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Quintana DS, Glaser BD, Kang H, Kildal ESM, Audunsdottir K, Sartorius AM, Barth C. The interplay of oxytocin and sex hormones. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105765. [PMID: 38885888 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105765] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin has historically been associated with reproduction and maternal behavior. However, more recent research has uncovered that oxytocin has a much wider range of roles in physiology and behavior. Despite the excitement surrounding potential therapeutical applications of intranasally administered oxytocin, the results of these intervention studies have been inconsistent. Various reasons for these mixed results have been proposed, which tend to focus on methodological issues, such as study design. While methodological issues are certainly important, emerging evidence suggests that the interaction between oxytocin and sex hormones may also account for these varied findings. To better understand the purpose and function of the interaction of oxytocin with sex hormones, with a focus on estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone, we conducted a comprehensive thematic review via four perspectives: evolutionary, developmental, mechanistic, and survival. Altogether, this synergistic approach highlights the critical function of sex hormone activity for accomplishing the diverse roles of oxytocin via the modulation of oxytocin release and oxytocin receptor activity, which is also likely to contribute to the heterogeneity of outcomes after oxytocin administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Quintana
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Bernt D Glaser
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Heemin Kang
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emilie S M Kildal
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin Audunsdottir
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Claudia Barth
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Gallagher S, Raffone A, Aglioti SM. The pattern theory of compassion. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:504-516. [PMID: 38734530 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.04.005] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Concepts of empathy, sympathy and compassion are often confused in a variety of literatures. This article proposes a pattern-theoretic approach to distinguishing compassion from empathy and sympathy. Drawing on psychology, Western philosophy, affective neuroscience, and contemplative science, we clarify the nature of compassion as a specific pattern of dynamically related factors that include physiological, cognitive, and affective processes, relational/intersubjective processes, and motivational/action tendencies. We also show that the dynamic nature of the compassion pattern is reflected in neuroscientific findings, as well as in compassion practice. The pattern theory of compassion allows us to make several clear distinctions between compassion, empathy, and sympathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Gallagher
- Department of Philosophy, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA; School of Liberal Arts (SOLA), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
| | - Antonino Raffone
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore M Aglioti
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Center for Life, Nano-, and Neuroscience (CLN2S), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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Conklin QA, Zanesco AP, King BG, Epel ES, Saron CD. Changes in peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin during a silent month-long Insight meditation retreat. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1345527. [PMID: 38863930 PMCID: PMC11165068 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1345527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Given its putative roles in mediating prosocial behavior, attachment bonds, and stress physiology, oxytocin modulation has been hypothesized to be a biological correlate of the salubrious effects of meditation practice. Here we investigated the effects of a month-long silent meditation retreat on changes in oxytocin, and the related hormone and vasopressin, in relation to psychosocial changes in attachment style, anxiety, personality measures, and feelings of social connectedness with fellow meditators. Methods Plasma oxytocin and vasopressin and self-report questionnaires were measured in retreat participants (n = 28) at the beginning of, and 3 weeks into, a residential meditation retreat. Control participants (n = 34), who were similar in age, gender, and meditation experience, were also assessed across a 3-week interval. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess outcomes. Results The retreat group showed a small but significant decrease in oxytocin compared to controls who showed no change. In the retreat group, higher openness to experience at Time 1 predicted greater reductions in oxytocin during the retreat, and lower oxytocin at Time 2 was related to stronger feelings of personal connection with fellow meditators. The changes in oxytocin were not related to attachment style or anxiety. Vasopressin decreased over time across both groups, suggesting no specific effect of retreat. Conclusion These preliminary findings suggest that meditation training in the context of a silent residential retreat may reduce circulating levels of oxytocin. We interpret this finding from multiple theoretical perspectives, discussing key measurement limitations and proposing future study designs that may help to differentiate the effects of different meditation practices and contexts on oxytocin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn A. Conklin
- Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Anthony P. Zanesco
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Brandon G. King
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Clifford D. Saron
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- The MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Jansen M, Overgaauw S, de Bruijn ERA. L-DOPA and oxytocin influence the neural correlates of performance monitoring for self and others. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1079-1092. [PMID: 38286857 PMCID: PMC11031497 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE The ability to monitor the consequences of our actions for others is imperative for flexible and adaptive behavior, and allows us to act in a (pro)social manner. Yet, little is known about the neurochemical mechanisms underlying alterations in (pro)social performance monitoring. OBJECTIVE The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to improve our understanding of the role of dopamine and oxytocin and their potential overlap in the neural mechanisms underlying performance monitoring for own versus others' outcomes. METHOD Using a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, 30 healthy male volunteers were administered oxytocin (24 international units), the dopamine precursor L-DOPA (100 mg + 25 mg carbidopa), or placebo in three sessions. Participants performed a computerized cannon shooting game in two recipient conditions where mistakes resulted in negative monetary consequences for (1) oneself or (2) an anonymous other participant. RESULTS Results indicated reduced error-correct differentiation in the ventral striatum after L-DOPA compared to placebo, independent of recipient. Hence, pharmacological manipulation of dopamine via L-DOPA modulated performance-monitoring activity in a brain region associated with reward prediction and processing in a domain-general manner. In contrast, oxytocin modulated the BOLD response in a recipient-specific manner, such that it specifically enhanced activity for errors that affected the other in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), a region previously implicated in the processing of social rewards and prediction errors. Behaviorally, we also found reduced target sizes-indicative of better performance-after oxytocin, regardless of recipient. Moreover, after oxytocin lower target sizes specifically predicted higher pgACC activity when performing for others. CONCLUSIONS These different behavioral and neural patterns after oxytocin compared to L-DOPA administration highlight a divergent role of each neurochemical in modulating the neural mechanisms underlying social performance monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe Jansen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Sandy Overgaauw
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen R A de Bruijn
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
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Sanwald S, Montag C, Kiefer M. Group differences in OXT methylation between patients with Major Depressive Disorder and healthy controls: A pre-registered replication study. Psychiatry Res 2024; 335:115855. [PMID: 38522151 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115855] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Depression is linked to stress which leaves traces in the epigenetic signature of genes. The oxytocin system is implicated in allostatic processes promoting adaption to environmental stressors. Interactions of the oxytocin system with the environment, e.g., methylation of the gene coding for oxytocin (OXT), are candidates for the investigation of the biological underpinnings of depression. Recently, we found hypomethylation of OXT in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) compared to healthy controls (HC). Since the replicability of findings is a key point of criticism in (epi‑)genetic research, we aimed to confirm our previous findings in a pre-registered study (data was stored in a database prior to pre-registration) within a new sample of n = 85 patients with MDD and n = 85 HC. We investigated OXT DNA-methylation in peripheral blood samples, stressful life events and depression severity. In accordance with our previous study, we found hypomethylation of OXT in patients with MDD compared to HC. Methylation was not associated with stressful life events. Patients reported significantly more stressful life events compared to HC. Our study revealed that hypomethylation of OXT can be demonstrated in a reproducible fashion and provides further evidence for the involvement of the oxytocin system in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Sanwald
- Ulm University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, Germany.
| | - Christian Montag
- Ulm University, Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Germany
| | - Markus Kiefer
- Ulm University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, Germany
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Sartorius AM, Rokicki J, Birkeland S, Bettella F, Barth C, de Lange AMG, Haram M, Shadrin A, Winterton A, Steen NE, Schwarz E, Stein DJ, Andreassen OA, van der Meer D, Westlye LT, Theofanopoulou C, Quintana DS. An evolutionary timeline of the oxytocin signaling pathway. Commun Biol 2024; 7:471. [PMID: 38632466 PMCID: PMC11024182 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06094-9] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide associated with both psychological and somatic processes like parturition and social bonding. Although oxytocin homologs have been identified in many species, the evolutionary timeline of the entire oxytocin signaling gene pathway has yet to be described. Using protein sequence similarity searches, microsynteny, and phylostratigraphy, we assigned the genes supporting the oxytocin pathway to different phylostrata based on when we found they likely arose in evolution. We show that the majority (64%) of genes in the pathway are 'modern'. Most of the modern genes evolved around the emergence of vertebrates or jawed vertebrates (540 - 530 million years ago, 'mya'), including OXTR, OXT and CD38. Of those, 45% were under positive selection at some point during vertebrate evolution. We also found that 18% of the genes in the oxytocin pathway are 'ancient', meaning their emergence dates back to cellular organisms and opisthokonta (3500-1100 mya). The remaining genes (18%) that evolved after ancient and before modern genes were classified as 'medium-aged'. Functional analyses revealed that, in humans, medium-aged oxytocin pathway genes are highly expressed in contractile organs, while modern genes in the oxytocin pathway are primarily expressed in the brain and muscle tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina M Sartorius
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri Birkeland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesco Bettella
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Claudia Barth
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marit Haram
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alexey Shadrin
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adriano Winterton
- Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nils Eiel Steen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Hector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dan J Stein
- SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Daniel S Quintana
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Santiago AF, Kosilo M, Cogoni C, Diogo V, Jerónimo R, Prata D. Oxytocin modulates neural activity during early perceptual salience attribution. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 161:106950. [PMID: 38194846 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106950] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Leading hypotheses of oxytocin's (OT) role in human cognition posit that it enhances salience attribution. However, whether OT exerts its effects predominantly in social (vs non-social) contexts remains debatable, and the time-course of intranasal OT's effects' on salience attribution processing is still unknown. We used the social Salience Attribution Task modified (sSAT) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled intranasal OT (inOT) administration, between-subjects design, with 54 male participants, to test existing theories of OT's role in cognition. Namely, we aimed to test whether inOT would differently affect salience attribution processing of social stimuli (expressing fearfulness) and non-social stimuli (fruits) made relevant via monetary reinforcement, and its neural processing time-course. During electroencephalography (EEG) recording, participants made speeded responses to emotional social (fearful faces) and non-emotional non-social (fruits) stimuli - which were matched for task-relevant motivational salience through their (color-dependent) probability of monetary reinforcement. InOT affected early (rather than late, P3b and LPP) EEG components, increasing N170 amplitude (p = .041) and P2b latency (p .001; albeit not of P1), regardless of stimuli's (emotional) socialness or reinforcement probability. Fear-related socialness affected salience attribution processing EEG (p .05) across time (N170, P2b and P3b), being later modulated by reinforcement probability (LPP). Our data suggest that OT's effects on neural activity during early perception, may exist irrespective of fear-related social- or reward-contexts. This partially supports the tri-phasic model of OT (which posits OT enhances salience attribution in an early perception stage regardless of socialness), and not the social salience nor the general approach-withdrawal hypotheses of OT, for early salience processing event-related potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia F Santiago
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; William James Center for Research, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maciej Kosilo
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlotta Cogoni
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vasco Diogo
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), CIS_Iscte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Jerónimo
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), CIS_Iscte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diana Prata
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
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Alaerts K, Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Zhang Q, Grazia R, Steyaert J, Prinsen J, Boets B. Chronic oxytocin improves neural decoupling at rest in children with autism: an exploratory RCT. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 38400592 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shifts in peak frequencies of oscillatory neural rhythms are put forward as a principal mechanism by which cross-frequency coupling/decoupling is implemented in the brain. During active neural processing, functional integration is facilitated through transitory formations of "harmonic" cross-frequency couplings, whereas "nonharmonic" decoupling among neural oscillatory rhythms is postulated to characterize the resting, default state of the brain, minimizing the occurrence of spurious, noisy, background couplings. METHODS Within this exploratory, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed whether the transient occurrence of nonharmonic and harmonic relationships between peak-frequencies in the alpha (8-14 Hz) and theta (4-8 Hz) bands is impacted by intranasal administration of oxytocin, a neuromodulator implicated in improving homeostasis and reducing stress/anxiety. To do so, resting-state electroencephalography was acquired before and after 4 weeks of oxytocin administration (12 IU twice-daily) in children with autism spectrum disorder (8-12 years, n = 33 oxytocin; n = 34 placebo). At the baseline, neural assessments of children with autism were compared with those of a matched cohort of children without autism (n = 40). RESULTS Compared to nonautistic peers, autistic children displayed a lower incidence of nonharmonic alpha-theta cross-frequency decoupling, indicating a higher incidence of spurious "noisy" coupling in their resting brain (p = .001). Dimensionally, increased neural coupling was associated with more social difficulties (p = .002) and lower activity of the parasympathetic "rest & digest" branch of the autonomic nervous system (p = .018), indexed with high-frequency heart-rate-variability. Notably, after oxytocin administration, the transient formation of nonharmonic cross-frequency configurations was increased in the cohort of autistic children (p < .001), indicating a beneficial effect of oxytocin on reducing spurious cross-frequency-interactions. Furthermore, parallel epigenetics changes of the oxytocin receptor gene indicated that the neural effects were likely mediated by changes in endogenous oxytocinergic signaling (p = .006). CONCLUSIONS Chronic oxytocin induced important homeostatic changes in the resting-state intrinsic neural frequency architecture, reflective of reduced noisy oscillatory couplings and improved signal-to-noise properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaat Alaerts
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Neuromodulation Laboratory, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthijs Moerkerke
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicky Daniels
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Neuromodulation Laboratory, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Neuromodulation Laboratory, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ricchiuti Grazia
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Neuromodulation Laboratory, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Neuromodulation Laboratory, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Van der Donck S, Tibermont L, Tang T, Debbaut E, Bamps A, Prinsen J, Steyaert J, Alaerts K, Boets B. Can repeated intranasal oxytocin administration affect reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in autism? A randomized controlled trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:1583-1595. [PMID: 37278339 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and interaction. Crucial for efficient social interaction is the ability to quickly and accurately extract information from a person's face. Frequency-tagging electroencephalography (EEG) is a novel tool to quantify face-processing sensitivity in a robust and implicit manner. In terms of intervention approaches, intranasal administration of oxytocin (OT) is increasingly considered as a potential pharmacological approach for improving socio-communicative difficulties in ASD, through enhancing social salience and/or reducing (social) stress and anxiety. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, mechanistic pharmaco-neuroimaging clinical trial, we implemented frequency-tagging EEG to conduct an exploratory investigation into the impact of repeated OT administration (4 weeks, 12 IU, twice daily) on neural sensitivity towards happy and fearful facial expressions in children with ASD (8-12 years old; OT: n = 29; placebo: n = 32). Neural effects were assessed at baseline, post-nasal spray (24 hr after the last nasal spray) and at a follow-up session, 4 weeks after the OT administration period. At baseline, neural assessments of children with ASD were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched cohort of neurotypical (NT) children (n = 39). RESULTS Children with ASD demonstrated reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces, as compared to NT children. Upon nasal spray administration, children with ASD displayed a significant increase in neural sensitivity at the post- and follow-up sessions, but only in the placebo group, likely reflecting an implicit learning effect. Strikingly, in the OT group, neural sensitivity remained unaffected from the baseline to the post-session, likely reflecting a dampening of an otherwise typically occurring implicit learning effect. CONCLUSIONS First, we validated the robustness of the frequency-tagging EEG approach to assess reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in children with ASD. Furthermore, in contrast to social salience effects observed after single-dose administrations, repeated OT administration dampened typically occurring learning effects in neural sensitivity. In line with OT's social anxiolytic account, these observations possibly reflect a predominant (social) stress regulatory effect towards emotionally evocative faces after repeated OT administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthijs Moerkerke
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicky Daniels
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Tibermont
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tiffany Tang
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Edward Debbaut
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelies Bamps
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Weinstein SR, Erickson EN, Molina R, Bell AF. Maternal outcomes related to Genetic and epigenetic Variation in the oxytocin system: A scoping review. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 16:100209. [PMID: 38108031 PMCID: PMC10724832 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100209] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose In this scoping review, we synthesize the literature on oxytocin and oxytocin receptor genetic and epigenetic variation in relationship to breastfeeding, maternal caregiving behavior, and maternal mental health. Methods A literature search was conducted in early 2022, and updated in 2023, utilizing the PRISMA scoping review reporting method, using the following MeSH headings and key terms: oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, genetics, epigenetics, methylation, pregnancy, postnatal, breastfeeding, lactation, mother-infant relations and perinatal outcomes. The search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria included: human literature which was peer reviewed and found in primary sources, printed in the English language. In addition, the study must have reported genetic/epigenetic data in either the oxytocin or oxytocin receptor gene (maternal or infant up to 12 months after birth) in relation to a breastfeeding, maternal caregiving behavior or a maternal mental health outcome. There was no date limitation. Four authors reviewed studies for eligibility. Data was extracted using a structured data extraction form. Results A total of 23 studies met inclusion criteria for this review (breastfeeding n = 4, maternal caregiving behavior n = 7, and maternal mental health n = 16). Seventeen papers reported on oxytocin or oxytocin receptor genotype and nine reported epigenetic associations (namely DNA methylation). These totals are greater than 23, as studies reported on multiple outcomes. One paper assessed the interaction between genotype and methylation. While a number of genotype variations were reported, the single nucleotide polymorphism rs53576 on the oxytocin receptor gene was the most studied. Overall, variation in this polymorphism was related to postnatal depression symptoms. Among numerous epigenetic markers, site -934 was the most studied methylation site, and methylation status was associated with maternal depression and maternal caregiving behavior outcomes. Results suggest that early life experiences impact adult maternal caregiving behaviors and mental health outcomes, and vary based on genetic vulnerability. Breastfeeding outcomes were minimally studied. Conclusion This scoping review found that genetic and epigenetic variation at the oxytocin and oxytocin receptor genes were associated with maternal caregiving behavior and mental health, likely through complex gene and environment interactions. The findings suggest that maternal early life experiences and stress impact later caregiving behaviors and mental health in the postnatal period. The findings highlight potential pathways by which environment, experiences, and genes interact to impact maternal caregiving behavior and maternal mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rodin Molina
- Frontier Nursing University, Hyden, KY, USA
- BabyMoon Inn Birth Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Aleeca F. Bell
- University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, AZ, USA
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11
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Pfundmair M. Better safe than sorry: Oxytocin shifts the regulatory focus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 157:106361. [PMID: 37566963 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106361] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is known to play a major role in social cognition and behavior. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether OT also affects the motivational system, specifically, the regulatory focus. Because OT weakens the self- and promotes the other-bias, we hypothesized that OT would decrease promotion focus and increase prevention focus. To test this, we conducted two experiments. In each, male participants intranasally administered OT or a placebo and assessed their regulatory focus using validated paradigms. Results revealed that OT led to an increase of prevention focus (Studies 1 and 2) and a slight but non-significant decrease of promotion focus (Study 2). Thus, participants under OT (vs. placebo) saw potential losses as more important, while they tended to devaluate potential gains. This was unrelated to the perceived likelihood of success. These findings indicate that OT might provide adaption to the social environment by pursuing a vigilant motivational strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Pfundmair
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802 München, Germany; Federal University of Administrative Sciences (current affiliation), Habersaathstr. 51, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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12
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Grossman-Giron A, Fisher H, Atzil-Slonim D, Maoz H, Nitzan U, Tzur Bitan D. The effect of Oxytocin administration on patient-therapist alliance congruence: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Psychother Res 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37856680 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2269300] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The effects of oxytocin (OT) administration on psychotherapeutic processes have thus far been elusive. This study explored the effect of OT administration on patient-therapist congruence of the working alliance. METHOD Inpatients with mental disorders (N = 87) participating in a randomized controlled trial received OT (n = 44) or placebo (n = 43) intranasally twice a day, for four weeks. Patients and therapists rated the alliance after each session. RESULTS Oxytocin significantly moderated the level of agreement (b = -0.56, SE = 0.25, t = -2.30, p = 0.02), such that patients receiving OT demonstrated lower discrepancy (b = -0.73, p < 0.001) than did those receiving placebo (b = -1.30, p < 0.001). On the other hand, the mutual covariance of patient-therapist ratings across sessions was positive and significant for patients receiving placebo (b = 0.26, p = 0.01) but not for patients in the OT group (b = -0.06, p = .56). CONCLUSION Oxytocin can reduce discrepancies of patient-therapist perceptions of the alliance, although additional studies are needed to explore OT's effect on alliance development over time. As alliance congruence is associated with therapy outcomes, such intervention may lead to enhancement of therapeutic gains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariella Grossman-Giron
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hadar Fisher
- Department of Psychology, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Hagai Maoz
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Uri Nitzan
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dana Tzur Bitan
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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13
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Berendzen KM, Bales KL, Manoli DS. Attachment across the lifespan: Examining the intersection of pair bonding neurobiology and healthy aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105339. [PMID: 37536581 PMCID: PMC11073483 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that intact social bonds are protective against age-related morbidity, while bond disruption and social isolation increase the risk for multiple age-related diseases. Social attachments, the enduring, selective bonds formed between individuals, are thus essential to human health. Socially monogamous species like the prairie vole (M. ochrogaster) form long-term pair bonds, allowing us to investigate the mechanisms underlying attachment and the poorly understood connection between social bonds and health. In this review, we explore several potential areas of focus emerging from data in humans and other species associating attachment and healthy aging, and evidence from prairie voles that may clarify this link. We examine gaps in our understanding of social cognition and pair bond behavior. Finally, we discuss physiologic pathways related to pair bonding that promote resilience to the processes of aging and age-related disease. Advances in the development of molecular genetic tools in monogamous species will allow us to bridge the mechanistic gaps presented and identify conserved research and therapeutic targets relevant to human health and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M. Berendzen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
| | - Karen L. Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Devanand S. Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
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14
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Yoshida M, Momita K, Kuwahara M, Kasuya E, Sutoh M, Yayou KI. Behavior and heart rate variability after intranasal administration of oxytocin in Holstein steers. J Vet Med Sci 2023; 85:956-963. [PMID: 37495517 PMCID: PMC10539827 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.22-0323] [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] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide that regulates memory, emotion, stress response, and behavior in the brain. In our previous study with cattle, we demonstrated the anti-stress effect of intracerebroventricularly administered OXT on the central nervous system. However, it is important to investigate the effects of this peptide after intranasal administration, as it offers convenience and non-invasiveness for practical use. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of intranasal OXT on the behavior and autonomic nervous system of Holstein steers. The experiment followed a within-subjects design, including a total of six steers. Each steer received intranasal administration of either 1 mL of saline (SAL), 100 µg OXT (OXT100), or 200 µg OXT (OXT200). However, due to some issues, the sample size for the OXT200 group was reduced to five. After these treatments, we conducted electrocardiography recordings to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) and also made behavioral observations for 90 min. OXT200 tended to increase the time spent ruminating while lying down (Steel's multiple comparison test; P=0.053). In contrast, OXT treatment did not affect HRV indices. In conclusion, the current OXT dosage did not significantly affects behavior or the autonomic nervous system. However, the observed tendency to increase rumination may suggest a central effect of OXT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masumi Yoshida
- Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Chiba Prefecture Agricultural Mutual Aid Union Federation, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kosuke Momita
- School of Agriculture, Tokai University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Megmilk Snow Brand, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Kuwahara
- Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Etsuko Kasuya
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Madoka Sutoh
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Yayou
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, Japan
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15
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Erickson EN. A prolonged latent phase: An early career in oxytocin during birth. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 15:100190. [PMID: 37405229 PMCID: PMC10316000 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
•The author, a nurse-midwife scientist, shares her path to the study of the causes and consequences of clinical oxytocin use.•This paper highlights mentors and key research that informed new thinking about the role of oxytocin during parturition.•Future directions for improving maternal care during childbirth are presented, including genetic and epigenetic perspectives.
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16
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Werner M, Borgmann M, Laan E. Sexual Pleasure Matters - and How to Define and Assess It Too. A Conceptual Framework of Sexual Pleasure and the Sexual Response. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SEXUAL HEALTH : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR SEXUAL HEALTH 2023; 35:313-340. [PMID: 38595929 PMCID: PMC10903685 DOI: 10.1080/19317611.2023.2212663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Objective Sexual pleasure is central to current understandings of sexual function, health, and wellbeing. In this article, we suggest that we lack a sufficiently specific, yet encompassing, definition of sexual pleasure and that we therefore lack comprehensive assessments of sexual pleasure. We introduce a definition of sexual pleasure and position it centrally in an adapted framework of the sexual response. In the framework, we include a taxonomy of rewards which can be retrieved from sex and thereby aim to capture the multifaceted nature of sexual pleasure. Methods/Results Through narrative review, we arrive at the definition, framework, and taxonomy by integrating theories of sexual motivation and response with the literature on sexual pleasure and basic rewards. We position this literature within theories of affect and personality which allows us to differentiate between the experience of and the tendency to experience sexual pleasure (i.e., state versus trait sexual pleasure). We discuss how this conceptualization of sexual pleasure could be reflected in self-report assessments to quantitatively assess sexual pleasure. Conclusions The framework may aid to understand the role of the diverse facets of sexual pleasure in sexual function, health, and wellbeing and contribute to giving sexual pleasure the center position it deserves in sex research and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Werner
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michèle Borgmann
- Department of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ellen Laan
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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17
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Lin C, Zhuo S, Zheng Q, Li X, Peng W. The relationship between oxytocin and empathy for others' pain: Testing the mediating effect of first-hand pain sensitivity. Physiol Behav 2023:114266. [PMID: 37301493 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114266] [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: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although previous studies have shown that oxytocin attenuates first-hand pain sensitivity, studies of its effects on empathic reactions to the observation of others' pain have yielded inconsistent and controversial results. Given the link between first-hand pain and empathy for others' pain, we hypothesized that oxytocin affects empathy for others' pain by modulating first-hand pain sensitivity. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant experimental design, healthy participants (n = 112) were randomly assigned to either an intranasal oxytocin or placebo group. Pain sensitivity was evaluated by pressure pain threshold, and empathic responses were assessed by ratings in response to viewing video clips depicting others in physically painful scenarios. Results showed that pressure pain thresholds decreased over time in both groups, indicating increased sensitivity to first-hand pain after repeated measurements. However, this decrease was smaller for participants who received intranasal oxytocin, indicative of oxytocin-induced attenuation of first-hand pain sensitivity. In addition, although empathic ratings were comparable between oxytocin and placebo groups, first-hand pain sensitivity fully mediated the impact of oxytocin on pain empathetic ratings. Thus, intranasal oxytocin can indirectly affect pain empathic ratings by reducing first-hand pain sensitivity. These findings expand our understanding of the relationship among oxytocin, pain, and empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chennan Lin
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shiwei Zhuo
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qianqian Zheng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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18
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Török E, Kelemen O, Kéri S. Mentalization, Oxytocin, and Cortisol in the General Population. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1329. [PMID: 37374111 DOI: 10.3390/life13061329] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Although evidence suggests the role of oxytocin and cortisol in social cognition and emotion regulation, it is less known how their peripheral levels are related to social perception (biological motion detection) and mentalization (self-reflection, emotional awareness, and affect regulation) in the general population. We assessed 150 healthy individuals from the general community on a mentalization questionnaire, a scale measuring the intensity of positive and negative emotions, and measured oxytocin and cortisol levels in the saliva. Oxytocin but not cortisol level and biological motion detection predicted mentalization abilities. There was a positive correlation between mentalization and positive emotions and between mentalization and biological motion detection. These results suggest that oxytocin, but not cortisol, plays a role in low-level perceptual and self-reflective aspects of social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Török
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Oguz Kelemen
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Kéri
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, 1145 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
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19
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Ibanez A, Matallana D, Miller B. Can prosocial values improve brain health? Front Neurol 2023; 14:1202173. [PMID: 37342774 PMCID: PMC10278355 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1202173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosocial values play a critical role in promoting care and concern for the well-being of others and prioritizing the common good of society. Evidence from population-based reports, cognitive neuroscience, and clinical studies suggests that these values depend on social cognition processes, such as empathy, deontological moral cognition, moral emotions, and social cooperation. Additionally, indirect evidence suggests that various forms of prosocial behaviors are associated with positive health outcomes at the behavioral, cardiovascular, immune, stress-related, and inflammatory pathways. However, it is unclear whether prosociality can positively influence brain health outcomes. In this perspective, we propose that prosocial values are not only influenced by brain conditions but could also potentially play a role in protecting brain health. We review studies from various fields that support this claim, including recent reports of prosociality-based interventions impacting brain health. We then explore potential multilevel mechanisms, based on the reduction of allostatic overload at behavioral, cardiovascular, immune, stress-related, and inflammatory levels. Finally, we propose potential prosociality-based interventions for improving brain health in at-risk populations, such as psychiatric and neurological patients, and individuals exposed to poverty or violence. Our perspective suggests that prosocial values may play a role in promoting and maintaining healthy brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustin Ibanez
- Latin American Institute for Brain Health (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Adolfo Ibanez University, Santiago, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, and National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Diana Matallana
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Instituto de Envejecimiento, Bogotá, Colombia
- Memory and Cognition Center, Intellectus, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Bruce Miller
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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20
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Handlin L, Novembre G, Lindholm H, Kämpe R, Paul E, Morrison I. Human endogenous oxytocin and its neural correlates show adaptive responses to social touch based on recent social context. eLife 2023; 12:81197. [PMID: 37157840 PMCID: PMC10168694 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81197] [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: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Both oxytocin (OT) and touch are key mediators of social attachment. In rodents, tactile stimulation elicits the endogenous release of OT, potentially facilitating attachment and other forms of prosocial behavior, yet the relationship between endogenous OT and neural modulation remains unexplored in humans. Using a serial sampling of plasma hormone levels during functional neuroimaging across two successive social interactions, we show that contextual circumstances of social touch influence not only current hormonal and brain responses but also later responses. Namely, touch from a male to his female romantic partner enhanced her subsequent OT release for touch from an unfamiliar stranger, yet females' OT responses to partner touch were dampened following stranger touch. Hypothalamus and dorsal raphe activation reflected plasma OT changes during the initial social interaction. In the subsequent interaction, precuneus and parietal-temporal cortex pathways tracked time- and context-dependent variables in an OT-dependent manner. This OT-dependent cortical modulation included a region of the medial prefrontal cortex that also covaried with plasma cortisol, suggesting an influence on stress responses. These findings demonstrate that modulation between hormones and the brain during human social interactions can flexibly adapt to features of social context over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Handlin
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Giovanni Novembre
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Helene Lindholm
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Robin Kämpe
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Paul
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - India Morrison
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden
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21
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Jansen M, Lockwood PL, Cutler J, de Bruijn ERA. l-DOPA and oxytocin influence the neurocomputational mechanisms of self-benefitting and prosocial reinforcement learning. Neuroimage 2023; 270:119983. [PMID: 36848972 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans learn through reinforcement, particularly when outcomes are unexpected. Recent research suggests similar mechanisms drive how we learn to benefit other people, that is, how we learn to be prosocial. Yet the neurochemical mechanisms underlying such prosocial computations remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether pharmacological manipulation of oxytocin and dopamine influence the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying self-benefitting and prosocial reinforcement learning. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, we administered intranasal oxytocin (24 IU), dopamine precursor l-DOPA (100 mg + 25 mg carbidopa), or placebo over three sessions. Participants performed a probabilistic reinforcement learning task with potential rewards for themselves, another participant, or no one, during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Computational models of reinforcement learning were used to calculate prediction errors (PEs) and learning rates. Participants behavior was best explained by a model with different learning rates for each recipient, but these were unaffected by either drug. On the neural level, however, both drugs blunted PE signaling in the ventral striatum and led to negative signaling of PEs in the anterior mid-cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, inferior parietal gyrus, and precentral gyrus, compared to placebo, and regardless of recipient. Oxytocin (versus placebo) administration was additionally associated with opposing tracking of self-benefitting versus prosocial PEs in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula and superior temporal gyrus. These findings suggest that both l-DOPA and oxytocin induce a context-independent shift from positive towards negative tracking of PEs during learning. Moreover, oxytocin may have opposing effects on PE signaling when learning to benefit oneself versus another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe Jansen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Patricia L Lockwood
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Jo Cutler
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Ellen R A de Bruijn
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, the Netherlands
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22
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Cosme G, Arriaga P, Rosa PJ, Mehta MA, Prata D. Temporal profile of intranasal oxytocin in the human autonomic nervous system at rest: An electrocardiography and pupillometry study. J Psychopharmacol 2023:2698811231158233. [PMID: 36891949 DOI: 10.1177/02698811231158233] [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] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human social behavior is modulated by oxytocin (OT). Intranasal administration of OT (IN-OT) is a noninvasive route shown to elicit changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity; however, IN-OT's effect on the temporal profile of ANS activity at rest is yet to be described. AIMS We aimed to describe the temporal profile of IN-OT at six 10-min time windows from 15- to 100-min post-administration in 20 male participants at rest while continuously recording their pupillary in an eyes-open condition and cardiac activity in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. METHODS We used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design study where we extracted two proxies of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity: high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) and pupillary unrest index (PUI); and a proxy of sympathetic nervous system activity: sample entropy of the pupillary unrest. RESULTS In the eyes-open condition, we found an effect of IN-OT on the proxies of PNS activity: decreased PUI in the three-time windows post-administration spanning 65-100 min, and as an exploratory finding, an increased HF-HRV in the 80-85 min time window. CONCLUSIONS We suggest there is a role of OT in PNS regulation that may be consistent with OT's currently theorized role in the facilitation of alertness and approach behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Cosme
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Arriaga
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), CIS-IUL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pedro J Rosa
- HEI-LAB: Human-Environment Interaction Lab/Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal.,ISMAT, Transdisciplinary Research Center (ISHIP), Portimão, Portugal
| | - Mitul A Mehta
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Diana Prata
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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23
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McParlin Z, Cerritelli F, Manzotti A, Friston KJ, Esteves JE. Therapeutic touch and therapeutic alliance in pediatric care and neonatology: An active inference framework. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:961075. [PMID: 36923275 PMCID: PMC10009260 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.961075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic affective touch has been recognized as essential for survival, nurturing supportive interpersonal interactions, accelerating recovery-including reducing hospitalisations, and promoting overall health and building robust therapeutic alliances. Through the lens of active inference, we present an integrative model, combining therapeutic touch and communication, to achieve biobehavioural synchrony. This model speaks to how the brain develops a generative model required for recovery, developing successful therapeutic alliances, and regulating allostasis within paediatric manual therapy. We apply active inference to explain the neurophysiological and behavioural mechanisms that underwrite the development and maintenance of synchronous relationships through touch. This paper foregrounds the crucial role of therapeutic touch in developing a solid therapeutic alliance, the clinical effectiveness of paediatric care, and triadic synchrony between health care practitioner, caregiver, and infant in a variety of clinical situations. We start by providing a brief overview of the significance and clinical role of touch in the development of social interactions in infants; facilitating a positive therapeutic alliance and restoring homeostasis through touch to allow a more efficient process of allostatic regulation. Moreover, we explain the role of CT tactile afferents in achieving positive clinical outcomes and updating prior beliefs. We then discuss how touch is implemented in treatment sessions to promote cooperative interactions in the clinic and facilitate theory of mind. This underwrites biobehavioural synchrony, epistemic trust, empathy, and the resolution of uncertainty. The ensuing framework is underpinned by a critical application of the active inference framework to the fields of pediatrics and neonatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe McParlin
- Foundation COME Collaboration, Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Pescara, Italy
| | - Francesco Cerritelli
- Division of Neonatology, “V. Buzzi” Children's Hospital, ASST-FBF-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Manzotti
- Foundation COME Collaboration, Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Pescara, Italy
- Division of Neonatology, “V. Buzzi” Children's Hospital, ASST-FBF-Sacco, Milan, Italy
- Research Department, SOMA, Istituto Osteopatia Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Karl J Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge E Esteves
- Foundation COME Collaboration, Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Pescara, Italy
- Malta ICOM Educational, Malta, Finland
- Research Department, University College of Osteopathy, Research Department, London, United Kingdom
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24
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Boeckx C. What made us "hunter-gatherers of words". Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1080861. [PMID: 36845441 PMCID: PMC9947416 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1080861] [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: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper makes three interconnected claims: (i) the "human condition" cannot be captured by evolutionary narratives that reduce it to a recent 'cognitive modernity', nor by narratives that eliminates all cognitive differences between us and out closest extinct relatives, (ii) signals from paleogenomics, especially coming from deserts of introgression but also from signatures of positive selection, point to the importance of mutations that impact neurodevelopment, plausibly leading to temperamental differences, which may impact cultural evolutionary trajectories in specific ways, and (iii) these trajectories are expected to affect the language phenotypes, modifying what is being learned and how it is put to use. In particular, I hypothesize that these different trajectories influence the development of symbolic systems, the flexible ways in which symbols combine, and the size and configurations of the communities in which these systems are put to use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Boeckx
- Section of General Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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25
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Szabó L, Tanguturi P, Goodman HJ, Sprőber S, Liu C, Al-Obeidi F, Bartlett MJ, Falk T, Kumirov VK, Heien ML, Streicher JM, Polt R. Structure-Based Design of Glycosylated Oxytocin Analogues with Improved Selectivity and Antinociceptive Activity. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:163-170. [PMID: 36793431 PMCID: PMC9923833 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00455] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute and chronic pain is often treated with opioids despite the negative side effects of constipation, physical dependence, respiratory depression, and overdose. The misuse of opioid analgesics has given rise to the opioid crisis/epidemic, and alternate nonaddictive analgesics are urgently needed. Oxytocin, a pituitary hormone, is an alternative to the small molecule treatments available and has been used as an analgesic as well as for the treatment and prevention of opioid use disorder (OUD). Clinical implementation is limited by its poor pharmacokinetic profile, a result of the labile disulfide bond between two cysteine residues in the native sequence. Stable brain penetrant oxytocin analogues have been synthesized by replacement of the disulfide bond with a stable lactam and glycosidation of the C-terminus. These analogues show exquisite selectivity for the oxytocin receptor and potent in vivo antinociception in mice following peripheral (i.v.) administration, supporting further study of their clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lajos
Z. Szabó
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
| | | | - Hannah J. Goodman
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
| | - Sára Sprőber
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
- Visiting
Student, Budapest University of Technology
and Economics, 1111Budapest, Műegyetem
rkp. 3, Hungary
| | - Chenxi Liu
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
| | - Fahad Al-Obeidi
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
| | - Mitchell J. Bartlett
- Department
of Neurology, College of Medicine, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85724, United
States
| | - Torsten Falk
- Department
of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85724, United States
- Department
of Neurology, College of Medicine, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85724, United
States
| | - Vlad K. Kumirov
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
| | - M. Leandro Heien
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
- Comprehensive
Pain and Addiction Center, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85724, United States
| | - John M. Streicher
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
- Comprehensive
Pain and Addiction Center, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85724, United States
| | - Robin Polt
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona85721, United States
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26
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Muscatelli F. [As early as birth, oxytocin plays a key role in both food and social behavior]. Biol Aujourdhui 2023; 216:131-143. [PMID: 36744979 DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2022017] [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: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohormone that regulates the so-called "social brain" and is mainly studied in adulthood. During postnatal development, the mechanisms by which the OT system structures various behaviors are little studied. Here we present the dynamic process of postnatal development of the OT system as well as the OT functions in the perinatal period that are essential for shaping social behaviors. Specifically, we discuss the role of OT, in the newborn, in integrating and adapting responses to early sensory stimuli and in stimulating suckling activity. Sensory dialogue and suckling are involved in mother-infant bonds and structure future social interactions. In rodents and humans, neurodevelopmental diseases with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), such as Prader-Willi and Schaaf-Yang syndromes, are associated with sensory, feeding and behavioral deficits in infancy. We propose that in early postnatal life, OT plays a key role in stimulating the maturation of neural networks controlling feeding behavior and early social interactions from birth. Administration of OT at birth improves sensory integration of environmental factors and the relationship with the mother as well as sucking activity as we have shown in mouse models and in babies with Prader-Willi syndrome. Long-term effects have also been observed on social and cognitive behavior. Therefore, early feeding difficulties might be an early predictive marker of ASD, and OT treatment a promising option to improve feeding behavior and, in the longer term, social behavioral problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Françoise Muscatelli
- INMED (Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée), INSERM, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
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27
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Kucerova B, Levit-Binnun N, Gordon I, Golland Y. From Oxytocin to Compassion: The Saliency of Distress. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020183. [PMID: 36829462 PMCID: PMC9953150 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Compassion is a warm response of care and concern for those who are suffering, which drives individuals to devote their resources for the sake of others. A prominent neuroevolutionary framework grounds compassion in the neurobiology of the mammalian caregiving system. Accordingly, it has been suggested that the oxytocinergic system, which plays a central role in parental caregiving and bonding, provides the neurobiological foundation for compassion towards strangers. Yet, the specific role of oxytocin in compassion is far from clear. The current paper aims to target this gap and offer a theoretical framework that integrates the state-of-the-art literature on oxytocin with research on compassion. We suggest that oxytocin mediates compassion by enhancing the saliency of cues of pain and distress and discuss the plausible underlying neurobiological substrates. We further demonstrate how the proposed framework can account for individual differences in compassion, focusing on the effects of attachment on caregiving and support. The proposed framework integrates the current scientific understanding of oxytocin function with compassion-related processes. It thus highlights the largely ignored attentional processes in compassion and taps into the vast variability of responses in social contexts involving pain and suffering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Kucerova
- Psychology Department, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nava Levit-Binnun
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
| | - Ilanit Gordon
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Yulia Golland
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
- Correspondence:
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28
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Caldiroli A, Capuzzi E, Affaticati LM, Surace T, Di Forti CL, Dakanalis A, Clerici M, Buoli M. Candidate Biological Markers for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:835. [PMID: 36614278 PMCID: PMC9821596 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common psychiatric condition associated with a high risk of psychiatric comorbidity and impaired social/occupational functioning when not promptly treated. The identification of biological markers may facilitate the diagnostic process, leading to an early and proper treatment. Our aim was to systematically review the available literature about potential biomarkers for SAD. A search in the main online repositories (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, PsychInfo, etc.) was performed. Of the 662 records screened, 61 were included. Results concerning cortisol, neuropeptides and inflammatory/immunological/neurotrophic markers remain inconsistent. Preliminary evidence emerged about the role of chromosome 16 and the endomannosidase gene, as well as of epigenetic factors, in increasing vulnerability to SAD. Neuroimaging findings revealed an altered connectivity of different cerebral areas in SAD patients and amygdala activation under social threat. Some parameters such as salivary alpha amylase levels, changes in antioxidant defenses, increased gaze avoidance and QT dispersion seem to be associated with SAD and may represent promising biomarkers of this condition. However, the preliminary positive correlations have been poorly replicated. Further studies on larger samples and investigating the same biomarkers are needed to identify more specific biological markers for SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Caldiroli
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Enrico Capuzzi
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Letizia M. Affaticati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Teresa Surace
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Carla L. Di Forti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Antonios Dakanalis
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Massimo Clerici
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Massimiliano Buoli
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
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29
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Tabak BA, Leng G, Szeto A, Parker KJ, Verbalis JG, Ziegler TE, Lee MR, Neumann ID, Mendez AJ. Advances in human oxytocin measurement: challenges and proposed solutions. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:127-140. [PMID: 35999276 PMCID: PMC9812775 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01719-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known for its role in reproduction and socioemotional processes, may hold promise as a therapeutic agent in treating social impairments in patient populations. However, research has yet to uncover precisely how to manipulate this system for clinical benefit. Moreover, inconsistent use of standardized and validated oxytocin measurement methodologies-including the design and study of hormone secretion and biochemical assays-present unresolved challenges. Human studies measuring peripheral (i.e., in plasma, saliva, or urine) or central (i.e., in cerebrospinal fluid) oxytocin concentrations have involved very diverse methods, including the use of different assay techniques, further compounding this problem. In the present review, we describe the scientific value in measuring human endogenous oxytocin concentrations, common issues in biochemical analysis and study design that researchers face when doing so, and our recommendations for improving studies using valid and reliable methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Tabak
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Gareth Leng
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Angela Szeto
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Karen J Parker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph G Verbalis
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Toni E Ziegler
- Assay Services Unit and Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Core Laboratory, National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mary R Lee
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behaviour and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Armando J Mendez
- Diabetes Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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30
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Digital phenotyping in molecular psychiatry-a missed opportunity? Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:6-9. [PMID: 36171355 PMCID: PMC9812759 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01795-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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31
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Quintana DS. A Guide for Calculating Study-Level Statistical Power for Meta-Analyses. ADVANCES IN METHODS AND PRACTICES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1177/25152459221147260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Meta-analysis is a popular approach in the psychological sciences for synthesizing data across studies. However, the credibility of meta-analysis outcomes depends on the evidential value of studies included in the body of evidence used for data synthesis. One important consideration for determining a study’s evidential value is the statistical power of the study’s design/statistical test combination for detecting hypothetical effect sizes of interest. Studies with a design/test combination that cannot reliably detect a wide range of effect sizes are more susceptible to questionable research practices and exaggerated effect sizes. Therefore, determining the statistical power for design/test combinations for studies included in meta-analyses can help researchers make decisions regarding confidence in the body of evidence. Because the one true population effect size is unknown when hypothesis testing, an alternative approach is to determine statistical power for a range of hypothetical effect sizes. This tutorial introduces the metameta R package and web app, which facilitates the straightforward calculation and visualization of study-level statistical power in meta-analyses for a range of hypothetical effect sizes. Readers will be shown how to reanalyze data using information typically presented in meta-analysis forest plots or tables and how to integrate the metameta package when reporting novel meta-analyses. A step-by-step companion screencast video tutorial is also provided to assist readers using the R package.
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32
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Valros A, Lopez-Martinez MJ, Munsterhjelm C, Lopez-Arjona M, Ceron JJ. Novel saliva biomarkers for stress and infection in pigs: Changes in oxytocin and procalcitonin in pigs with tail-biting lesions. Res Vet Sci 2022; 153:49-56. [PMID: 36308791 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.10.013] [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: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There is a need for feasible and reliable measures to improve and evaluate production animal health and welfare. Oxytocin is a promising novel stress-related biomarker and procalcitonin may be a measure of sepsis. Both have potential for use in pigs and can be measured from saliva, which allows on-farm sampling with minimal impact on the animals. The current study sought to further validate these measures using a spontaneous situation that causes both stress and an increased risk for infections in pigs, namely a tail-biting outbreak. Grower pigs on a commercial farm belonging to three different phenotype groups were selected: control pigs from control pens (CC, N = 30), control pigs (CTB, N = 10), and pigs with tail lesions from pens with a tail-biting outbreak (LTB, N = 27). A single sample of saliva was collected from each pig and analysed for a range of biomarkers related to stress, infection, inflammation, and immune activation. Oxytocin tended to be higher in CC pigs than in LTB pigs, while cortisol was higher in CTB than CC pigs. Procalcitonin tended to be higher, and haptoglobin was higher in LTB than in CC pigs. Adenosine-deaminase levels were similar between phenotypes. These results provide further evidence for the link between stress and tail biting, and indicate that tail-biting lesions are potential routes for systemic spread of bacteria. Further research into saliva oxytocin as a stress biomarker and saliva procalcitonin as a sepsis biomarker in pigs is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 57, 00014, Finland.
| | - Maria Jose Lopez-Martinez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Camilla Munsterhjelm
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 57, 00014, Finland
| | - Marina Lopez-Arjona
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Jose Joaquin Ceron
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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33
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Coccia G, La Greca F, Di Luca M, Scheggia D. Dissecting social decision-making: A spotlight on oxytocinergic transmission. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1061934. [PMID: 36618824 PMCID: PMC9813388 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1061934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Social decision-making requires the ability to balance both the interests of the self and the interests of others to survive in social environments. Empathy is essential to the regulation of this type of interaction, and it often sustains relevant prosocial behaviors such as altruism and helping behavior. In the last decade, our capacity to assess affective and empathy-like behaviors in rodents has expanded our understanding of the neurobiological substrates that underly social decision-making processes such as prosocial behaviors. Within this context, oxytocinergic transmission is profoundly implicated in modulating some of the major components of social decision-making. Thus, this review will present evidence of the association between oxytocin and empathy-like and prosocial behaviors in nonhuman animals. Then, we will dissect the involvement of oxytocinergic transmission-across different brain regions and pathways-in some of the key elements of social decision-making such as emotional discrimination, social recognition, emotional contagion, social dominance, and social memory. Evidence of the modulatory role of oxytocin on social decision-making has raised considerable interest in its clinical relevance, therefore we will also discuss the controversial findings on intranasal oxytocin administration.
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34
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Muscatelli F, Matarazzo V, Chini B. Neonatal oxytocin gives the tempo of social and feeding behaviors. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1071719. [PMID: 36583080 PMCID: PMC9792990 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1071719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The nonapeptide oxytocin (OT) is a master regulator of the social brain in early infancy, adolescence, and adult life. Here, we review the postnatal dynamic development of OT-system as well as early-life OT functions that are essential for shaping social behaviors. We specifically address the role of OT in neonates, focusing on its role in modulating/adapting sensory input and feeding behavior; both processes are involved in the establishing mother-infant bond, a crucial event for structuring all future social interactions. In patients and rodent models of Prader-Willi and Schaaf-Yang syndromes, two neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by autism-related features, sensory impairments, and feeding difficulties in early infancy are linked to an alteration of OT-system. Successful preclinical studies in mice and a phase I/II clinical trial in Prader-Willi babies constitute a proof of concept that OT-treatment in early life not only improves suckling deficit but has also a positive long-term effect on learning and social behavior. We propose that in early postnatal life, OT plays a pivotal role in stimulating and coordinating the maturation of neuronal networks controlling feeding behavior and the first social interactions. Consequently, OT therapy might be considered to improve feeding behavior and, all over the life, social cognition, and learning capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Françoise Muscatelli
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED), INSERM, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France,*Correspondence: Françoise Muscatelli,
| | - Valery Matarazzo
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED), INSERM, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Bice Chini
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Vedano al Lambro, Italy and NeuroMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Zebhauser PT, Macchia A, Gold E, Salcedo S, Burum B, Alonso-Alonso M, Gilbert DT, Pascual-Leone A, Brem AK. Intranasal Oxytocin Modulates Decision-Making Depending on Outcome Predictability-A Randomized Within-Subject Controlled Trial in Healthy Males. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123230. [PMID: 36551985 PMCID: PMC9775473 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) has been extensively studied with regard to its socio-cognitive and -behavioral effects. Its potential as a therapeutic agent is being discussed for a range of neuropsychiatric conditions. However, there is limited evidence of its effects on non-social cognition in general and decision-making in particular, despite the importance of these functions in neuropsychiatry. Using a crossover/within-subject, blinded, randomized design, we investigated for the first time if intranasal OT (24 IU) affects decision-making differently depending on outcome predictability/ambiguity in healthy males. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Cambridge Risk Task (CRT) were used to assess decision-making under low outcome predictability/high ambiguity and under high outcome probability/low ambiguity, respectively. After administration of OT, subjects performed worse and exhibited riskier performance in the IGT (low outcome predictability/high ambiguity), whereas they made borderline-significant less risky decisions in the CRT (high outcome probability/low ambiguity) as compared to the control condition. Decision-making in healthy males may therefore be influenced by OT and adjusted as a function of contextual information, with implications for clinical trials investigating OT in neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Theo Zebhauser
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Ana Macchia
- Clinic for Psychiatry/Psychotherapy III, Ulm University, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Edward Gold
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephanie Salcedo
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Bethany Burum
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Miguel Alonso-Alonso
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daniel T. Gilbert
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew Senior Life, Boston, MA 02131, USA
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
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36
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Ménard S, Gelez H, Coria-Avila GA, Pfaus JG. Sexual experience increases oxytocin, but not vasopressin, receptor densities in the medial preoptic area, ventromedial hypothalamus, and central amygdala of male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 146:105900. [PMID: 36041295 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) are considered to be principal neurochemical substrates of bonding in monogamous species. We have reported previously that conditioning of a sexual partner preference in male rats resulted in conditioned activation of OT and VP neurons in hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptc nuclei. Here we asked whether such conditioning would also alter OT or VP receptor densities. Sexually naïve male rats were assigned to one of three groups (n = 15/group). The Paired group received 9 copulatory training trials with sexually receptive females scented with a neutral almond odor. The Unpaired group received 9 copulatory training trials with unscented sexually receptive females. The Naïve group were not given sexual experience. Paired and Unpaired males were given a final test in an open field with two receptive females, one scented and the other unscented, to assess the development of conditioned ejaculatory preference (CEP), which was expressed significantly in the Paired group. Brains from rats in the three groups were then assessed for OT receptor (OTR) or VP1a receptor (VPR) densities within cortical, limbic and hypothalamic structures using autoradiography with selective 125I-labeled receptor ligands. Sexual experience alone increased OTR significantly in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in both Paired- and Unpaired-trained males compared to sexually Naïve males. No differences were found for experience on VPR densities in any region. These data add to a growing body of evidence that sexual experience alters brain function and processing of sex-related cues, and suggest that enhanced activation of OTRs in the mPOA, VMH, and CeA by conditioned OT release in those regions may underlie CEP in the male rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shann Ménard
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology,Concordia University, Montréal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Hélène Gelez
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology,Concordia University, Montréal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada; Pelvipharm Laboratories, University of Versailles, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Montigny le Bretonneux, France
| | - Genaro A Coria-Avila
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology,Concordia University, Montréal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada; Instituto de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, VER 91193, Mexico
| | - James G Pfaus
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology,Concordia University, Montréal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada; Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, 18200, Prague, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Sexual Neuroscience, Center for Sexual Health and Intervention, Czech National Institute of Mental Health, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic.
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37
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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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38
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Coenjaerts M, Trimborn I, Adrovic B, Stoffel-Wagner B, Cahill L, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R, Scheele D. Exogenous estradiol and oxytocin modulate sex differences in hippocampal reactivity during the encoding of episodic memories. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119689. [PMID: 36349596 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119689] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence supports sex differences in episodic memory. The hormones estradiol and oxytocin both affect episodic memory and may contribute to these sex differences, but possible underlying hormonal interactions have not been tested in a sample involving both sexes. To this end, we conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study including healthy free-cycling women (n = 111) and men (n = 115). The fMRI session was conducted under four experimental conditions: 1. transdermal estradiol (2 mg) and intranasal oxytocin (24 IU), 2. transdermal placebo and intranasal oxytocin, 3. transdermal estradiol and intranasal placebo, 4. transdermal placebo and intranasal placebo. Participants were scanned during the encoding of positive, neutral, and negative scenes. Recognition memory was tested three days following the scanning sessions without additional treatments. Under placebo, women showed a significantly better recognition memory and increased hippocampal responses to subsequently remembered items independent of the emotional valence compared to men. The separate treatments with either hormone significantly diminished this mnemonic sex difference and reversed the hippocampal activation pattern. However, the combined treatments produced no significant effect. Collectively, the results suggest that both hormones play a crucial role in modulating sex differences in episodic memory. Furthermore, possible antagonistic interactions between estradiol and oxytocin could explain previously observed opposing hormonal effects in women and men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Coenjaerts
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany.
| | - Isabelle Trimborn
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Berina Adrovic
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Birgit Stoffel-Wagner
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Larry Cahill
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3800, United States
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26129, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany.
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Tsingotjidou AS. Oxytocin: A Multi-Functional Biomolecule with Potential Actions in Dysfunctional Conditions; From Animal Studies and Beyond. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1603. [PMID: 36358953 PMCID: PMC9687803 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a hormone secreted from definite neuroendocrine neurons located in specific nuclei in the hypothalamus (mainly from paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei), and its main known function is the contraction of uterine and/or mammary gland cells responsible for parturition and breastfeeding. Among the actions of the peripherally secreted oxytocin is the prevention of different degenerative disorders. These actions have been proven in cell culture and in animal models or have been tested in humans based on hypotheses from previous studies. This review presents the knowledge gained from the previous studies, displays the results from oxytocin intervention and/or treatment and proposes that the well described actions of oxytocin might be connected to other numerous, diverse actions of the biomolecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia S Tsingotjidou
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54 124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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40
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Markova G, Nguyen T. Interpersonal synchrony is associated with infants’ reactions to subtle changes in caregiver‐infant interactions. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Trinh Nguyen
- Faculty of Psychology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Neuroscience of Perception and Action Lab Italian Institute of Technology Rome Italy
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41
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The oxytocin signalling gene pathway contributes to the association between loneliness and cardiometabolic health. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 144:105875. [PMID: 35939863 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105875] [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: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence has shown adverse effects of loneliness on cardiometabolic health. The neuromodulator and hormone oxytocin has traditionally been linked with social cognition and behaviour. However, recent implications of the oxytocin system in energy metabolism and the overrepresentation of metabolic issues in psychiatric illness suggests that oxytocin may represent a mechanism bridging mental and somatic traits. To clarify the role of the oxytocin signalling system in the link between cardiometabolic risk factors and loneliness, we calculated the contribution of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the oxytocin signalling pathway gene-set (154 genes) to the polygenic architecture of loneliness and body mass index (BMI). We investigated the associations of these oxytocin signalling pathway polygenic scores with body composition measured using body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bone mineral density (BMD), haematological markers, and blood pressure in a sample of just under half a million adults from the UK Biobank (BMD subsample n = 274,457; body MRI subsample n = 9796). Our analysis revealed significant associations of the oxytocin signalling pathway polygenic score for BMI with abdominal subcutaneous fat tissue, HDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), triglycerides, and BMD. We also found an association between the oxytocin signalling pathway polygenic score for loneliness and apolipoprotein A1, the major protein component of HDL. Altogether, these results provide additional evidence for the oxytocin signalling pathway's role in energy metabolism, lipid homoeostasis, and bone density, and support oxytocin's complex pleiotropic effects.
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The dual neural effects of oxytocin in autistic youth: results from a randomized trial. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16304. [PMID: 36175473 PMCID: PMC9523043 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19524-7] [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: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries have highlighted the effects of oxytocin (OT) on social behavior and perception among autistic individuals. However, a gap persists in the literature regarding the potential effects of OT and the neural temporal dynamics due to OT administration. We explored the effect of OT on autistic individuals using magnetoencephalography (MEG), focusing on M100, M170, and M250, social perception-related components that tend to show atypical patterns in autistic individuals. Twenty-five autistic adolescents participated in this randomized, double-blind MEG study. Autistic individuals arrived at the lab twice and received an acute dose of intranasal OT or placebo in each session. During the scans, participants were asked to identify pictures of social and non-social stimuli. Additionally, 23 typically developing (TD) adolescents performed the same task in the MEG as a benchmark that allowed us to better characterize neural regions of interest and behavioral results for this age group in this task. A source-model beamformer analysis revealed that OT enhanced neural activity for social stimuli in frontal regions during M170. Additionally, in each of the preselected time windows, OT increased activation in the left hemisphere, regardless of the content of the presented stimuli. We suggest that OT increased the processing of social stimuli through two separate mechanisms. First, OT increased neural activity in a nonspecific manner, allowing increased allocation of attention toward the stimuli. Second, OT enhanced M170 activity in frontal regions only in response to social stimuli. These results reveal the temporal dynamics of the effects of OT on the early stages of social and non-social perception in autistic adolescents. Trial registration: This study was a part of a project registered as clinical trial October 27th, 2021. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05096676.
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Khan I, Cañamero L. The Long-Term Efficacy of “Social Buffering” in Artificial Social Agents: Contextual Affective Perception Matters. Front Robot AI 2022; 9:699573. [PMID: 36185976 PMCID: PMC9520257 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2022.699573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In dynamic (social) environments, an affective state of “stress” can be adaptive and promote agent wellbeing, but maladaptive if not appropriately regulated. The presence of (and interactions with) affect-based social support has been hypothesised to provide mechanisms to regulate stress (the “social buffering” hypothesis), though the precise, underlying mechanisms are still unclear. However, the hormone oxytocin has been implicated in mediating these effects in at least two ways: by improving social appraisals and reducing the short-term release of stress hormones (i.e., cortisol), and adapting an agent’s long-term stress tolerance. These effects likely facilitate an agent’s long-term adaptive ability by grounding their physiological and behavioural adaptation in the (affective) social environment, though these effects also appear to be context-dependent. In this paper, we investigate whether two of the hypothesised hormonal mechanisms that underpin the “social buffering” phenomenon affect the long-term wellbeing of (artificial) social agents who share affective social bonds, across numerous social and physical environmental contexts. Building on previous findings, we hypothesise that “social buffering” effects can improve the long-term wellbeing of agents who share affective social bonds in dynamic environments, through regular prosocial interactions with social bond partners. We model some of the effects associated with oxytocin and cortisol that underpin these hypothesised mechanisms in our biologically-inspired, socially-adaptive agent model, and conduct our investigation in a small society of artificial agents whose goal is to survive in challenging environments. Our results find that, while stress can be adaptive and regulated through affective social support, long-term behavioural and physiological adaptation is determined by the contextual perception of affective social bonds, which is influenced by early-stage interactions between affective social bond partners as well as the degree of the physical and social challenges. We also show how these low-level effects associated with oxytocin and cortisol can be used as “biomarkers” of social support and environmental stress. For socially-situated artificial agents, we suggest that these “social buffering” mechanisms can adapt the (adaptive) stress mechanisms, but that the long-term efficacy of this adaptation is related to the temporal dynamics of social interactions and the contextual perception of the affective social and physical environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imran Khan
- Embodied Emotion, Cognition, and (Inter-)Action Lab, School of Physics, Engineering, and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Imran Khan,
| | - Lola Cañamero
- Embodied Emotion, Cognition, and (Inter-)Action Lab, School of Physics, Engineering, and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, United Kingdom
- ETIS Lab, CY Cergy Paris University—ENSEA—CNRS UMR8051, Cergy, France
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Putnam PT, Chang SWC. Oxytocin does not stand alone. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210047. [PMID: 35858106 PMCID: PMC9272150 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Philip T. Putnam
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Steve W. C. Chang
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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45
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Carter CS, Kingsbury MA. Oxytocin and oxygen: the evolution of a solution to the ‘stress of life’. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210054. [PMID: 35856299 PMCID: PMC9272143 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and the OT receptor occupy essential roles in our current understanding of mammalian evolution, survival, sociality and reproduction. This narrative review examines the hypothesis that many functions attributed to OT can be traced back to conditions on early Earth, including challenges associated with managing life in the presence of oxygen and other basic elements, including sulfur. OT regulates oxidative stress and inflammation especially through effects on the mitochondria. A related nonapeptide, vasopressin, as well as molecules in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, including the corticotropin-releasing hormone family of molecules, have a broad set of functions that interact with OT. Interactions among these molecules have roles in the causes and consequence of social behaviour and the management of threat, fear and stress. Here, we discuss emerging evidence suggesting that unique properties of the OT system allowed vertebrates, and especially mammals, to manage over-reactivity to the ‘side effects’ of oxygen, including inflammation, oxidation and free radicals, while also supporting high levels of sociality and a perception of safety. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Marcy A. Kingsbury
- Lurie Center for Autism, Mass General Hospital for Children, Harvard University Medical School, Charlestown, Boston, MA 02129, USA
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Polk R, Horta M, Lin T, Porges E, Ojeda M, Nazarloo HP, Carter CS, Ebner NC. Evaluating the neuropeptide-social cognition link in ageing: the mediating role of basic cognitive skills. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210048. [PMID: 35858076 PMCID: PMC9274329 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The roles of oxytocin (OT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) as crucial modulators of social cognition and related behaviours have been extensively addressed in the literature. The involvement of these neuropeptides in social cognition in ageing, however, and a potential mediating effect of basic cognitive capacities on this link, are not well understood. To fill these research gaps, this study assessed associations of plasma OT and AVP levels with dynamic emotion identification accuracy in generally healthy older men (aged 55-95 years) and probed the underlying roles of crystallized and fluid cognition in these associations. Higher plasma OT levels were associated with lower accuracy in dynamic emotion identification, with this negative relationship fully mediated by cognition. For plasma AVP levels, in contrast, there was no association with dynamic emotion identification accuracy. Integrated within existing theoretical accounts, results from this study advance understanding of the neuropeptide-social cognition link in ageing and support basic cognitive capacities as mediators in this association. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Polk
- Department of Psychology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Marilyn Horta
- Department of Psychology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Tian Lin
- Department of Psychology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eric Porges
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Marite Ojeda
- Department of Psychology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hans P. Nazarloo
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, College of Public Health and Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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47
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De Laurentiis A, Correa F, Fernández-Solari J. Endocannabinoid system in the neuroendocrine response to LPS-induced immune challenge. J Endocr Soc 2022; 6:bvac120. [PMID: 36042978 PMCID: PMC9419496 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvac120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system plays a key role in the intersection of the nervous, endocrine, and immune system, regulating not only their functions but also how they interplay with each other. Endogenous ligands, named endocannabinoids, are produced “on demand” to finely regulate the synthesis and secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as to regulate the production of cytokines and other proinflammatory mediators.
It is well known that immune challenges, such as exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the main component of the Gram-negative bacteria cell wall, disrupts not only the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis but also affects other endocrine systems such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the release of oxytocin from the neurohypophysis. Here we explore which actors and molecular mechanisms are involved in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea De Laurentiis
- Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Odontología, Cátedra de Fisiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UBA/CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Argentina
| | - Fernando Correa
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UBA/CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Argentina
| | - Javier Fernández-Solari
- Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Odontología, Cátedra de Fisiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Argentina
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48
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Berry EM. Food Security and Nutrition as the Neglected Missing Links in Cultural Evolution: The Role of the Sociotype. Rambam Maimonides Med J 2022; 13:RMMJ.10477. [PMID: 35921489 PMCID: PMC9345770 DOI: 10.5041/rmmj.10477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Food security and nutrition were major drivers of cultural evolution by enabling sociotypic development and communal living after the Neolithic agricultural revolution some 12,000 years ago. The sociotype unites concepts from the sciences and the humanities; in concert with the genotype it determines an individual's phenotype (observable traits and behavior), and together they advance societal culture. As such, the sociotype relates to an individual's dynamic interactions with the surrounding social environment throughout life and comprises three domains: the Individual, Relationships, and Context. Nutrition affects each domain, respectively, by ensuring the following dimensions of food security: utilization (metabolic fuel and health); accessibility (physical and economic); and availability (the right to nutritious food for all citizens). The sociotype is influenced by multiple factors, including diet-gene interactions, allostasis, microbiota, oxytocin, and culturally through mate selection, family bonds, social communication, political ideologies, and values. Food security, sociotypes, and culture form a complex adaptive system to enable coping with the circumstances of life in health and disease, to achieve sustainable development, and to eradicate hunger. The current geopolitical unrest highlights the absolutely critical role of this system for global security, yet many challenges remain in implementing this paradigm for society. Therefore, sustainable food security must be considered a fundamental human right and responsibility for safeguarding the survival and progress of the sociotypes of humankind (Homo culturus) worldwide.
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Higashida H, Furuhara K, Lopatina O, Gerasimenko M, Hori O, Hattori T, Hayashi Y, Cherepanov SM, Shabalova AA, Salmina AB, Minami K, Yuhi T, Tsuji C, Fu P, Liu Z, Luo S, Zhang A, Yokoyama S, Shuto S, Watanabe M, Fujiwara K, Munesue SI, Harashima A, Yamamoto Y. Oxytocin Dynamics in the Body and Brain Regulated by the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products, CD38, CD157, and Nicotinamide Riboside. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:858070. [PMID: 35873827 PMCID: PMC9301327 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.858070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigating the neurocircuit and synaptic sites of action of oxytocin (OT) in the brain is critical to the role of OT in social memory and behavior. To the same degree, it is important to understand how OT is transported to the brain from the peripheral circulation. To date, of these, many studies provide evidence that CD38, CD157, and receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) act as regulators of OT concentrations in the brain and blood. It has been shown that RAGE facilitates the uptake of OT in mother’s milk from the digestive tract to the cell surface of intestinal epithelial cells to the body fluid and subsequently into circulation in male mice. RAGE has been shown to recruit circulatory OT into the brain from blood at the endothelial cell surface of neurovascular units. Therefore, it can be said that extracellular OT concentrations in the brain (hypothalamus) could be determined by the transport of OT by RAGE from the circulation and release of OT from oxytocinergic neurons by CD38 and CD157 in mice. In addition, it has recently been found that gavage application of a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, nicotinamide riboside, for 12 days can increase brain OT in mice. Here, we review the evaluation of the new concept that RAGE is involved in the regulation of OT dynamics at the interface between the brain, blood, and intestine in the living body, mainly by summarizing our recent results due to the limited number of publications on related topics. And we also review other possible routes of OT recruitment to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Social Brain Study, Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after Professor V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
- *Correspondence: Haruhiro Higashida,
| | - Kazumi Furuhara
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Olga Lopatina
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Social Brain Study, Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after Professor V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Maria Gerasimenko
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Osamu Hori
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Hattori
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Hayashi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kanazawa Medical University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Stanislav M. Cherepanov
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Anna A. Shabalova
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Alla B. Salmina
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
- Laboratory of Social Brain Study, Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after Professor V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Kana Minami
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Teruko Yuhi
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Chiharu Tsuji
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - PinYue Fu
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Zhongyu Liu
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shuxin Luo
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Anpei Zhang
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shigeru Yokoyama
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Satoshi Shuto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mizuki Watanabe
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Koichi Fujiwara
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Sei-ichi Munesue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Ai Harashima
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Yamamoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
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Plasma oxytocin is modulated by mental training, but does not mediate its stress-buffering effect. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 141:105734. [PMID: 35367715 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Based on its role in social processing and stress, oxytocin has been suggested to mediate stress reduction of socio-affective, compassion-based mental training. We tested this hypothesis in the ReSource Project, a 9-month longitudinal mental training study. Participants practiced three different types of mental training, targeting either attentional abilities (Presence Module), socio-affective or socio-cognitive abilities (Affect and Perspective Modules). We investigated plasma oxytocin levels, and their link to cortisol and subjective reactivity to acute psychosocial stress as a function of previous mental training (n = 313). In a subsample (n = 113), to better understand oxytocin's involvement in the effects of socio-affective training, we explored oxytocin, cortisol and subjective experiential responses to a single Loving-kindness Meditation (LKM) conducted after three months of Affect training (versus rest without prior training). We found that, independent of mental training, stress triggered acute oxytocin release. Following a single LKM, however, acute oxytocin release was unaffected. Training effects were only found in overall oxytocin release during both, stress and LKM. Compared to no training, 3-month compassion-based Affect training decreased overall oxytocin levels in the context of psychosocial stress, but increased overall oxytocin levels during LKM. Training-induced changes in overall oxytocin were unrelated to cortisol and subjective stress reactivity. Based on Quintana and Guastella's (2020) theory of oxytocin as an allostatic hormone with anticipatory properties, we interpret training-induced changes in overall oxytocin levels as alterations in the anticipated emotional relevance of specific events. After training socio-affective skills for three months, the stressful situation may have lost its emotional saliency, whereas the meditation technique itself gained emotional relevance. We conclude that changes in peripheral oxytocin release do not mediate stress reduction after mental training, and encourage the investigation of an allostatic concept of oxytocin in future research.
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