Daily oxytocin patterns in relation to psychopathy and childhood trauma in residential youth

Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, decreases willingness to harm others by promoting moral emotions of guilt and shame

Prosocial and moral behaviors have overlapping neural systems and can both be affected in a number of psychiatric disorders, although whether they involve similar neurochemical systems is unclear. In the current registered randomized placebo-controlled trial on 180 adult male and female subjects, we investigated the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin and vasopressin, which play key roles in influencing social behavior, on moral emotion ratings for situations involving harming others and on judgments of moral dilemmas where others are harmed for a greater good. Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, enhanced feelings of guilt and shame for intentional but not accidental harm and reduced endorsement of intentionally harming others to achieve a greater good. Neither peptide influenced arousal ratings for the scenarios. Effects of oxytocin on guilt and shame were strongest in individuals scoring lower on the personal distress subscale of trait empathy. Overall, findings demonstrate for the first time that oxytocin, but not vasopressin, promotes enhanced feelings of guilt and shame and unwillingness to harm others irrespective of the consequences. This may reflect associations between oxytocin and empathy and vasopressin with aggression and suggests that oxytocin may have greater therapeutic potential for disorders with atypical social and moral behavior.

Rapid white matter changes in children with conduct problems during a parenting intervention

Studies report that the microstructural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus (UF; connecting the anterior temporal lobe to the orbitofrontal cortex) is abnormal in adults with psychopathy and children with conduct problems (CP), especially those with high callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, it is unknown if these abnormalities are 'fixed' or 'reversible'. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that a reduction in CP symptoms, following a parenting intervention, would be associated with altered microstructural integrity in the UF. Using diffusion tensor imaging tractography we studied microstructural differences (mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD)) in the UF of 43 typically developing (TD) and 67 boys with CP before and after a 14-week parenting intervention. We also assessed whether clinical response in CP symptoms or CU traits explained changes in microstructure following the intervention. Prior to intervention, measures of MD and RD in the UF were increased in CP compared to TD boys. Following intervention, we found that the CP group had a significant reduction in RD and MD. Further, these microstructural changes were driven by the group of children whose CU traits improved (but not CP symptoms as hypothesized). No significant microstructural changes were observed in the TD group. Our findings suggest, for the first time, that microstructural abnormalities in the brains of children with CP may be reversible following parenting intervention.

Oxytocin level among patients with opioid use disorder and its correlation with personality traits and perceived childhood trauma

Background

Personality traits and perceived childhood maltreatment are of the predictors of substance use disorder development. Many studies have discussed oxytocin effect on personality traits and its relation with childhood trauma and how both affect the addictive process. The main aim was to compare oxytocin level between patients with opioid use disorder and controls and the potential association of oxytocin level with the basic dimensions of personality traits and perceived childhood adverse experiences in patients group. Forty male patients with opioid use disorder and 40 healthy controls matched in age and gender were assessed and compared regarding serum oxytocin level by ELISA, personality traits using Temperament and character inventory - revised (TCI- R) scale, and childhood adverse events using childhood trauma questionnaire.

Results

A significant difference between the patient group and the control group regarding the serum oxytocin level was found. Negative correlation with p-value <0.05 between oxytocin level and each of novelty seeking, and harm avoidance, in addition to a positive correlation between oxytocin level and each of reward dependence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness items of (TCR-R), among cases were found. Cases did not show statistically significant difference in oxytocin level between different Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) items.

Conclusions

The interaction between serum oxytocin levels, personality traits, and childhood trauma has to be considered in management with heroin-dependent patients as it plays a crucial role.

A Systematic Review of Primary and Secondary Callous-Unemotional Traits and Psychopathy Variants in Youth

Two variants of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and psychopathy have been proposed, referred to as primary and secondary. Whereas primary variants are thought to be underpinned by insufficient arousal to emotional cues, secondary variants are thought to develop as a coping mechanism in response to trauma exposure. Compared with adult samples, research on primary and secondary variants in children and adolescents under the age of 18 has only emerged in the past decade, and there is ongoing debate with regards to the identification, defining characteristics, and distinct correlates of these variants. The present systematic review synthesizes the current literature on primary and secondary variants in relation to: (1) constructs used to distinguish and define primary and secondary variants; (2) study population characteristics; (3) data analytic techniques to differentiate variants; and (4) differential associations with theoretically relevant indices related to emotional processing, maltreatment, biomarkers, and behavioral outcomes (e.g., substance use, aggression). This is the first systematic review to examine the growing literature on primary and secondary CU and psychopathy variants among youth. Findings support the distinction between youth with primary versus secondary variants and demonstrate that this distinction is related to unique clinical correlates. Recommendations are made for future research in the field.

The effect of oxytocin administration on empathy and emotion recognition in residential youth: A randomized, within-subjects trial

Previous research has revealed a positive effect of oxytocin administration on several social behaviors especially in individuals with social-affective deficits. However, it is still unknown whether intranasal oxytocin administration (OT-IN) can be beneficial to residential youth who exhibit severe social-affective impairments. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects, sequential study to examine the effect of OT-IN on empathy and emotion recognition in 100 male adolescents living in residential youth care facilities. We also explored the moderating role of callous-unemotional traits, trauma, and dissociation in the oxytocin effect. Participants self-administered one dose of 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo and performed experimental tasks on empathy and emotion recognition before and after the administration. The same procedure was performed one week later with the other substance. We found that empathy was increased after oxytocin administration compared to placebo and this effect was specific to individuals with high callous-unemotional traits. There was no effect of OT-IN on the overall emotion recognition, but there was a positive effect on accuracy of fear recognition. Trauma and dissociation did not moderate the oxytocin effect on empathy or emotion recognition. Our findings provided evidence of a beneficial effect of OT-IN on empathy and fear recognition in residential youth. We propose that a combination of OT-IN and psychological interventions merits further exploration, as it might be a novel promising direction for more tailored approaches and better treatment outcomes.