Relations between plasma oxytocin, depressive symptoms and coping strategies in response to a stressor: the impact of social support

Pain perception and physiological responses are modulated by active support from a romantic partner

As social animals, humans are strongly affected by social bonds and interpersonal interactions. Proximity and social support from significant others may buffer the negative outcomes of a painful experience. Several studies have investigated the role of romantic partners' support in pain modulation, mostly focusing on tactile support and showing its effectiveness in reducing pain perception. Nevertheless, no study so far has investigated the role of supportive speaking on pain modulation, nor has compared the effects of a tactile and vocal support within the same couples. The present study directly compared for the first time the efficacy of mere presence (Passive Support) and different forms of active (Touch, Voice, Touch + Voice) support from a romantic partner during a painful experience in a naturalistic setting. We assessed pain modulation in 37 romantic couples via both subjective (self-reported ratings) and physiological (skin conductance) measurements. We found that all three types of active support were equally more effective than passive support in reducing the painful experience at both subjective and physiological levels; interestingly, our results suggest that supportive speaking can reduce pain perception with respect to passive support to a similar extent as tactile support does. Overall, this study highlights the relevance of an active support in reducing pain perception, with active types of support being more effective than passive support, regardless of its specific modality.

Possible oxytocin-related biomarkers in anxiety and mood disorders

Anxiety and mood disorders are prevalent, disabling, and frequently difficult to treat. Such disorders are often comorbid and share similar characteristics. For more accurate diagnosis and improved treatment, a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of anxiety and mood disorders is important. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamus, affects human psychology and behaviors such as social and affiliative behaviors, fear and emotion processing, and stress regulation. Thus, oxytocin is believed to exert anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects. This review article provides an overview of clinical studies on relationships between the oxytocin system and anxiety and mood disorders, focusing on oxytocin-related biomarker findings. Biomarkers used in such studies include central and peripheral oxytocin levels, analysis of oxytocin-related genes, and expression levels of oxytocin and oxytocin receptor genes in postmortem brains. Although a growing number of studies support the presence of oxytocinergic effects on anxiety and mood disorders, study results are heterogeneous and inconclusive. Moderating factors such as the characteristics of study populations, including sex, age, context, early life adversity, and attachment styles in patient cohorts, might affect the heterogeneity of the study results. Limitations in existing research such as small sample sizes, large dependence on peripheral sources of oxytocin, and inconsistent results between immunoassay methods complicate the interpretation of existing findings.