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Zeng G, Leung TS, Maylott SE, Malik A, Adornato AA, Lebowitz M, Messinger DS, Szeto A, Feldman R, Simpson EA. Infants' salivary oxytocin and positive affective reactions to people. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105579. [PMID: 38905820 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide positively associated with prosociality in adults. Here, we studied whether infants' salivary oxytocin can be reliably measured, is developmentally stable, and is linked to social behavior. We longitudinally collected saliva from 62 U.S. infants (44 % female, 56 % Hispanic/Latino, 24 % Black, 18 % non-Hispanic White, 11 % multiracial) at 4, 8, and 14 months of age and offline-video-coded the valence of their facial affect in response to a video of a smiling woman. We also captured infants' affective reactions in terms of excitement/joyfulness during a live, structured interaction with a singing woman in the Early Social Communication Scales at 14 months. We detected stable individual differences in infants' oxytocin levels over time (over minutes and months) and in infants' positive affect over months and across contexts (video-based and in live interactions). We detected no statistically significant changes in oxytocin levels between 4 and 8 months but found an increase from 8 to 14 months. Infants with higher oxytocin levels showed more positive facial affect to a smiling person video at 4 months; however, this association disappeared at 8 months, and reversed at 14 months (i.e., higher oxytocin was associated with less positive facial affect). Infant salivary oxytocin may be a reliable physiological measure of individual differences related to socio-emotional development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Zeng
- School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China; Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | - Tiffany S Leung
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | | | - Arushi Malik
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Alexis A Adornato
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Mendel Lebowitz
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Angela Szeto
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Ruth Feldman
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel; Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Zagoory-Sharon O, Yirmiya K, Peleg I, Shimon-Raz O, Sanderlin R, Feldman R. Breast milk oxytocin and s-IgA modulate infant biomarkers and social engagement; The role of maternal anxiety. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 17:100219. [PMID: 38187086 PMCID: PMC10765300 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Breastfeeding has long been known to improve infants' health and mental development and to enhance the mother-infant bond, but much less research focused on the biological composition of breast milk and its associations with the infant's biomarkers and social development. In this exploratory study, we measured oxytocin (OT) and secretory immunoglobulin-A (s-IgA), the most abundant antibody in breast milk, and evaluated their associations with the same biomarkers in infant saliva and, consequently, with infant social engagement behavior. Fifty-five mother-infant dyads were home-visit and OT and s-IgA were assessed from breast milk and from infant saliva before and after a free-play interaction. Infant social behavior was coded offline using the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) and maternal anxiety self-reported. A path model revealed that mother's breast milk s-IgA impacted child social engagement via its links with child OT. In parallel, maternal breast milk OT was linked with infant social behavior through its association with the infant's immunity. This path was moderated by maternal anxiety; only in cases of high anxiety breast milk OT was positively connected to infant s-IgA. Our study, the first to measure OT and s-IgA in both breast milk and infant saliva in relation to observed social behavior, underscores the need for much further research on the dynamic interplay between breast milk composition, infant biomarkers, maternal mental health, and infant social outcomes. Results may suggest that biological systems in breast milk integrate to prepare infants to function in their social ecology through bio-behavioral feedback loops that signal the degree of stress in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Itai Peleg
- Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience, Reichman University, Israel
| | - Ortal Shimon-Raz
- Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience, Reichman University, Israel
| | - Rachel Sanderlin
- Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience, Reichman University, Israel
| | - Ruth Feldman
- Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience, Reichman University, Israel
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England-Mason G, MacMillan HL, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Gonzalez A. Emotion regulation moderates between maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and oxytocin response. Arch Womens Ment Health 2022; 25:421-430. [PMID: 34751819 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-021-01194-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with oxytocin dysregulation in women, such as decreased peripheral oxytocin concentrations, but little is known about vulnerability markers for oxytocin dysregulation in mothers exposed to ACEs. Identifying vulnerability markers may help inform future targets for prevention and intervention programmes. This study provided a preliminary examination of emotion regulation as a potential moderator of the association between maternal ACEs and peripheral oxytocin levels. The current study included a sample of 38 postpartum women. Women completed questionnaires on exposure to ACEs and difficulties with emotion regulation. At a clinic visit at 9 months postpartum, women provided plasma and salivary oxytocin samples anchored around a mother-infant interaction. Associations between maternal ACEs, three dimensions of difficulties with emotion regulation, and peripheral oxytocin concentrations were examined. Linear regression analyses showed that greater difficulties engaging in goal-directed behaviour (β = - 0.50, p = 0.01) and more limited access to effective emotion regulation strategies (β = - 0.68, p < 0.001) were related to reduced plasma oxytocin concentrations in postpartum women. Furthermore, in postpartum women reporting greater exposure to ACEs, higher levels of nonacceptance of emotional responses (β = - 0.55, p = 0.01) and more limited access to effective emotion regulation strategies (β = - 0.54, p = 0.01) were associated with reduced salivary oxytocin response (i.e. decreased change in oxytocin concentrations from baseline) following mother-infant interaction. Difficulties with emotion regulation may serve as a vulnerability marker for oxytocin dysregulation in postpartum women exposed to ACEs, and this suggests that emotion regulation may be an important target for future clinical interventions. Future research is recommended which replicates these preliminary results and which examines how emotion regulation and peripheral oxytocin levels in mothers exposed to ACEs are associated with parenting and child development outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian England-Mason
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Harriet L MacMillan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster Innovation Park - Suite 201A, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Meir Steiner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. .,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster Innovation Park - Suite 201A, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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Kunimi Y, Minami M, Muchanga SMJ, Eitoku M, Hayashi K, Fujieda M, Suganuma N, Maeda N. Exogenous oxytocin used to induce labor has no long-term adverse effect on maternal-infant bonding: Findings from the Japan Environment and Children's Study. J Affect Disord 2022; 299:37-44. [PMID: 34838605 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigated the association between exogenous oxytocin use for labor induction and adverse maternal-infant bonding (MIB). METHODS Data on 19 700 mother-infant pairs were collected, in which the infants were live-birth singletons, born in cephalic position and at >37 weeks of gestation; the drug used to induce labor was noted. Between 2011 and 2014, Japanese pregnant women were enrolled in a nationwide prospective birth cohort study, the Japan Environment and Children's Study. The Japanese version of the Mother-to-infant Bonding Scale (MIBS-J) was administered and demographic information was collected through medical record transcripts. MIBS-J scores were obtained at one month, six months, and one year after delivery. We estimated the risk of adverse MIB between use of oxytocin and other methods for labor induction using multiple linear regression analyses; interaction and mediation analyses to assess the relationship among MIBS-J scores also followed. RESULTS Exogenous oxytocin was used during labor on 15 252 (77.4%) participants. After adjusting for confounders, there were no significant differences in adverse MIB between groups for which exogenous oxytocin was used and not used for labor induction. LIMITATION The MIBS-J scores at one and six months were compiled using five instead of 10 questions. Moreover, detailed information was unavailable; for example, the questionnaire did not ask for the dosage and timing of the drugs used to induce labor. CONCLUSIONS Exogenous oxytocin is a safe and vital drug to induce labor, and has been shown in this study to have no significant impact on long-term adverse MIB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Kunimi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 7838505, Japan; Kunimi Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Kochi, Kochi 7800870, Japan
| | - Marina Minami
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 7838505, Japan
| | - Sifa Marie Joelle Muchanga
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 7838505, Japan; Department of International Trials, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Toyama 1628855, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Eitoku
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 7838505, Japan.
| | - Kazutoshi Hayashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kochi Health Sciences Center, Kochi, Kochi 7818555, Japan
| | - Mikiya Fujieda
- Department of Pediatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi, 7838505, Japan
| | - Narufumi Suganuma
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 7838505, Japan
| | - Nagamasa Maeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 7838505, Japan
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Donadon MF, Martin-Santos R, L Osório F. Oxytocin effects on the cognition of women with postpartum depression: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110098. [PMID: 32937192 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most common mental disorders in the perinatal period is postpartum depression (PPD), which is associated with impaired emotional functioning due to alterations in different cognitive aspects including thought and facial emotion recognition (FER). Emotional impairments may affect the interaction and care offered to infants and their later development and therefore interventions with potential to minimize impairments associated with PPD are opportune. Oxytocin (OXT) was shown to have therapeutic properties associated with the promotion of affiliative and pro-social behaviors in different mental disorders. Few studies have assessed its therapeutic potential in PPD. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of the acute administration of intranasal OXT (24 IU) on FER of baby faces and negative thoughts after delivery in mothers with and without PPD. METHODS We conducted a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a crossover design involving mothers with PPD (N = 20) and without PPD (N = 35) in the puerperium. Participants completed a static task of FER of baby faces and a questionnaire of post-natal negative thoughts. RESULTS Mothers with PPD had increased scores of negative thoughts about motherhood/infants, but no impairments in FER, when compared to healthy mothers. OXT had no effects on the rates of correct judgments or response times in the FER task, but was associated with response biases to facial happiness and the reduction of negative thoughts in mothers with PPD. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION OXT may have positive effects on maternal affiliative behavior, maternal care, and mother-infant interactions as suggested by changes found in different cognitive aspects, thus minimizing the deleterious effects of PPD on child development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rocio Martin-Santos
- Servicio de Psiquiatria y Psicología, Hospital Clinic, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Flávia L Osório
- Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; National Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, Brazil.
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Ellis BJ, Horn AJ, Carter CS, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. Developmental programming of oxytocin through variation in early-life stress: Four meta-analyses and a theoretical reinterpretation. Clin Psychol Rev 2021; 86:101985. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Mizuki R, Fujiwara T. Association Between Accumulation of Child Maltreatment and Salivary Oxytocin Level Among Japanese Adolescents. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:710718. [PMID: 34912756 PMCID: PMC8667668 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.710718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Child maltreatment is related to oxytocin (OT), which is related to social functioning. It may hamper the OT level to avoid a harmful situation and increase the OT level to adapt to the situation using a tend-and-befriend stress reaction. Objective: This study aims to examine the association between the accumulation of moderate-severe childhood maltreatment and salivary OT levels in Japanese adolescents. Participants: We used convenience samples of adolescents living in an institution (n = 31) and those living with their parents (n = 46). Methods: Child maltreatment experiences were measured with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The salivary OT levels were assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to see the association between the accumulation of child maltreatment types and the salivary OT levels adjusted for covariates (i.e., age, sex, and duration of institutionalization). Results: Physical abuse was associated with higher OT, while emotional neglect showed an inverse association with OT. OT was the lowest with one maltreatment type group, which was significantly lower than the non-maltreatment group. As the number of maltreatment types increased from one maltreatment type to 2-3 types and to 4-5 types, OT also increased. This U-shaped association between the number of maltreatment types and OT was confirmed with the significant result of a square term of number of maltreatment type in the model (p = 0.012). Conclusion: We found herein a U-shaped association between the accumulation of child maltreatment and salivary OT levels. Also, different types of maltreatment had varied effects on the salivary OT. Further study is needed to elucidate the non-linear association between child maltreatment and OT levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Mizuki
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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Hubel GS, Davies F, Goodrum NM, Schmarder KM, Schnake K, Moreland AD. Adverse childhood experiences among early care and education teachers: Prevalence and associations with observed quality of classroom social and emotional climate. CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES REVIEW 2020; 111:104877. [PMID: 32921858 PMCID: PMC7480931 DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the prevalence of self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among a sample of 349 early care and education teachers. Seventy-three percent of the sample reported experiencing at least one ACE and 22% reported experiencing 4 or more ACEs. Live observational assessments of the quality of the social and emotional climate in teacher's classrooms were conducted for a subsample of 58 teachers. Within this subsample, reporting a higher number of ACEs was associated with facilitating a lower quality social and emotional classroom climate. Individual ACEs were also examined. Teachers who reported experiencing incarceration of a family member, physical abuse, or emotional abuse were observed to facilitate a lower quality social and emotional classroom climate. This study provides preliminary insight into the prevalence of ACEs among members of the early care and education workforce. Further, it extends previous work examining the multi-generational impacts of ACEs within families by showing that ACEs may influence the care that is provided to children in childcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Hubel
- Department of Psychology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, United States
| | - F Davies
- National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 67 President Street - 2 South, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - N M Goodrum
- National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 67 President Street - 2 South, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - K M Schmarder
- Department of Psychology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, United States
| | - K Schnake
- SC Program for Infant/Toddler Care, Medical University of South Carolina, 1 Carriage Lane, Unit J, Charleston, SC 29407, United States
| | - A D Moreland
- National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 67 President Street - 2 South, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
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Han X, Gelfand MJ, Wu B, Zhang T, Li W, Gao T, Pang C, Wu T, Zhou Y, Zhou S, Wu X, Han S. A neurobiological association of revenge propensity during intergroup conflict. eLife 2020; 9:52014. [PMID: 32122462 PMCID: PMC7058385 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Revenge during intergroup conflict is a human universal, but its neurobiological underpinnings remain unclear. We address this by integrating functional MRI and measurements of endogenous oxytocin in participants who view an ingroup and an outgroup member's suffering that is caused mutually (Revenge group) or by a computer (Control group). We show that intergroup conflict encountered by the Revenge group is associated with an increased level of oxytocin in saliva compared to that in the Control group. Furthermore, the medial prefrontal activity in response to ingroup pain in the Revenge group but not in the Control group mediates the association between endogenous oxytocin and the propensity to give painful electric shocks to outgroup members, regardless of whether they were directly involved in the conflict. Our findings highlight an important neurobiological correlate of revenge propensity, which may be implicated in conflict contagion across individuals in the context of intergroup conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochun Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Michele J Gelfand
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, United States
| | - Bing Wu
- Department of Radiology, The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxin Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Gao
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenyu Pang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Taoyu Wu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Zhou
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xinhuai Wu
- Department of Radiology, The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shihui Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Riem MME, Kunst LE, Bekker MHJ, Fallon M, Kupper N. Intranasal oxytocin enhances stress-protective effects of social support in women with negative childhood experiences during a virtual Trier Social Stress Test. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 111:104482. [PMID: 31677411 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin is considered a biological mechanism underlying stress-protective effects of positive social interactions. It is assumed to underlie the women-specific tend-and-befriend response to stress, although few studies have tested this assertion with female samples. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to test whether oxytocin enhances stress-protective effects of social support during stress in women, taking into account the moderating role of childhood adversity. The sample consisted of 180 female undergraduate students who had reported on experiences of childhood abuse and how often their mother used love withdrawal as an insensitive disciplinary strategy. Women participated in a virtual version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and were randomly assigned to receive 24 IU oxytocin or a placebo and to receive support or no support from a female friend (sub-groups N = 45). Results showed that oxytocin reduced heart rate variability during the TSST in participants who received support, possibly indicating that oxytocin increases attention and stimulates a challenge motivational state in the presence of a friend. In addition, we found that, in the presence of a friend, oxytocin reduced state anxiety levels and cortisol levels after the TSST, but only in women with higher levels of adverse childhood experiences. Our findings may indicate that oxytocin is a neurobiological means to attain and benefit from social support under stressful circumstances, which may be particularly adaptive for women with a history of adversity. Thus, oxytocin may function as motivator for affiliative disposition during stress exposure in women with a history of childhood adversity. Results should be replicated in clinical samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M E Riem
- Center of Research on Psychological and Somatic disorders, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands; Clinical Child and Family Studies, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - L E Kunst
- Center of Research on Psychological and Somatic disorders, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - M H J Bekker
- Center of Research on Psychological and Somatic disorders, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M Fallon
- Business School, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - N Kupper
- Center of Research on Psychological and Somatic disorders, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
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Kagerbauer SM, Debus JM, Martin J, Gempt J, Jungwirth B, Hapfelmeier A, Podtschaske AH. Absence of a diurnal rhythm of oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin in human cerebrospinal fluid, blood and saliva. Neuropeptides 2019; 78:101977. [PMID: 31668426 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2019.101977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aims of our study were to determine first circadian influences on central concentrations of the neuropeptides oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin and second to investigate if these central concentrations are associated with those in the peripheral compartments blood and saliva in neurocritical care patients. We therefore included patients with external ventricular drain who attended a neurosurgical intensive care unit and were not exposed to painful or stressful stimuli during the sampling period. For this purpose, blood, cerebrospinal fluid and saliva were collected in a 24-hour-interval at the timepoints 06:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 24:00. RESULTS In none of the three body fluids examined, significant time-dependent fluctuations of oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin concentrations could be detected during the 24-hour sampling period. The only exception was the subgroup of postmenopausal women whose oxytocin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid at 12:00 were significantly higher than at 18:00. Correlations of blood and cerebrospinal fluid and blood and saliva neuropeptide levels were very weak to weak at each timepoint. Cerebrospinal fluid and saliva oxytocin levels showed a moderate correlation at 06:00 but did correlate very weak at the other timepoints. CONCLUSIONS Central as well as peripheral oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin concentrations in neurocritical care patients did not show significant diurnal fluctuations. No strong correlations between central and peripheral neuropeptide concentrations could be detected under basal conditions. If investigators even though decide to use saliva concentrations as surrogate parameter for central neuropeptide activity, they have to consider that correlations of cerebrospinal fluid and saliva oxytocin seem to be highest in the early morning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Maria Kagerbauer
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany.
| | - Jennifer Muriel Debus
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Jan Martin
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Jens Gempt
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Neurosurgery, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Bettina Jungwirth
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Alexander Hapfelmeier
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Institute of Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Armin Horst Podtschaske
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 München, Germany
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Engel S, Klusmann H, Laufer S, Pfeifer AC, Ditzen B, van Zuiden M, Knaevelsrud C, Schumacher S. Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder and oxytocin: A meta-analytic investigation of endogenous concentrations and receptor genotype. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:560-601. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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13
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Kagerbauer SM, Martin J, Ulm B, Jungwirth B, Podtschaske AH. Influence of perioperative stress on central and peripheral oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin concentrations. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12797. [PMID: 31538678 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Perioperative stress provides not only physical, but also psychic and emotional aspects, which may influence the hypothalamic neuropeptide system. Studies investigating the perioperative course of central neuropeptide activity are missing. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine perioperative fluctuations in central and concomitant peripheral concentrations of the hypothalamic neuropeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP), as well as their impact on perioperative anxiety and depression. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood and saliva were collected from 12 patients who underwent elective endovascular aortic repair with a routinely inserted spinal catheter. AVP and OXT concentrations were analysed at four timepoints: (i) the evening before the operation; (ii) the operation day immediately before anaesthesia induction; (iii) intraoperatively after the stent was placed; and (iv) on day 1 after the operation. Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at timepoints 1 and 4. For CSF OXT, the present study showed a significant intraoperative decline, accompanied by a decrease in saliva. OXT blood concentrations before anaesthesia induction were higher than at the evening before the operation. OXT concentrations in CSF and saliva correlated well at timepoints 2-4. AVP concentrations in CSF, blood and saliva did not show any significant changes perioperatively. However, postoperative AVP blood concentrations showed a significant negative correlation with anxiety and depression scores according to the HADS. This pilot study demonstrates perioperative fluctuations in central OXT concentrations, which are better reflected by saliva than by blood. Further studies are required to determine whether OXT and AVP can predict postoperative post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Maria Kagerbauer
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Martin
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bernhard Ulm
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Jungwirth
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Armin Horst Podtschaske
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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14
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Riem MME, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. Hippocampal volume modulates salivary oxytocin level increases after intranasal oxytocin administration. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 101:182-185. [PMID: 30469085 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences have been shown to affect sensitivity to intranasal oxytocin administration, but the neural mechanisms underlying this altered sensitivity are unclear. The aim of the current study was to examine whether hippocampal abnormalities underlie the effects of adversity on the response to oxytocin administration. In a sample of healthy women (N = 54, age M = 19.63), we examined 1) the association between hippocampal volume and experiences of emotional maltreatment and 2) whether hippocampal volume reductions influence the effect of intranasal oxytocin administration on salivary oxytocin levels. There was no association between hippocampal volume and experiences of emotional maltreatment in the current study. However, we found that larger hippocampal volume was related to a stronger increase in salivary oxytocin level after intranasal oxytocin administration. The hippocampus may be a neural substrate underlying individual differences in sensitivity to oxytocin administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelon M E Riem
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Primary Care Unit School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Primary Care Unit School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK; Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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15
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Cataldo I, Azhari A, Lepri B, Esposito G. Oxytocin receptors (OXTR) and early parental care: An interaction that modulates psychiatric disorders. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2018; 82:27-38. [PMID: 29033100 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin plays an important role in the modulation of social behavior in both typical and atypical contexts. Also, the quality of early parental care sets the foundation for long-term psychosocial development. Here, we review studies that investigated how oxytocin receptor (OXTR) interacts with early parental care experiences to influence the development of psychiatric disorders. Using Pubmed, Scopus and PsycInfo databases, we utilized the keyword "OXTR" before subsequently searching for specific OXTR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), generating a list of 598 studies in total. The papers were catalogued in a database and filtered for gene-environment interaction, psychiatric disorders and involvement of parental care. In particular, rs53576 and rs2254298 were found to be significantly involved in gene-environment interactions that modulated risk for psychopathology and the following psychiatric disorders: disruptive behavior, depression, anxiety, eating disorder and borderline personality disorder. These results illustrate the importance of OXTR in mediating the impact of parental care on the emergence of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Cataldo
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Italy; Mobile and Social Computing Lab, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Atiqah Azhari
- Division of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Bruno Lepri
- Mobile and Social Computing Lab, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Italy; Division of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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16
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Salivary Oxytocin Concentration Changes during a Group Drumming Intervention for Maltreated School Children. Brain Sci 2017; 7:brainsci7110152. [PMID: 29144396 PMCID: PMC5704159 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7110152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many emotionally-disturbed children who have been maltreated and are legally separated from their parents or primary caregivers live in group homes and receive compulsory education. Such institutions provide various special intervention programs. Taiko-ensou, a Japanese style of group drumming, is one such program because playing drums in a group may improve children’s emotional well-being. However, evidence for its efficacy has not been well established at the biological level. In this study, we measured salivary levels of oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide associated with social memory and communication, in three conditions (recital, practice, and free sessions) in four classes of school-aged children. Following the sessions, OT concentrations showed changes in various degrees and directions (no change, increases, or decreases). The mean OT concentration changes after each session increased, ranging from 112% to 165%. Plasma OT concentrations were equally sensitive to drum playing in school-aged boys and girls. However, the difference between practice and free play sessions was only significant among elementary school boys aged 8–12 years. The results suggest that younger boys are most responsive to this type of educational music intervention.
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17
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Abstract
AbstractVariation in the quality of parental care has a tremendous impact on a child's social–emotional development. Research investigating the predictors of this variability in human caregiving behavior has mostly focused on learning mechanisms. Evidence is currently accumulating for the complementary underlying role of steroid hormones and neuropeptides. An overview is provided of the hormones and neuropeptides relevant for human caregiving behavior. Then the developmental factors are described that stimulate variability in sensitivity to these hormones and neuropeptides, which may result in variability in the behavioral repertoire of caregiving. The role of genetic variation in neuropeptide and steroid receptors, the role of testosterone and oxytocin during fetal development and parturition, and the impact of experienced caregiving in childhood on functioning of the neuroendocrine stress and oxytocin system are discussed. Besides providing a heuristic framework for further research on the ontogenetic development of human caregiving, a neuroendocrine model is also presented for the intergenerational transmission of caregiving practices. Insight into the underlying biological mechanisms that bring about maladaptive caregiving behavior, such as neglect and insensitive parenting, will hopefully result in more efficient approaches to reduce the high prevalence of such behavior and to minimize the impact on those affected.
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18
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van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. The Role of Oxytocin in Parenting and as Augmentative Pharmacotherapy: Critical Issues and Bold Conjectures. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28. [PMID: 26709101 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite the sometimes heated debate about the validity of human oxytocin studies, experimental oxytocin research with intranasal administration is a growing field with promising preliminary findings. The effects of intranasally administered oxytocin compared to placebo on brain neural activity have been supported in animal studies and in human studies of neural resting state. In several studies, oxytocin sniffs have been shown to lead to down-regulation of amygdala activation in response to infant attachment vocalisations. Meta-analytic evidence shows that oxytocin enhances the salience of (emotional) stimuli, lowers stress and arousal, and elevates empathic concern and tender care, in particular for offspring and in-group members. Less firm evidence points at the amnestic effects of oxytocin. We also note that the average effect sizes of oxytocin experiments are small to modest, and that most studies include a small number of subjects and thus are seriously underpowered, which implies a high risk for publication bias and nonreplicability. Nevertheless, we argue that the power of within-subjects experiments with oxytocin has been underestimated. Much more work is needed, however, to create a firm knowledge base of the neural and behavioural effects of oxytocin. Human oxytocin research is still taking place in the context of discovery, in which bold conjectures are being generated. In the context of justification, these conjectures should subsequently be subjected to stringent attempts at refutations before we jump to theoretical or clinical conclusions. For this context of justification, we propose a multisite multiple replications project on the social stimuli salience enhancing effect of oxytocin. Clinical application of oxytocin is premature. Meta-analytically, the use of oxytocin in clinical groups tends to show only effectiveness in changing symptomatology in individuals with autism spectrum disorders but, even then, it is not yet a validated therapy and its use is premature because safety and long-term side-effects have not been sufficiently studied, in particular in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H van IJzendoorn
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Holland, The Netherlands
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19
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McDonald NM, Baker JK, Messinger DS. Oxytocin and parent-child interaction in the development of empathy among children at risk for autism. Dev Psychol 2016; 52:735-45. [PMID: 26998571 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This longitudinal study investigated whether variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and early parent-child interactions predicted later empathic behavior in 84 toddlers at high or low familial risk for autism spectrum disorder. Two well-studied OXTR single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs53576 and rs2254298, were examined. Parent-child interaction was measured at 15 and 18 months of age during free play sessions. Empathy was measured at 24 and 30 months using a response to parental distress paradigm. While there was no direct association between parent-child interaction quality or OXTR and empathy, rs53576 moderated the relation between interaction quality and empathy. Results suggest that the interplay between OXTR and early parent-child interactions predicts individual differences in empathy in children at varying risk for atypical social development. Findings are consonant with a differential susceptibility model in which an OXTR variant may increase the social salience of interaction processes for specific allele carriers. These results increase our understanding of predictors of empathy development in young children with a wide range of social outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason K Baker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, California State University
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20
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Frijling JL, van Zuiden M, Nawijn L, Koch SBJ, Neumann ID, Veltman DJ, Olff M. Salivary Oxytocin and Vasopressin Levels in Police Officers With and Without Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. J Neuroendocrinol 2015; 27:743-51. [PMID: 26184739 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterised by symptoms associated with maladaptive fear and stress responses, as well as with social detachment. The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) have been associated with both regulating fear and neuroendocrine stress responsiveness and social behaviour. However, there is only limited evidence for dysregulated peripheral OT and AVP levels in PTSD patients. The present study aimed to investigate basal salivary OT and AVP levels in trauma-exposed male and female police officers with and without PTSD. Saliva samples were collected during rest and OT and AVP levels were determined using a radioimmunoassay. Men and women were analysed separately, having adjusted for differences in trauma history, and for hormonal contraception use in women. The results showed that male PTSD patients had lower basal salivary OT levels, and did not differ in AVP levels compared to male trauma-exposed healthy controls after adjusting for childhood emotional abuse. There were no significant differences in basal salivary OT and AVP levels in women. Our findings indicate potential dysfunctioning of the OT system in male PTSD patients. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings and to further unravel the relationship between the OT and AVP systems, sex, trauma history and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Frijling
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M van Zuiden
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Nawijn
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S B J Koch
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - I D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - D J Veltman
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Olff
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, Diemen, The Netherlands
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21
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Luo L, Ma X, Zheng X, Zhao W, Xu L, Becker B, Kendrick KM. Neural systems and hormones mediating attraction to infant and child faces. Front Psychol 2015; 6:970. [PMID: 26236256 PMCID: PMC4505392 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
We find infant faces highly attractive as a result of specific features which Konrad Lorenz termed “Kindchenschema” or “baby schema,” and this is considered to be an important adaptive trait for promoting protective and caregiving behaviors in adults, thereby increasing the chances of infant survival. This review first examines the behavioral support for this effect and physical and behavioral factors which can influence it. It then provides details of the increasing number of neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies investigating the neural circuitry underlying this baby schema effect in parents and non-parents of both sexes. Next it considers potential hormonal contributions to the baby schema effect in both sexes and the neural effects associated with reduced responses to infant cues in post-partum depression, anxiety and drug taking. Overall the findings reviewed reveal a very extensive neural circuitry involved in our perception of cuteness in infant faces, with enhanced activation compared to adult faces being found in brain regions involved in face perception, attention, emotion, empathy, memory, reward and attachment, theory of mind and also control of motor responses. Both mothers and fathers also show evidence for enhanced responses in these same neural systems when viewing their own as opposed to another child. Furthermore, responses to infant cues in many of these neural systems are reduced in mothers with post-partum depression or anxiety or have taken addictive drugs throughout pregnancy. In general reproductively active women tend to rate infant faces as cuter than men, which may reflect both heightened attention to relevant cues and a stronger activation in their brain reward circuitry. Perception of infant cuteness may also be influenced by reproductive hormones with the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin being most strongly associated to date with increased attention and attraction to infant cues in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhu Luo
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaole Ma
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zheng
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
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22
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Samuel S, Hayton B, Gold I, Feeley N, Carter CS, Zelkowitz P. Attachment security and recent stressful life events predict oxytocin levels: a pilot study of pregnant women with high levels of cumulative psychosocial adversity. Attach Hum Dev 2015; 17:272-87. [PMID: 25862151 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2015.1029951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recent reports indicate that prenatal levels of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) are inversely related to depressive symptomatology and positively associated with more optimal interactive behaviors in mothers with high levels of cumulative psychosocial adversity (CPA). In the present pilot study, we aimed to identify factors associated with high versus low levels of OT in pregnant women with high levels of CPA. We hypothesized that insecurely attached women, and those who recently experienced stressful life events (SLE), would have lower levels of prenatal OT. METHODS Thirty pregnant women with mood and anxiety disorders and high levels of CPA were recruited from the perinatal mental health service of a general hospital. Participants completed self-report measures of psychosocial stress and adult attachment style, and blood was then drawn to assess OT. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Lower OT levels were found among those who were insecurely attached, and among those who experienced SLE within the last year. In a multiple linear regression, both attachment security and SLE significantly contributed to a model of prenatal OT levels. These individual difference factors explained 38% of the variance in prenatal OT, which may in turn predict poorer maternal mental health and caregiving outcomes during the postpartum period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simcha Samuel
- a Department of Psychology , McGill University , Montreal , Canada
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23
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Tsuji S, Yuhi T, Furuhara K, Ohta S, Shimizu Y, Higashida H. Salivary oxytocin concentrations in seven boys with autism spectrum disorder received massage from their mothers: a pilot study. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:58. [PMID: 25954210 PMCID: PMC4404976 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Seven male children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), aged 8-12 years, attending special education classrooms for ASD and disabled children, were assigned to receive touch therapy. Their mothers were instructed to provide gentle touch in the massage style of the International Liddle Kidz Association. The mothers gave massages to their child for 20 min every day over a period of 3 months, followed by no massage for 4 months. To assess the biological effects of such touch therapy, saliva was collected before and 20 min after a single session of massage for 20 min from the children and mothers every 3 weeks during the massage period and every 4 weeks during the non-massage period, when they visited a community meeting room. Salivary oxytocin levels were measured using an enzyme immunoassay kit. During the period of massage therapy, the children and mothers exhibited higher oxytocin concentrations compared to those during the non-massage period. The changes in oxytocin levels before and after a single massage session were not significantly changed in children and mothers. The results suggested that the ASD children (massage receivers) and their mothers (massage givers) show touch therapy-dependent changes in salivary oxytocin concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuji Tsuji
- Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychological Science, Tezukayama University , Nara , Japan
| | - Teruko Yuhi
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Kazumi Furuhara
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Shogo Ohta
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Yuto Shimizu
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan
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Parsons CE, Young KS, Jegindø EME, Vuust P, Stein A, Kringelbach ML. Music training and empathy positively impact adults' sensitivity to infant distress. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1440. [PMID: 25566122 PMCID: PMC4271597 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Crying is the most powerful auditory signal of infant need. Adults' ability to perceive and respond to crying is important for infant survival and in the provision of care. This study investigated a number of listener variables that might impact on adults' perception of infant cry distress, namely parental status, musical training, and empathy. Sensitivity to infant distress was tested using a previously validated task, which experimentally manipulated distress by varying the pitch of infant cries. This task required that participants discriminate between pitch differences and interpret these as differences in infant distress. Parents with musical training showed a significant advantage on this task when compared with parents without. The extent of the advantage was correlated with the amount of self-reported musical training. For non-parents, individual differences in empathy were associated with task performance, with higher empathy scores corresponding to greater sensitivity to infant distress. We suggest that sensitivity to infant distress can be impacted by a number of listener variables, and may be amenable to training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E. Parsons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Katherine S. Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Peter Vuust
- Centre of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Alan Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Morten L. Kringelbach
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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25
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Bhandari R, van der Veen R, Parsons CE, Young KS, Voorthuis A, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Stein A, Kringelbach ML, van IJzendoorn MH. Effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on memory for infant cues: Moderation by childhood emotional maltreatment. Soc Neurosci 2014; 9:536-47. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2014.932307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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