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Florea T, Palimariciuc M, Cristofor AC, Dobrin I, Chiriță R, Bîrsan M, Dobrin RP, Pădurariu M. Oxytocin: Narrative Expert Review of Current Perspectives on the Relationship with Other Neurotransmitters and the Impact on the Main Psychiatric Disorders. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58070923. [PMID: 35888641 PMCID: PMC9318841 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58070923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Is a cyclic neuropeptide produced primarily in the hypothalamus and plays an important neuromodulatory role for other neurotransmitter systems, with an impact on behavior, response to danger, stress, and complex social interactions, such as pair bonding and child care. This narrative expert review examines the literature on oxytocin as a brain hormone. We focused on oxytocin structure, distribution, genetics, and the oxytocin receptor system, as well as the relationship of oxytocin with other neurotransmitters and the resulting impacts on the main psychiatric disorders. Oxytocin levels have been correlated over time with mental illness, with numerous studies focusing on oxytocin and the pathophysiology of the main psychiatric disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, personality disorders, mood, and eating disorders. We highlight the role oxytocin plays in improving symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and social behavior, as the literature suggests. Risk factors and causes for psychiatric disorders range from genetic to environmental and social factors. Oxytocin could impact the latter, being linked with other neurotransmitter systems that are responsible for integrating different situations during the development phases of individuals. Also, these systems have an important role in how the body responds to stressors or bonding with others, helping with the creation of social support groups that could speed up recovery in many situations. Oxytocin has the potential to become a key therapeutic agent for future treatment and prevention strategies concerning the main psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tudor Florea
- Department of Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 16 Universității Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (T.F.); (M.P.); (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (R.C.)
| | - Matei Palimariciuc
- Department of Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 16 Universității Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (T.F.); (M.P.); (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (R.C.)
- Institute of Psychiatry “Socola”, 36 Bucium Street, 700282 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Ana Caterina Cristofor
- Department of Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 16 Universității Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (T.F.); (M.P.); (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (R.C.)
- Institute of Psychiatry “Socola”, 36 Bucium Street, 700282 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Irina Dobrin
- Department of Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 16 Universității Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (T.F.); (M.P.); (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (R.C.)
- Institute of Psychiatry “Socola”, 36 Bucium Street, 700282 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Roxana Chiriță
- Department of Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 16 Universității Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (T.F.); (M.P.); (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (R.C.)
- Institute of Psychiatry “Socola”, 36 Bucium Street, 700282 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Magdalena Bîrsan
- Department of Drug Industry and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iaşi, 16 Universităţii Street, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Romeo Petru Dobrin
- Department of Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 16 Universității Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (T.F.); (M.P.); (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (R.C.)
- Institute of Psychiatry “Socola”, 36 Bucium Street, 700282 Iasi, Romania;
- Correspondence:
| | - Manuela Pădurariu
- Institute of Psychiatry “Socola”, 36 Bucium Street, 700282 Iasi, Romania;
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Grant AD, Erickson EN. Birth, love, and fear: Physiological networks from pregnancy to parenthood. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 11:100138. [PMID: 35757173 PMCID: PMC9227990 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy and childbirth are among the most dramatic physiological and emotional transformations of a lifetime. Despite their central importance to human survival, many gaps remain in our understanding of the temporal progression of and mechanisms underlying the transition to new parenthood. The goal of this paper is to outline the physiological and emotional development of the maternal-infant dyad from late pregnancy to the postpartum period, and to provide a framework to investigate this development using non-invasive timeseries. We focus on the interaction among neuroendocrine, emotional, and autonomic outputs in the context of late pregnancy, parturition, and post-partum. We then propose that coupled dynamics in these outputs can be leveraged to map both physiologic and pathologic pregnancy, parturition, and parenthood. This approach could address gaps in our knowledge and enable early detection or prediction of problems, with both personalized depth and broad population scale. Giving birth and caring for offspring are dynamic processes that can instill both love and fear. Maternal physiology continuously integrates fetal, social, and environmental cues. The result is coupled change in hormonal, autonomic nervous, and emotional output. Coupling may allow internal state to be assessed from peripheral autonomic markers. Such markers may identify healthy or pathologic pregnancy, parturition, and parenting, and enable creation of real-world tools.
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The Role of OXT, OXTR, AVP, and AVPR1a Gene Expression in the Course of Schizophrenia. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:336-349. [PMID: 35723404 PMCID: PMC8929099 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a serious and chronic mental illness, the symptoms of which usually appear for the first time in late adolescence or early adulthood. To date, much research has been conducted on the etiology of schizophrenia; however, it is still not fully understood. Oxytocin and vasopressin as neuromodulators that regulate social and emotional behavior are promising candidates for determining the vulnerability to schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of OXT, OXTR, AVP, and AVPR1a genes at the mRNA and protein levels in patients with schizophrenia. Due to the neurodegenerative nature of schizophrenia, the study group was divided into two subgroups, namely, G1 with a diagnosis that was made between 10 and 15 years after the onset of the illness, and G2 with a diagnosis made up to two years after the onset of the illness. Moreover, the relationship between the examined genes and the severity of schizophrenia symptoms, assessed using PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and CDSS scales (Clinical Depression Scale for Schizophrenia) was evaluated. The analysis of the expression of the studied genes at the mRNA and protein levels showed statistically significant differences in the expression of all the investigated genes. OXT and AVPR1a gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels were significantly lower in the schizophrenia group, and OXTR and AVP gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels was higher in the schizophrenia subjects than in the controls. Furthermore, a significant correlation of OXT gene expression at the mRNA and protein levels with the severity of depressive symptoms in schizophrenia as assessed by CDSS was found.
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Ahmed GK, Elbeh K, Shams RM, Malek MAA, Ibrahim AK. Prevalence and predictors of postpartum depression in Upper Egypt: A multicenter primary health care study. J Affect Disord 2021; 290:211-218. [PMID: 34004403 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postpartum depression (PPD) is highly prevalent with a major impact on the mother and child health. We aimed to determine the prevalence of PPD in primary health care centres which provide vaccinations services to infants in Assiut city and to evaluate the possible risk factors associated with PPD. METHODS In this multicentre study, 257 mothers attended three primary health care centres for immunization of their babies were recruited from January 2019 to January 2020. All participants were evaluated for socio-demographic features, Family affluence scale (FAS), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and associated risk factors. RESULTS The mean age of the participants was 27.98 ± 4.7. About half of the mothers and their husbands had low education level. Most of the families (89%) have low socioeconomic scale (SES). About (33.5%) women were found to have possible PPD. In the logistic regression analysis, SES, history of depression, history of PPD, history of stressful conditions, familial support, unwanted pregnancy, and male preference were significant statistical in PPD (p < 0.05). LIMITATIONS We did not investigate the medical and psychological problems during antenatal care. Also, we did not assess relation of the type of delivery and medical problems during delivery on the postnatal care. CONCLUSIONS PPD was prevalent in 33.5% The possible risk factors of PPD were low SES, history of depression, history of PPD, history of stressful conditions, familial support, unwanted pregnancy, and male preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gellan K Ahmed
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Assiut University, 71516 Assiut, Egypt; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - Khaled Elbeh
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Assiut University, 71516 Assiut, Egypt
| | - Randa M Shams
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | | | - Ahmed K Ibrahim
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
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Zanardo V, Giliberti L, Volpe F, Simbi A, Guerrini P, Parotto M, Straface G. Short hospitalization after caesarean delivery: effects on maternal pain and stress at discharge. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2017; 31:2332-2337. [DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2017.1342802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Zanardo
- Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
| | - Lara Giliberti
- Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
| | - Francesca Volpe
- Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
| | - Alphonse Simbi
- Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
| | - Pietro Guerrini
- Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
| | - Matteo Parotto
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Gianluca Straface
- Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy
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