and blood DNA methylation in the OXTR gene between people with and without cocaine use disorder (CUD). We measured the oxytocin levels of 51 people with CUD during acute abstinence and of 30 healthy controls using an enzyme immunoassay. The levels of DNA methylation in four CpG sites at exon III of the OXTR gene were evaluated in a subsample using pyrosequencing. The Addiction Severity Index was used to assess clinical characteristics. We found higher oxytocin levels in men with CUD (56.5 pg/mL; 95% CI: 48.2-64.7) than in control men (33.6 pg/mL; 95% CI: 20.7-46.5), while no differences between women with and without CUD were detected. With a moderate effect size, the interaction effect between group and sex remained significant when controlling for height, weight and age data. A positive correlation in the CUD sample was found between oxytocin levels and days of psychological suffering prior to treatment enrollment. No group differences were observed regarding DNA methylation data. This suggests that CUD is associated with higher peripheral oxytocin levels in men during acute abstinence. This finding may be considered in future studies that aim at using exogenous oxytocin as a potential treatment for cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manassés Soares Souza
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Breno Sanvicente-Vieira
- Laboratory of Individual Differences and Psychopathology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Aline Zaparte
- LSU Pulmonary, Critical Care & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University of Health Sciences, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Talita Baptista
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maria Aparecida Nagai
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Center for Translational Research in Oncology (LIM-24), Instituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Comprehensive Center for Precision Oncology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flávia Rotea Mangone
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Center for Translational Research in Oncology (LIM-24), Instituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Comprehensive Center for Precision Oncology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Pavanelli
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Center for Translational Research in Oncology (LIM-24), Instituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Comprehensive Center for Precision Oncology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago Wendt Viola
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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5
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Nisbett KE, Gonzalez LA, Teruel M, Carter CS, Vendruscolo LF, Ragozzino ME, Koob GF. Sex and hormonal status influence the anxiolytic-like effect of oxytocin in mice. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100567. [PMID: 37706061 PMCID: PMC10495655 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent psychiatric disorders, affecting approximately 18% of the United States population. Evidence indicates that central oxytocin mediates social cognition, social bonding, and social anxiety. Although it is well-established that oxytocin ameliorates social deficits, less is known about the therapeutic effects of oxytocin in non-social contexts. We hypothesized that positive effects of oxytocin in social contexts are attributable to intrinsic effects of oxytocin on neural systems that are related to emotion regulation. The present study investigated the effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) oxytocin administration (i.e., central action) on anxiety- and depression-like behavior in C57Bl/6J mice using non-social tests. Male and female mice received an ICV infusion of vehicle or oxytocin (100, 200, or 500 ng), then were tested in the elevated zero maze (for anxiety-like behavior) and the tail suspension test (for depression-like behavior). Oxytocin dose-dependently increased open zone occupancy and entries in the elevated zero maze and reduced immobility duration in the tail suspension test in both sexes. Oxytocin decreased anxiety and depression-like behavior in male and female mice. The observed effect of oxytocin on anxiolytic-like behavior appeared to be driven by the males. Given the smaller anxiolytic-like effect of oxytocin in the female mice and the established interaction between oxytocin and reproductive hormones (estrogen and progesterone), we also explored whether oxytocin sensitivity in females varies across estrous cycle phases and in ovariectomized females that were or were not supplemented with estrogen or progesterone. Oxytocin reduced anxiety-like behavior in female mice in proestrus/estrus, ovariectomized females (supplemented or not with estrogen or progesterone), but not females in metestrus/diestrus. Additionally, oxytocin reduced depression-like behavior in all groups tested with slight differences across the various hormonal statuses. These results suggest that the effect of oxytocin in depression- and anxiety-like behavior in mice can be influenced by sex and hormonal status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalin E. Nisbett
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate College, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- Stress and Addiction Neuroscience Unit, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Luis A. Gonzalez
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Marina Teruel
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - C. Sue Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Leandro F. Vendruscolo
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Michael E. Ragozzino
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - George F. Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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6
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Carter CS. Close encounters with oxytocin. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 15:100189. [PMID: 37577297 PMCID: PMC10422098 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this narrative review is to use a personal perspective to describe unanticipated and pivotal findings that drew the author into the study oxytocin. Oxytocin was originally described as a "female reproductive hormone." However, supporting reproduction is only one of a myriad of functions now attributed to oxytocin. Oxytocin promotes survival and resilience in both sexes and across the lifespan, especially in the context of stress or trauma and helps to explain the health benefits of relationships. Oxytocin works in the context of individual histories and in conjunction with other molecules, as well as the autonomic nervous system and immune factors. The chemical properties of oxytocin make it biologically active, but difficult to measure. As a deeper understanding of the biology of oxytocin is emerging, we may use knowledge of the properties of oxytocin to uncover adaptive strategies that protect and heal in the face of stress and adversity in both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlotteville, VA, USA
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7
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Młotkowska P, Marciniak E, Misztal A, Misztal T. Effect of Neurosteroids on Basal and Stress-Induced Oxytocin Secretion in Luteal-Phase and Pregnant Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13101658. [PMID: 37238088 DOI: 10.3390/ani13101658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamic nuclei that modulates both behavioral and reproductive functions, associated with the increased neurosteroid synthesis in the brain. Therefore, the present study tested the hypothesis that manipulation of central neurosteroid levels could affect oxytocin synthesis and release in non-pregnant and pregnant sheep under both basal and stressful conditions. In Experiment 1, luteal-phase sheep were subjected to a series of intracerebroventricular (icv.) infusions of allopregnanolone (AL, 4 × 15 μg/60 μL/30 min) for 3 days. In Experiment 2, pregnant animals (4th month) received a series of infusions of the neurosteroid synthesis blocker, finasteride (4 × 25 μg/60 μL/30 min), conducted for 3 days. In non-pregnant sheep AL alone was shown to differentially modulate OT synthesis in basal conditions, and strongly inhibit OT response to stress (p < 0.001). In contrast, in pregnant animals, basal and stress-induced OT secretion was significantly (p < 0.001) increased during finasteride infusion compared to controls. In conclusion, we showed that neurosteroids were involved in the control of OT secretion in sheep, particularly under stress and pregnancy conditions and are part of an adaptive mechanism which is responsible for protecting and maintaining pregnancy in harmful situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Młotkowska
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Marciniak
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
| | - Anna Misztal
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
| | - Tomasz Misztal
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
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Szewczyk AK, Ulutas S, Aktürk T, Al-Hassany L, Börner C, Cernigliaro F, Kodounis M, Lo Cascio S, Mikolajek D, Onan D, Ragaglini C, Ratti S, Rivera-Mancilla E, Tsanoula S, Villino R, Messlinger K, Maassen Van Den Brink A, de Vries T. Prolactin and oxytocin: potential targets for migraine treatment. J Headache Pain 2023; 24:31. [PMID: 36967387 PMCID: PMC10041814 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01557-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a severe neurovascular disorder of which the pathophysiology is not yet fully understood. Besides the role of inflammatory mediators that interact with the trigeminovascular system, cyclic fluctuations in sex steroid hormones are involved in the sex dimorphism of migraine attacks. In addition, the pituitary-derived hormone prolactin and the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin have been reported to play a modulating role in migraine and contribute to its sex-dependent differences. The current narrative review explores the relationship between these two hormones and the pathophysiology of migraine. We describe the physiological role of prolactin and oxytocin, its relationship to migraine and pain, and potential therapies targeting these hormones or their receptors.In summary, oxytocin and prolactin are involved in nociception in opposite ways. Both operate at peripheral and central levels, however, prolactin has a pronociceptive effect, while oxytocin appears to have an antinociceptive effect. Therefore, migraine treatment targeting prolactin should aim to block its effects using prolactin receptor antagonists or monoclonal antibodies specifically acting at migraine-pain related structures. This action should be local in order to avoid a decrease in prolactin levels throughout the body and associated adverse effects. In contrast, treatment targeting oxytocin should enhance its signalling and antinociceptive effects, for example using intranasal administration of oxytocin, or possibly other oxytocin receptor agonists. Interestingly, the prolactin receptor and oxytocin receptor are co-localized with estrogen receptors as well as calcitonin gene-related peptide and its receptor, providing a positive perspective on the possibilities for an adequate pharmacological treatment of these nociceptive pathways. Nevertheless, many questions remain to be answered. More particularly, there is insufficient data on the role of sex hormones in men and the correct dosing according to sex differences, hormonal changes and comorbidities. The above remains a major challenge for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Szewczyk
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Samiye Ulutas
- Department of Neurology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tülin Aktürk
- Department of Neurology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Linda Al-Hassany
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Corinna Börner
- Department of Pediatrics - Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Hospital, Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
- LMU Center for Children with Medical Complexity - iSPZ Hauner, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Federica Cernigliaro
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit Department, Pro.M.I.S.E. "G D'Alessandro, University of Palermo, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michalis Kodounis
- First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Salvatore Lo Cascio
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit Department, Pro.M.I.S.E. "G D'Alessandro, University of Palermo, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - David Mikolajek
- Department of Neurology, City Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Dilara Onan
- Spine Health Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Ragaglini
- Neuroscience Section, Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Susanna Ratti
- Neuroscience Section, Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Eduardo Rivera-Mancilla
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sofia Tsanoula
- Department of Neurology, 401 Military Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Rafael Villino
- Department of Neurology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Karl Messlinger
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Antoinette Maassen Van Den Brink
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa de Vries
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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9
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Marazziti D, Carter CS, Carmassi C, Della Vecchia A, Mucci F, Pagni G, Carbone MG, Baroni S, Giannaccini G, Palego L, Dell’Osso L. Sex matters: The impact of oxytocin on healthy conditions and psychiatric disorders. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 13:100165. [PMID: 36590869 PMCID: PMC9800179 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is involved in the regulation of physiological processes and emotional states, with increasing evidence for its beneficial actions being mediated by the autonomic and immune systems. Growing evidence suggests that OT plays a role in the pathophysiology of different psychiatric disorders. Given the limited information in humans the aim of this study was to retrospectively explore plasma OT levels in psychiatric patients, particularly focusing on sex-related differences, as compared with healthy controls. The patients studied here were divided into three groups diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depressive disorder (MDD). Plasma OT levels were significantly different between healthy men and women, with the latter showing higher values, while none of the three psychiatric groups showed sex-related differences in the parameters measured here. The intergroup analyses showed that the OT levels were significantly higher in OCD, lower in PTSD and even more reduced in MDD patients than in healthy subjects. These differences were also confirmed when gender was considered, with the exception of PTSD men, in whom OT levels were similar to those of healthy men. The present results indicated that OT levels were higher amongst healthy women than men, while a sex difference was less apparent or reversed in psychiatric patients. Reductions in sex differences in psychopathologies may be related to differential vulnerabilities in processes associated with basic adaptive and social functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Marazziti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy,Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences – UniCamillus, Rome, Italy,Corresponding author. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 57, 56100, Pisa, Italy.
| | - C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA,Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Federico Mucci
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Italy,Department of Psychiatry, North-Western Tuscany Region NHS Local Health Unit, Lucca Zone, Lucca, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pagni
- Department of Psychiatry, North-Western Tuscany Region NHS Local Health Unit, Lunigiana Zone, Aulla, Italy
| | - Manuel G. Carbone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Division of Psychiatry, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Stefano Baroni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Liliana Dell’Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
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10
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Carter CS. Sex, love and oxytocin: Two metaphors and a molecule. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104948. [PMID: 36347382 PMCID: PMC9759207 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Dozens of studies, most conducted in the last four decades, have implicated oxytocin, as well as vasopressin and their receptors, in processes that mediate selective sociality and the consequences of early experience. Oxytocin is critical for the capacity to experience emotional safety and healthy sexuality. Oxytocin also plays a central role in almost every aspect of physical and mental health, including the coordination of sociality and loving relationships with physiological reactions to challenges across the lifespan. Species, including prairie voles, that share with humans the capacity for selective social bonds have been a particularly rich source of insights into the behavioral importance of peptides. The purpose of this historical review is to describe the discovery of a central role for oxytocin in behavioral interactions associated with love, and in the capacity to use sociality to anticipate and cope with challenges across the lifespan - a process that here is called "sociostasis."
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sue Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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11
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Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provided a New Insight into the Molecular Mechanisms of Epididymis Regulating Semen Volume in Drakes. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12213023. [PMID: 36359147 PMCID: PMC9655896 DOI: 10.3390/ani12213023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Semen volume is an important factor in artificial insemination (AI) of ducks. In drakes, seminal plasma that is produced by the epididymis determines the semen volume. However, the mechanism of epididymis regulating semen volume of drakes remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to preliminarily reveal the mechanism regulating the semen volume through comparing the epididymal histomorphology and mRNA expression profiles between drakes with high-volume semen (HVS) and low-volume semen (LVS). Phenotypically, drakes in the HVS group produced more sperm than drakes in the LVS group. In addition, compared with the HVS group, the ductal square of ductuli conjugentes (DC) and dutus epididymidis (DE) in epididymis was significantly smaller in the LVS group, and the lumenal diameter and epithelial thickness of DC/DE were significantly shorter in the LVS group. In transcriptional regulation, 72 different expression genes (DEGs) were identified from the epididymis between HVS and LVS groups. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the DEGs were mainly related to hormone secretion, neurotransmitter synthesis/transport, transmembrane signal transduction, transmembrane transporter activity, and nervous system development (p < 0.05). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways associated with hormone and neurotransmitter transmission (p < 0.05). In addition, further analysis of the top five pathways enriched by KEGG, nine key candidate genes (including SLC18A2, SNAP25, CACNA1B, GABRG2, DRD3, CAMK2A, NR5A1, and STAR) were identified, which could play a crucial role in the formation of semen. These data provide new insights into the molecular mechanism regulating semen volume of drakes and make feasible the breeding of drakes by semen volume.
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12
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Mühle C, Mazza M, Weinland C, von Zimmermann C, Bach P, Kiefer F, Grinevich V, Zoicas I, Kornhuber J, Lenz B. Elevated Oxytocin Receptor Blood Concentrations Predict Higher Risk for, More, and Earlier 24-Month Hospital Readmissions after In-Patient Detoxification in Males with Alcohol Use Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179940. [PMID: 36077337 PMCID: PMC9455990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major global mental health challenge. Knowledge concerning mechanisms underlying AUD and predictive biomarkers of AUD progression and relapse are insufficient. Recently, addiction research is focusing attention on the oxytocin system. However, to our knowledge, blood concentrations of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) have not yet been studied in AUD. Here, in sex-separated analyses, OXTR serum concentrations were compared between early-abstinent in-patients with AUD (113 men, 87 women) and age-matched healthy controls (133 men, 107 women). The OXTR concentrations were correlated with sex hormone and oxytocin concentrations and alcohol-related hospital readmissions during a 24-month follow-up. In male patients with AUD, higher OXTR concentrations were found in those with an alcohol-related readmission than in those without (143%; p = 0.004), and they correlated with more prospective readmissions (ρ = 0.249; p = 0.008) and fewer days to the first readmission (ρ = −0.268; p = 0.004). In men and women, OXTR concentrations did not significantly differ between patients with AUD and controls. We found lower OXTR concentrations in smokers versus non-smokers in female patients (61%; p = 0.001) and controls (51%; p = 0.003). In controls, OXTR concentrations correlated with dihydrotestosterone (men, ρ = 0.189; p = 0.030) and testosterone concentrations (women, ρ = 0.281; p = 0.003). This clinical study provides novel insight into the role of serum OXTR levels in AUD. Future studies are encouraged to add to the available knowledge and investigate clinical implications of OXTR blood concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Mühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +49-9131-85-44738; Fax: +49-9131-85-36381
| | - Massimiliano Mazza
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Weinland
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Claudia von Zimmermann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Iulia Zoicas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
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13
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Rokicki J, Kaufmann T, de Lange AMG, van der Meer D, Bahrami S, Sartorius AM, Haukvik UK, Steen NE, Schwarz E, Stein DJ, Nærland T, Andreassen OA, Westlye LT, Quintana DS. Oxytocin receptor expression patterns in the human brain across development. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1550-1560. [PMID: 35347267 PMCID: PMC9205980 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01305-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin plays a vital role in social behavior and homeostatic processes, with animal models indicating that oxytocin receptor (OXTR) expression patterns in the brain influence behavior and physiology. However, the developmental trajectory of OXTR gene expression is unclear. By analyzing gene expression data in human post-mortem brain samples, from the prenatal period to late adulthood, we demonstrate distinct patterns of OXTR gene expression in the developing brain, with increasing OXTR expression along the course of the prenatal period culminating in a peak during early childhood. This early life OXTR expression peak pattern appears slightly earlier in a comparative macaque sample, which is consistent with the relative immaturity of the human brain during early life compared to macaques. We also show that a network of genes with strong spatiotemporal couplings with OXTR is enriched in several psychiatric illness and body composition phenotypes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that oxytocin signaling plays an important role in a diverse set of psychological and somatic processes across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaroslav Rokicki
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ,grid.55325.340000 0004 0389 8485Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tobias Kaufmann
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Marie G. de Lange
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.9851.50000 0001 2165 4204LREN, Centre for Research in Neurosciences - Department of Clinical Neurosciences, CHUV and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5012.60000 0001 0481 6099School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Shahram Bahrami
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alina M. Sartorius
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Unn K. Haukvik
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.55325.340000 0004 0389 8485Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nils Eiel Steen
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- grid.7700.00000 0001 2190 4373Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dan J. Stein
- grid.7836.a0000 0004 1937 1151SAMRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Terje Nærland
- grid.55325.340000 0004 0389 8485NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A. Andreassen
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars T. Westlye
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Daniel S. Quintana
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ,grid.55325.340000 0004 0389 8485NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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14
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Grassi D, Marraudino M, Garcia-Segura LM, Panzica GC. The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus as a central hub for the estrogenic modulation of neuroendocrine function and behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 65:100974. [PMID: 34995643 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Estradiol and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) help coordinate reproduction with body physiology, growth and metabolism. PVN integrates hormonal and neural signals originating in the periphery, generating an output mediated both by its long-distance neuronal projections, and by a variety of neurohormones produced by its magnocellular and parvocellular neurosecretory cells. Here we review the cyto-and chemo-architecture, the connectivity and function of PVN and the sex-specific regulation exerted by estradiol on PVN neurons and on the expression of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, neuropeptides and neurohormones in PVN. Classical and non-classical estrogen receptors (ERs) are expressed in neuronal afferents to PVN and in specific PVN interneurons, projecting neurons, neurosecretory neurons and glial cells that are involved in the input-output integration and coordination of neurohormonal signals. Indeed, PVN ERs are known to modulate body homeostatic processes such as autonomic functions, stress response, reproduction, and metabolic control. Finally, the functional implications of the estrogenic modulation of the PVN for body homeostasis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Grassi
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Marraudino
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Torino, Italy
| | - L M Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - G C Panzica
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Torino, Italy; Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
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15
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Carter CS. Oxytocin and love: Myths, metaphors and mysteries. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 9:100107. [PMID: 35755926 PMCID: PMC9216351 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a peptide molecule with a multitude of physiological and behavioral functions. Based on its association with reproduction - including social bonding, sexual behavior, birth and maternal behavior - oxytocin also has been called "the love hormone." This essay specifically examines association and parallels between oxytocin and love. However, many myths and gaps in knowledge remain concerning both. A few of these are described here and we hypothesize that the potential benefits of both love and oxytocin may be better understood in light of interactions with more ancient systems, including specifically vasopressin and the immune system. Oxytocin is anti-inflammatory and is associated with recently evolved, social solutions to a variety of challenges necessary for mammalian survival and reproduction. The shared functions of oxytocin and love have profound implications for health and longevity, including the prevention and treatment of excess inflammation and related disorders, especially those occurring in early life and during periods of chronic threat or disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
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16
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Wang S, Wu P, Wang K, Ji X, Chen D, Liu Y, Ding J, Xu X, Tang G. Comparative metabolome profiling of serum and urine from sows with a high prevalence of piglet mummification and normal sows at different stages of pregnancy. Theriogenology 2022; 183:10-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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17
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Oxytocin blood concentrations in alcohol use disorder: A cross-sectional, longitudinal, and sex-separated study. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 51:55-67. [PMID: 34077851 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a severe illness, for which we lack sufficient mechanistic understanding. Preliminary evidence associates AUD with the oxytocin (OXT) system. Here we investigated alterations in endogenous OXT blood concentrations in patients with AUD and their association with alcohol drinking and prospective course. In sex-separated analyses, OXT serum concentrations of 200 in-patients with AUD (56.5% male; baseline, 24-72 h of abstinence) were compared with those of 240 age-matched healthy controls (55.4% male), investigated longitudinally (follow-up, 5 days later), and tested for associations with alcohol drinking behavior and prospective 24-month alcohol-related hospital readmissions. At baseline, the patients showed increased OXT concentrations relative to controls (men, 156%, P < 0.001; women, 124%, P = 0.002). The elevations normalized at follow-up. In male patients, baseline OXT concentrations correlated positively with alcohol concentration at admission, the amount of alcohol consumption per drinking year, and the number of previous withdrawal treatments (Rho > 0.195, P < 0.044). In beverage type-specific analysis, baseline OXT concentrations correlated with liquor consumption positively in male and negatively in female patients (|Rho| > 0.277, P < 0.017). Higher baseline OXT concentrations predicted more readmissions and fewer days to the first readmission (|Rho| > 0.185, P < 0.050) in male patients. This study provides novel and sex-separated insights into the role of the OXT system in AUD. We identified a mechanism that might underlie the sex-separated choice of beverage type and established that increased OXT concentrations during early abstinence predict a worse outcome in male patients with AUD.
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18
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Dogani M, Askari N, Kalantari-Hesari A, Hosseini Rahbar F. The effects of P. atlantica as a libido booster and sexual enhancer on the reproductive system of male rats. J Tradit Complement Med 2021; 12:345-353. [PMID: 35747351 PMCID: PMC9209825 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and aim Experimental procedure Results and conclusion Fertility and infertility are among the most complex issues in medical sciences. Baneh (wild pistachio) traditionally is known as a sexual enhancer. It enhances testosterone and oxytocin level in favour of increasing sperm counts. Baneh improves lipid metabolism and increases the serum level of Zinc and vitamin D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manijeh Dogani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, I.R, Iran
| | - Nayere Askari
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, I.R, Iran
- Immunoregulation Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, I.R, Iran
- Corresponding author. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, 76135, Iran.
| | - Ali Kalantari-Hesari
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Hosseini Rahbar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, I.R, Iran
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19
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McCook O, Denoix N, Radermacher P, Waller C, Merz T. H 2S and Oxytocin Systems in Early Life Stress and Cardiovascular Disease. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10163484. [PMID: 34441780 PMCID: PMC8397059 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Today it is well established that early life stress leads to cardiovascular programming that manifests in cardiovascular disease, but the mechanisms by which this occurs, are not fully understood. This perspective review examines the relevant literature that implicates the dysregulation of the gasomediator hydrogen sulfide and the neuroendocrine oxytocin systems in heart disease and their putative mechanistic role in the early life stress developmental origins of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, interesting hints towards the mutual interaction of the hydrogen sulfide and OT systems are identified, especially with regards to the connection between the central nervous and the cardiovascular system, which support the role of the vagus nerve as a communication link between the brain and the heart in stress-mediated cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar McCook
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (N.D.); (P.R.); (T.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-731-500-60185; Fax: +49-731-500-60162
| | - Nicole Denoix
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (N.D.); (P.R.); (T.M.)
- Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Peter Radermacher
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (N.D.); (P.R.); (T.M.)
| | - Christiane Waller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Nuremberg General Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany;
| | - Tamara Merz
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (N.D.); (P.R.); (T.M.)
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20
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Carter CS, Kenkel WM, MacLean EL, Wilson SR, Perkeybile AM, Yee JR, Ferris CF, Nazarloo HP, Porges SW, Davis JM, Connelly JJ, Kingsbury MA. Is Oxytocin "Nature's Medicine"? Pharmacol Rev 2021; 72:829-861. [PMID: 32912963 PMCID: PMC7495339 DOI: 10.1124/pr.120.019398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a pleiotropic, peptide hormone with broad implications for general health, adaptation, development, reproduction, and social behavior. Endogenous oxytocin and stimulation of the oxytocin receptor support patterns of growth, resilience, and healing. Oxytocin can function as a stress-coping molecule, an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, with protective effects especially in the face of adversity or trauma. Oxytocin influences the autonomic nervous system and the immune system. These properties of oxytocin may help explain the benefits of positive social experiences and have drawn attention to this molecule as a possible therapeutic in a host of disorders. However, as detailed here, the unique chemical properties of oxytocin, including active disulfide bonds, and its capacity to shift chemical forms and bind to other molecules make this molecule difficult to work with and to measure. The effects of oxytocin also are context-dependent, sexually dimorphic, and altered by experience. In part, this is because many of the actions of oxytocin rely on its capacity to interact with the more ancient peptide molecule, vasopressin, and the vasopressin receptors. In addition, oxytocin receptor(s) are epigenetically tuned by experience, especially in early life. Stimulation of G-protein–coupled receptors triggers subcellular cascades allowing these neuropeptides to have multiple functions. The adaptive properties of oxytocin make this ancient molecule of special importance to human evolution as well as modern medicine and health; these same characteristics also present challenges to the use of oxytocin-like molecules as drugs that are only now being recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - William M Kenkel
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Evan L MacLean
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Steven R Wilson
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Allison M Perkeybile
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Jason R Yee
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Craig F Ferris
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Hossein P Nazarloo
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Stephen W Porges
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - John M Davis
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Marcy A Kingsbury
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
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21
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Lu Q, Hu S. Sex differences of oxytocin and vasopressin in social behaviors. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 180:65-88. [PMID: 34225950 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820107-7.00005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) are known to mediate social cognition and behaviors in a sex-dependent manner. This chapter reviews the sex-dependent influence of OT and VP on social behaviors, focusing on (1) partner preference and sexual orientation, (2) memory modulation, (3) emotion regulation, and (4) trust-related behaviors. Most studies suggest that OT promotes familiar (opposite-sex) partner preference, strengthens memory, relieves anxiety, and increases trust. However, VP-regulated social cognition has been studied less than OT. VP facilitates familiar (opposite-sex) partner preference, enhances memory, induces anxiety, and influences happiness/anger perception. Detailed sex differences of these effects are reviewed. There is a male preponderance in the use of animal models and many study results are too complex to draw firm conclusions. Clarifying the complex interplay between the OT/VP system and sex hormones in the regulation of social behaviors is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China; Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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22
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Harvey AR. Links Between the Neurobiology of Oxytocin and Human Musicality. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:350. [PMID: 33005139 PMCID: PMC7479205 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The human species possesses two complementary, yet distinct, universal communication systems—language and music. Functional imaging studies have revealed that some core elements of these two systems are processed in closely related brain regions, but there are also clear differences in brain circuitry that likely underlie differences in functionality. Music affects many aspects of human behavior, especially in encouraging prosocial interactions and promoting trust and cooperation within groups of culturally compatible but not necessarily genetically related individuals. Music, presumably via its impact on the limbic system, is also rewarding and motivating, and music can facilitate aspects of learning and memory. In this review these special characteristics of music are considered in light of recent research on the neuroscience of the peptide oxytocin, a hormone that has both peripheral and central actions, that plays a role in many complex human behaviors, and whose expression has recently been reported to be affected by music-related activities. I will first briefly discuss what is currently known about the peptide’s physiological actions on neurons and its interactions with other neuromodulator systems, then summarize recent advances in our knowledge of the distribution of oxytocin and its receptor (OXTR) in the human brain. Next, the complex links between oxytocin and various social behaviors in humans are considered. First, how endogenous oxytocin levels relate to individual personality traits, and then how exogenous, intranasal application of oxytocin affects behaviors such as trust, empathy, reciprocity, group conformity, anxiety, and overall social decision making under different environmental conditions. It is argued that many of these characteristics of oxytocin biology closely mirror the diverse effects that music has on human cognition and emotion, providing a link to the important role music has played throughout human evolutionary history and helping to explain why music remains a special prosocial human asset. Finally, it is suggested that there is a potential synergy in combining oxytocin- and music-based strategies to improve general health and aid in the treatment of various neurological dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan R Harvey
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
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23
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Kaviani M, Nikooyeh B, Zand H, Yaghmaei P, Neyestani TR. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression and some involved neurotransmitters. J Affect Disord 2020; 269:28-35. [PMID: 32217340 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low vitamin D levels are associated with a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and depression but a causal relationship has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression severity, serum 25(OH)D, and some neurotransmitters in patients with mild to moderate depression. METHODS An 8-week double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 56 subjects with mild to moderate depression, aged 43.0 ± 1.15yrs. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups: intervention (50,000 IU cholecalciferol/2wks) and control (placebo). Biochemical parameters (serum 25(OH)D, iPTH, oxytocin and platelet serotonin), and depression severity (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II1)) were initially and finally assessed. RESULTS Following intervention, significant changes were observed in the intervention group compared to the controls: 25(OH)D concentrations increased (+40.83±28.57 vs. +5.14±23.44 nmol/L, P<0.001) and BDI scores decreased (-11.75±6.40 vs. -3.61±10.40, P = 0.003). Oxytocin concentrations were significantly reduced in controls (-6.49±13.69 ng/mL, P = 0.01), but between -group differences were insignificant. Within- and between-group differences of platelet serotonin concentrations were not significant; however, the increment in controls was higher (+0.86±10.82 vs. +0.26±9.38 ng/mL, P = 0.83). LIMITATIONS Study duration may not reflect the long-term effects of vitamin D on depression. It seems necessary to assess tryptophan-hydroxylasetypes1&2 in relation to vitamin D in serotonin pathways. CONCLUSIONS Eight-week supplementation with 50,000 IU/2wks vitamin D, elevated 25(OH)D concentration of subjects with mild to moderate depression and significantly improved their depression severity. However, there was no evidence that the anti-depressive effect of vitamin D supplementation is mediated by the measured neurotransmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Kaviani
- Department of Biology Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bahareh Nikooyeh
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Zand
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parichehreh Yaghmaei
- Department of Biology Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tirang R Neyestani
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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24
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Kirsch M, Buchholz MB. On the Nature of the Mother-Infant Tie and Its Interaction With Freudian Drives. Front Psychol 2020; 11:317. [PMID: 32161562 PMCID: PMC7054235 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The affective bond between an infant and its caregiver, the so-called mother-infant tie, was analyzed by various reputable psychologists (e.g., Ainsworth, Clark, Erikson, Anna Freud, Harlow, Klein, Spitz, and Winnicott) but both the basic tenets of the bond and the importance of the trauma of maternal deprivation for personality disorders in adults were introduced by Bowlby. Although Bowlby was a trained psychoanalyst, he rejected central cornerstones of Freudian theory (esp. drive theory) and used concepts promulgated by renowned ethologists (Tinbergen and Lorenz) to establish his framework of "instinctive behavior" that has been developed further into the concept of "attachment theory" under the influence of Mary Ainsworth. However, since any precise experimental facts were lacking when Bowlby formulated his ideas on the concept of instinctive behavior, the whole framework is a descriptive, category-driven approach (like the ones of Freudian drives). In order to connect the mother-infant tie - as propounded by Bowlby - with experimental data, this manuscript undertakes a biochemical analysis of it because this strategy proved somewhat successful in relation to Freudian drives. The analysis unfolded that the neurochemical oxytocin, released by the action of sensory nerves, is of utmost importance for the operation of the mother-infant tie. Furthermore, multiple evidences have been presented to the fact that there is strong interaction between unconsciously operating Freudian drives and the consciously acting mother-infant tie (that is now classified as a drive). The outlined interaction in conjunction with the classification of attachment urges as drives gave a very detailed insight into how a SEEKING-derived reward can be evoked during operation of the mother-infant tie. In summary, there is no need to marginalize either the mother-infant tie or Freudian drives but rather there is need to respect both (principally different) impulses in moving toward a more extensive description.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kirsch
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Michael B. Buchholz
- Department of Social Psychology and Ph.D. Program, International Psychoanalytic University Berlin (IPU), Berlin, Germany
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25
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Diversity of central oxytocinergic projections. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 375:41-48. [PMID: 30498946 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-2960-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Localization and distribution of hypothalamic neurons expressing the nonapeptide oxytocin has been extensively studied. Their projections to the neurohypophyseal system release oxytocin into the systemic circulation thus controlling endocrine events associated with reproduction in males and females. Oxytocinergic neurons seem to be confined to the ventral hypothalamus in all mammals. Groups of such cells located outside the supraoptic and the paraventricular nuclei are summarized as "accessory neurons." Although evolutionary probably associated with the classical magocellular nuclei, accessory oxytocin neurons seem to consist of rather heterogenous groups: Periventricular oxytocin neurons may gain contact to the third ventricle to secrete the peptide into the cerebrospinal fluid. Perivascular neurons may be involved in control of cerebral blood flow. They may also gain access to the portal circulation of the anterior pituitary lobe. Central projections of oxytocinergic neurons extend to portions of the limbic system, to the mesencephalon and to the brain stem. Such projections have been associated with control of behaviors, central stress response as well as motor and vegetative functions. Activity of the different oxytocinergic systems seems to be malleable to functional status, strongly influenced by systemic levels of steroid hormones.
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