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Krug I, Fung S, Liu S, Treasure J, Huang C, Felmingham K, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M, McConchie O. The impact of oxytocin on emotion recognition and trust: Does disordered eating moderate these relationships? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303824. [PMID: 38820421 PMCID: PMC11142561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The current study aimed to investigate the impact of oxytocin on emotion recognition, trust, body image, affect, and anxiety and whether eating disorder (ED) symptoms moderated any of these relationships. METHOD Participants (n = 149) were female university students, who were randomly allocated to receive in a double-blind nature, a single dose of oxytocin intranasal spray (n = 76) or a placebo (saline) intranasal spray (n = 73). Participants were asked to complete an experimental measure of emotion recognition and an investor task aimed to assess trust. RESULTS The oxytocin group exhibited better overall performance on the emotion recognition task (especially with recognising positive emotions), and a decline in state positive affect than the control group at post-intervention. However, these effects were not moderated by ED symptom severity, nor were effects found for state anxiety, negative affect, body image and recognising negative emotions in the emotion recognition task. CONCLUSION The current findings contribute to the growing literature on oxytocin, emotion recognition and positive affect and suggest that ED pathology does not moderate these relationships. Future research would benefit from examining the efficacy of an oxytocin intervention using a within-subjects, cross-over design, in those with sub-clinical and clinical EDs, as well as healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Krug
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephanie Fung
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Janet Treasure
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Section of Eating Disorders, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chia Huang
- Eating Disorders Program, The Melbourne Clinic, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kim Felmingham
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
| | - Olivia McConchie
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Maejima Y, Yokota S, Hidema S, Nishimori K, de Wet H, Shimomura K. Systemic Co-Administration of Low-Dose Oxytocin and Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Additively Decreases Food Intake and Body Weight. Neuroendocrinology 2024; 114:639-657. [PMID: 38599201 DOI: 10.1159/000538792] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION GLP-1 receptor agonists are the number one drug prescribed for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. These drugs are not, however, without side effects, and in an effort to maximize therapeutic effect while minimizing adverse effects, gut hormone co-agonists received considerable attention as new drug targets in the fight against obesity. Numerous previous reports identified the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) as a promising anti-obesity drug. The aims of this study were to evaluate OXT as a possible co-agonist for GLP-1 and examine the effects of its co-administration on food intake (FI) and body weight (BW) in mice. METHODS FI and c-Fos levels were measured in the feeding centers of the brain in response to an intraperitoneal injection of saline, OXT, GLP-1, or OXT/GLP-1. The action potential frequency and cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in response to OXT, GLP-1, or OXT/GLP-1 were measured in ex vivo paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neuronal cultures. Finally, FI and BW changes were compared in diet-induced obese mice treated with saline, OXT, GLP-1, or OXT/GLP-1 for 13 days. RESULTS Single injection of OXT/GLP-1 additively decreased FI and increased c-Fos expression specifically in the PVN and supraoptic nucleus. Seventy percent of GLP-1 receptor-positive neurons in the PVN also expressed OXT receptors, and OXT/GLP-1 co-administration dramatically increased firing and [Ca2+]i in the PVN OXT neurons. The chronic OXT/GLP-1 co-administration decreased BW without changing FI. CONCLUSION Chronic OXT/GLP-1 co-administration decreases BW, possibly via the activation of PVN OXT neurons. OXT might be a promising candidate as an incretin co-agonist in obesity treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Maejima
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
- Departments of Obesity and Inflammation Research, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Shoko Yokota
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Shizu Hidema
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Nishimori
- Departments of Obesity and Inflammation Research, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Heidi de Wet
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kenju Shimomura
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
- Departments of Obesity and Inflammation Research, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
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Kurachi T, Shinozuka K, Yoshihara C, Yano-Nashimoto S, Murayama AY, Hata J, Haga Y, Okano H, Kuroda KO. Distinct roles of amylin and oxytocin signaling in intrafamilial social behaviors at the medial preoptic area of common marmosets. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1231. [PMID: 38052969 PMCID: PMC10698028 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05593-5] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcitonin receptor (Calcr) and its brain ligand amylin in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) are found to be critically involved in infant care and social contact behaviors in mice. In primates, however, the evidence is limited to an excitotoxic lesion study of the Calcr-expressing MPOA subregion (cMPOA) in a family-living primate species, the common marmoset. The present study utilized pharmacological manipulations of the cMPOA and shows that reversible inactivation of the cMPOA abolishes infant-care behaviors in sibling marmosets without affecting other social or non-social behaviors. Amylin-expressing neurons in the marmoset MPOA are distributed in the vicinity of oxytocin neurons in the anterior paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. While amylin infusion facilitates infant carrying selectively, an oxytocin's inverse agonist, atosiban, reduces physical contact with non-infant family members without grossly affecting infant care. These data suggest that the amylin and oxytocin signaling mediate intrafamilial social interactions in a complementary manner in marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Kurachi
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Shinozuka
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Chihiro Yoshihara
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Saori Yano-Nashimoto
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ayako Y Murayama
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junichi Hata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yawara Haga
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kumi O Kuroda
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan.
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan.
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan.
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Cerrito P, Spear JK. Lack of evidence for coevolution between oxytocin receptor N-terminal variants and monogamy in placental mammals. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105437. [PMID: 37806189 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105437] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a neurohypophyseal hormone that influences a wide range of affiliative behaviors, such as pair-bonding and infant care, across mammals. The effects of OXT depend significantly on an adequate interaction with its receptor, OXTR. OXTR belongs to the G-protein coupled receptor family. The extracellular N-terminal domain of OXTR interacts with the linear C-terminal tail of OXT and is required for OXT binding. Across mammalian species there is a genetic diversity in OXTR terminal sequence. Previous work on primates has shown an association between OXTR phylogeny and monogamy. However, it is not clear whether this variation coevolved with either mating system (monogamy) or infant care behaviors (such as allomaternal care). Here, we take a phylogenetic comparative and evolutionary modeling approach across a wide range of placental mammals (n = 60) to test whether OXTR N-terminal variants co-evolved with either monogamy or allomaternal care behaviors. Our results indicate that the diversity in OXTR N-terminal region is unlikely to provide the underlying genetic bases for variation in mating system and/or allomaternal behavior as we find no evidence for co-evolution between protein sequence and affiliative behaviors. Hence, the role played by OXT in influencing affiliative behaviors is unlikely to be mediated by the genetic diversity of its receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cerrito
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; Collegium Helveticum, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Jeffrey K Spear
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA.
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Liyanagamage DSNK, McColl LK, Glasgow LNM, Levine AS, Olszewski PK. Effect of intranasal oxytocin on palatable food consumption and c-Fos immunoreactivity in relevant brain areas in rats. Physiol Behav 2023; 271:114318. [PMID: 37543105 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral and central injections of oxytocin (OT) in laboratory animals decrease eating for energy and palatability, but the hypophagic response is dependent on the administration route. Human studies rely on intranasal (IN) administration of the peptide, the route underutilized in OT animal feeding studies thus far. Therefore, we examined the effect of IN OT on various aspects of food consumption in rats: (a) overnight deprivation-induced standard chow intake, (b) episodic (2-h) consumption of calorie-dense and palatable high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) chow, (c) 2-h episodic intake of palatable and calorie-dilute sucrose and Intralipid solutions, and (d) 2-h sucrose solution intake in rats habituated to ingesting this solution daily for several weeks. Finally, we assessed c-Fos changes in response to the acute IN OT administration in rats habituated to daily sugar consumption. We found that IN 20μg OT decreased deprivation-induced intake of standard chow and HFHS chow in nondeprived rats without affecting water consumption. IN OT also reduced 2-hour episodic fluid consumption of sucrose, but not Intralipid. In the habitual sugar consumption paradigm, acute IN OT diminished sucrose solution intake in animals accustomed to the 2-hour/day sucrose meal regimen. In rats habitually consuming sucrose, IN OT altered c-Fos immunoreactivity in brain areas related to energy homeostasis and reward, including the central nucleus of the amygdala, the hypothalamic paraventricular and the arcuate nuclei. We conclude that IN OT is an effective appetite suppressant for carbohydrate/sugar diets in rats and its effects involve feeding-related brain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura K McColl
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Lisa N M Glasgow
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Allen S Levine
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States of America
| | - Pawel K Olszewski
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand; Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States of America; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, United States of America.
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6
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Cong X, Liu H, Zheng Y, Chen M. A Putative Role of Vasopressin/Oxytocin-Type Neuropeptide in Osmoregulation and Feeding Inhibition of Apostichopus japonicus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14358. [PMID: 37762661 PMCID: PMC10532012 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814358] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vasopressin/oxytocin (VP/OT)-type neuropeptide is an ancient neurophysin-associated neuropeptide and has been intensively studied to be involved in multiple physiological processes in protostomian and deuterostome vertebrates. However, little is known about the functions of VP/OT-type neuropeptide in deuterostome invertebrates especially in echinoderms. Here, we firstly report VP/OT-type neuropeptide signaling in an important economic species, Apostichopus japonicus, which is widely cultured in Asia, with high nutritional and medicinal values. Molecular characterization analysis of holotocin and its precursor revealed the highly conserved features of VP/OT family. The candidate receptor for holotocin (AjHOR) was confirmed to be able to activate the signaling via cAMP-PKA and possible Ca2+-PKC pathway, and further activated the downstream ERK1/2 cascade. Holotocin precursor expression profile showed that they were mainly concentrated in circumoral nerve ring. Furthermore, in vitro pharmacological experiments demonstrated that holotocin caused contractile responses in preparations from A. japonicus. And in vivo functional studies indicated that short-term injection of holotocin resulted in body bloat and long-term injection resulted in reduced body mass, suggesting potential roles of holotocin in osmoregulation and feeding co-inhibition with holotocin-CCK. Our findings provided a comprehensive description of AjHOR-holotocin signaling, revealed ancient roles of holotocin in osmoregulation and feeding inhibition by controlling muscle contractions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Muyan Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (X.C.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.)
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Corona G, Rastrelli G, Comeglio P, Guaraldi F, Mazzatenta D, Sforza A, Vignozzi L, Maggi M. The metabolic role of prolactin: systematic review, meta-analysis and preclinical considerations. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2022; 17:533-545. [PMID: 36447418 DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2022.2144829] [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: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hyperprolactinemia has been proven to induce hypogonadism and metabolic derangements in both genders, while the consequences of prolactin (PRL) deficiency have been poorly investigated. AREAS COVERED To systematically review and analyze data from clinical studies focusing on the metabolic consequences of abnormally high prolactin levels (HPRL) and low prolactin levels (LPRL). In addition, data from preclinical studies about underlying pathophysiological mechanisms were summarized and discussed. EXPERT OPINION PRL contributes to providing the correct amount of energy to support the mother and the fetus/offspring during pregnancy and lactation, but it also has a homeostatic role. Pathological PRL elevation beyond these physiological conditions, but also its reduction, impairs metabolism and body composition in both genders, increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular events. Hence, hypoprolactinemia should be avoided as much as possible during treatment with dopamine agonists for prolactinomas. Patients with hypoprolactinemia, because of endogenous or iatrogenic conditions, deserve, as those with hyperprolactinemia, careful metabolic assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Corona
- Endocrinology Unit1, Medical Department, Azienda Usl, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Rastrelli
- Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit2, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Paolo Comeglio
- Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Federica Guaraldi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Diego Mazzatenta
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Sforza
- Endocrinology Unit1, Medical Department, Azienda Usl, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Linda Vignozzi
- Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Mario Maggi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM)4, Alma Mater Studiorum Bologna University, Bologna, Italy; Endocrinology Unit 4, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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8
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Neuroimaging genetics of oxytocin: A transcriptomics-informed systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104912. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Olszewski PK, Noble EE, Paiva L, Ueta Y, Blevins JE. Oxytocin as a potential pharmacological tool to combat obesity. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13106. [PMID: 35192207 PMCID: PMC9372234 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has emerged as an important anorexigen in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. It has been shown that the release of OT and activation of hypothalamic OT neurons coincide with food ingestion. Its effects on feeding have largely been attributed to limiting meal size through interactions in key regulatory brain regions governing the homeostatic control of food intake such as the hypothalamus and hindbrain in addition to key feeding reward areas such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area. Furthermore, the magnitude of an anorexigenic response to OT and feeding-related activation of the brain OT circuit are modified by the composition and flavor of a diet, as well as by a social context in which a meal is consumed. OT is particularly effective in reducing consumption of carbohydrates and sweet tastants. Pharmacologic, genetic, and pair-feeding studies indicate that OT-elicited weight loss cannot be fully explained by reductions of food intake and that the overall impact of OT on energy balance is also partly a result of OT-elicited changes in lipolysis, energy expenditure, and glucose regulation. Peripheral administration of OT mimics many of its effects when it is given into the central nervous system, raising the questions of whether and to what extent circulating OT acts through peripheral OT receptors to regulate energy balance. Although OT has been found to elicit weight loss in female mice, recent studies have indicated that sex and estrous cycle may impact oxytocinergic modulation of food intake. Despite the overall promising basic research data, attempts to use OT in the clinical setting to combat obesity and overeating have generated somewhat mixed results. The focus of this mini-review is to briefly summarize the role of OT in feeding and metabolism, address gaps and inconsistencies in our knowledge, and discuss some of the limitations to the potential use of chronic OT that should help guide future research on OT as a tailor-made anti-obesity therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel K Olszewski
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Waikato, New Zealand
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Emily E Noble
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Luis Paiva
- Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Yoichi Ueta
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - James E Blevins
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Giel KE, Schag K, Leehr EJ, Mack I, Schuster LS, Wiegand A, Zipfel S, Hallschmid M, Nieratschker V. OXTR DNA methylation differentiates men on the obesity spectrum with and without binge eating disorder. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:108. [PMID: 36042529 PMCID: PMC9429727 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01318-3] [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: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays a role in the regulation of eating behavior and metabolism. OXT functioning is altered in patients with eating and weight disorders, and a variant of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with impulsive eating behavior as it is seen in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Gene × environment interactions could play a role in BED. One mechanism mediating this interaction is the epigenetic alteration of gene expression. We therefore investigated if DNA methylation of the OXTR differs between individuals with obesity depending on a comorbid BED. We analyzed DNA methylation of the OXTR in peripheral blood of 227 individuals on the obesity spectrum (mean age: 40.3 ± 13.1 yrs; mean BMI: 38.6 ± 7.3 kg/m2), 130 of which were diagnosed with BED. RESULTS There were no overall differences in OXTR methylation between participants with and those without BED (p > 0.05), while both subgroups were comparable regarding age and body mass index (BMI), but significantly differed in sex distribution (p = 0.035). We found no relationship between mean DNA methylation and BMI or self-reported eating disorder (ED) pathology. Analyzing potential sex differences revealed a significantly lower OXTR DNA methylation in male participants with BED as compared to those without BED (p = 0.017). No such difference was found in the female subsample (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Clinically significant binge eating pathology might be associated with lower OXTR DNA methylation exclusively in males. The differential DNA methylation of OXTR in males with BED supports the view that BED represents a phenotype within the obesity spectrum that is characterized by specific vulnerability factors. A better understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of the OXT system might contribute to the refinement of OXT administration approaches as potential interventions in eating and weight disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Elisabeth Giel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. .,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Schag
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Johanna Leehr
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 11, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Isabelle Mack
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lea-Sarah Schuster
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ariane Wiegand
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Zipfel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Manfred Hallschmid
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen (IDM), Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Nieratschker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
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Watts AG, Kanoski SE, Sanchez-Watts G, Langhans W. The physiological control of eating: signals, neurons, and networks. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:689-813. [PMID: 34486393 PMCID: PMC8759974 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00028.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During the past 30 yr, investigating the physiology of eating behaviors has generated a truly vast literature. This is fueled in part by a dramatic increase in obesity and its comorbidities that has coincided with an ever increasing sophistication of genetically based manipulations. These techniques have produced results with a remarkable degree of cell specificity, particularly at the cell signaling level, and have played a lead role in advancing the field. However, putting these findings into a brain-wide context that connects physiological signals and neurons to behavior and somatic physiology requires a thorough consideration of neuronal connections: a field that has also seen an extraordinary technological revolution. Our goal is to present a comprehensive and balanced assessment of how physiological signals associated with energy homeostasis interact at many brain levels to control eating behaviors. A major theme is that these signals engage sets of interacting neural networks throughout the brain that are defined by specific neural connections. We begin by discussing some fundamental concepts, including ones that still engender vigorous debate, that provide the necessary frameworks for understanding how the brain controls meal initiation and termination. These include key word definitions, ATP availability as the pivotal regulated variable in energy homeostasis, neuropeptide signaling, homeostatic and hedonic eating, and meal structure. Within this context, we discuss network models of how key regions in the endbrain (or telencephalon), hypothalamus, hindbrain, medulla, vagus nerve, and spinal cord work together with the gastrointestinal tract to enable the complex motor events that permit animals to eat in diverse situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan G Watts
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Graciela Sanchez-Watts
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Wolfgang Langhans
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule-Zürich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
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12
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Sucrose intake by rats affected by both intraperitoneal oxytocin administration and time of day. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:429-442. [PMID: 34731267 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06014-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Daily limited access to palatable food or drink at a fixed time is commonly used in rodent models of bingeing. Under these conditions, entrainment may modulate intake patterns. Oxytocin is involved in circadian patterns of intake and, when administered peripherally, reduces sucrose intake. However, oxytocin's effects on intake under limited-access conditions and its potential interaction with entrainment have not been explored. OBJECTIVES This study examined the role of entrainment on intake patterns, oxytocin's effects on sucrose intakes and locomotor activity and whether oxytocin's effects were mediated by its actions at the oxytocin receptor. METHODS Sated rats received daily 1-h access to 10% sucrose solution either at a fixed or varied time of day. Rats received intraperitoneal oxytocin (0 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg) prior to sucrose access, and spontaneous locomotor activity was assessed in an open-field test. Rats were then pre-treated with an oxytocin receptor antagonist, L368,899, prior to oxytocin before sucrose access. RESULTS Intake patterns did not differ between fixed- or varied-time presentations; rats consumed more sucrose solution in the middle as opposed to the early-dark phase. Oxytocin dose-dependently reduced sucrose intakes, but also reduced locomotor activity. There was some evidence of partial blockade of oxytocin-induced sucrose intake reductions by L368,899, but the results were unclear. CONCLUSIONS Time of day and oxytocin impact sucrose solution intake under daily limited access in rats and the sedative-like effects of oxytocin should be considered in future studies on oxytocin and food intake.
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13
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Worth AA, Luckman SM. Do oxytocin neurones affect feeding? J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13035. [PMID: 34495565 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There has been a long history of research on the effects of oxytocin on feeding behaviour. The classic-held view is that the neurohormone is anorexigenic at least in rodents, although the data for humans are not so clear cut. Likewise, a physiological role for oxytocin is disputed. Thus, although pharmacological, anatomical and physiological data suggest oxytocin may have a function in satiety signalling, this view is not supported by the latest research using the genetic recording and manipulation of oxytocin neurones. Here, we avoid a discussion of the pharmacological effects of oxytocin and examine evidence, from both sides of the argument, concerning whether the endogenous oxytocin system has a role in the regulation of normal feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy A Worth
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon M Luckman
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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14
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Chen CY, Chiang YC, Kuo TC, Tam KW, Loh EW. Effects of intranasal oxytocin in food intake and craving: A meta-analysis of clinical trials. Clin Nutr 2021; 40:5407-5416. [PMID: 34600216 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A rise of endogenous oxytocin (OT) is associated with anxiety and meal size reduction, and the effects of intranasal OT (INOT) have been examined in the management of food intake and craving. However, the discrepancy INOT effects in different disease populations are not entirely clear. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Updated systematic review and meta-analysis. By systematically searching the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library, we obtained 12 controlled trials. We performed meta-analyses to examine food intake, craving, anxiety or stress reduction on INOT administration, using standard mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a random-effects model. RESULTS This study examined 12 trials with 266 non-psychiatric and 157 psychiatric participants. The pooled results showed that single-dose INOT induced a significant lesser food intake in non-psychiatric subjects (SMD: -0.66 [95% CI: -1.18, -0.14]), but no effects was found in anorexia nervosa (AN) (SMD: 0.17 [95% CI: -0.32, 0.66]), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) (SMD: -0.41 [95% CI: -0.94, 0.11]), and schizophrenia (SMD: 0.04 [95% CI: -0.94, 1.02] subjects. Further analysis on leisure food also indicated an inhibition of consumption of chocolate biscuits in non-psychiatric subjects. Neither the non-psychiatric (SMD: -0.08 [95% CI: -0.50, 0.33]) nor the BN and BED (SMD: -0.08 [95% CI: -0.72, 0.88]) and schizophrenia subjects (SMD: -0.07 [95% CI: -1.05, 0.91]) demonstrated a difference in food craving or hunger compared with placebo. Anxiety or stress level was not influenced by INOT in any subgroup (non-psychiatric, SMD: 0.19 [95% CI: -0.22, 0.60]; AN, SMD: -0.01 [95% CI: -0.28, 0.88]; BN and BED: SMD: 0.00 [95% CI: -0.80, 0.80]). CONCLUSIONS Single-dose INOT significantly reduces food intake in nonpsychiatric subjects, and further studies are necessary to assess the long-term effects and safety in obese patients. Whether INOT could be a treatment option for patients with eating disorders remains to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Ying Chen
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Chiang
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Chih Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ka-Wai Tam
- Center for Evidence-Based Health Care, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Cochrane Taiwan, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - El-Wui Loh
- Center for Evidence-Based Health Care, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Cochrane Taiwan, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
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15
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Qiu W, Go KA, Wen Y, Duarte-Guterman P, Eid RS, Galea LAM. Maternal fluoxetine reduces hippocampal inflammation and neurogenesis in adult offspring with sex-specific effects of periadolescent oxytocin. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 97:394-409. [PMID: 34174336 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Untreated perinatal depression can have severe consequences for the mother and her children. However, both the efficacy to mothers and safety to exposed infants of pharmacological antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been questioned. We previously reported that maternal SSRI exposure increased hippocampal IL-1β levels, which may be tied to limited efficacy of SSRIs during the postpartum to the dam but is not yet known whether maternal postpartum SSRIs affect the neuroinflammatory profile of adult offspring. In addition, although controversial, perinatal SSRI exposure has been linked to increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Oxytocin (OT) is under investigation as a treatment for ASD, but OT is a large neuropeptide that has difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). TriozanTM is a nanoformulation that can facilitate OT to cross the BBB. Thus, we investigated the impact of maternal postpartum SSRIs and offspring preadolescent OT treatment on adult offspring neuroinflammation, social behavior, and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Using a model of de novo postpartum depression, corticosterone (CORT) was given in the postpartum to the dam with or without treatment with the SSRI, fluoxetine (FLX) for 21 days postpartum. Offspring were then subsequently treated with either OT, OT + TriozanTM, or vehicle for 10 days prior to adolescence (PD25-34). Maternal FLX decreased hippocampal IL-10 and IL-13 and neurogenesis in both sexes, whereas maternal CORT increased hippocampal IL-13 in both sexes. Maternal CORT treatment shifted the neuroimmune profile towards a more proinflammatory profile in offspring hippocampus, whereas oxytocin, independent of formulation, normalized this profile. OT treatment increased hippocampal neurogenesis in adult males but not in adult females, regardless of maternal treatment. OT treatment increased the time spent with a novel social stimulus animal (social investigation) in both adult male and female offspring, although this effect depended on maternal CORT. These findings underscore that preadolescent exposure to OT can reverse some of the long-lasting effects of postpartum maternal CORT and FLX treatments in the adult offspring. In addition, we found that maternal treatments that reduce (CORT) or increase (FLX) hippocampal inflammation in dams resulted in opposing patterns of hippocampal inflammation in adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wansu Qiu
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kimberly A Go
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yanhua Wen
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Rand S Eid
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada.
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16
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Kerem L, Lawson EA. The Effects of Oxytocin on Appetite Regulation, Food Intake and Metabolism in Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7737. [PMID: 34299356 PMCID: PMC8306733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin and its receptor are involved in a range of physiological processes, including parturition, lactation, cell growth, wound healing, and social behavior. More recently, increasing evidence has established the effects of oxytocin on food intake, energy expenditure, and peripheral metabolism. In this review, we provide a comprehensive description of the central oxytocinergic system in which oxytocin acts to shape eating behavior and metabolism. Next, we discuss the peripheral beneficial effects oxytocin exerts on key metabolic organs, including suppression of visceral adipose tissue inflammation, skeletal muscle regeneration, and bone tissue mineralization. A brief summary of oxytocin actions learned from animal models is presented, showing that weight loss induced by chronic oxytocin treatment is related not only to its anorexigenic effects, but also to the resulting increase in energy expenditure and lipolysis. Following an in-depth discussion on the technical challenges related to endogenous oxytocin measurements in humans, we synthesize data related to the association between endogenous oxytocin levels, weight status, metabolic syndrome, and bone health. We then review clinical trials showing that in humans, acute oxytocin administration reduces food intake, attenuates fMRI activation of food motivation brain areas, and increases activation of self-control brain regions. Further strengthening the role of oxytocin in appetite regulation, we review conditions of hypothalamic insult and certain genetic pathologies associated with oxytocin depletion that present with hyperphagia, extreme weight gain, and poor metabolic profile. Intranasal oxytocin is currently being evaluated in human clinical trials to learn whether oxytocin-based therapeutics can be used to treat obesity and its associated sequela. At the end of this review, we address the fundamental challenges that remain in translating this line of research to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
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17
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Houghton B, Kouimtsidis C, Duka T, Paloyelis Y, Bailey A. Can intranasal oxytocin reduce craving in automated addictive behaviours? A systematic review. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:4316-4334. [PMID: 34235724 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Existing pharmacotherapies for managing craving, a strong predictor of relapse to automated addictive behaviours, are limited in efficacy and characterised by increased health risks associated with their pharmacological profile. Preclinical studies have identified oxytocin as a promising pharmacotherapy with anticraving properties for addictive behaviours. Here, we provide the first systematic review of 17 human studies (n = 722; 30% female) investigating the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin to reduce craving or consumption in addictive behaviours. We identify intranasal oxytocin as a method that warrants further investigation regarding its capacity to decrease cue-induced, acute stress-induced or withdrawal-related craving and relapse related to alcohol, cannabis, opioids, cocaine or nicotine, including a potential role as ad hoc medication following exposure to drug-related cues. Future studies should investigate the role of factors such as treatment regimens and sample characteristics, including the role of the amygdala, which we propose as a distinct mechanism mediating oxytocin's anticraving properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Houghton
- Pharmacology Section, Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Theodora Duka
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexis Bailey
- Pharmacology Section, Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, St George's University of London, London, UK
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18
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Camerino C. Oxytocin Involvement in Body Composition Unveils the True Identity of Oxytocin. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126383. [PMID: 34203705 PMCID: PMC8232088 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The origin of the Oxytocin/Vasopressin system dates back about 600 million years. Oxytocin (Oxt) together with Vasopressin (VP) regulate a diversity of physiological functions that are important for osmoregulation, reproduction, metabolism, and social behavior. Oxt/VP-like peptides have been identified in several invertebrate species and they are functionally related across the entire animal kingdom. Functional conservation enables future exploitation of invertebrate models to study Oxt’s functions not related to pregnancy and the basic mechanisms of central Oxt/VP signaling. Specifically, Oxt is well known for its effects on uteri contractility and milk ejection as well as on metabolism and energy homeostasis. Moreover, the striking evidence that Oxt is linked to energy regulation is that Oxt- and Oxytocin receptor (Oxtr)-deficient mice show late onset obesity. Interestingly Oxt−/− or Oxtr−/− mice develop weight gain without increasing food intake, suggesting that a lack of Oxt reduce metabolic rate. Oxt is expressed in a diversity of skeletal muscle phenotypes and regulates thermogenesis and bone mass. Oxt may increases skeletal muscle tonicity and/or increases body temperature. In this review, the author compared the three most recent theories on the effects of Oxt on body composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Camerino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (Section of Pharmacology), School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, P.za G. Cesare 11, 70100 Bari, Italy;
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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19
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Head MA, Levine AS, Christian DG, Klockars A, Olszewski PK. Effect of combination of peripheral oxytocin and naltrexone at subthreshold doses on food intake, body weight and feeding-related brain gene expression in male rats. Physiol Behav 2021; 238:113464. [PMID: 34022256 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In a recent case report involving a male with hypothalamic obesity, concurrent administration of oxytocin (OT) and an opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone (NTX), synergistically affected energy balance. Here, by using laboratory rats, we examined whether the reported synergy between OT and NTX in the context of food intake extends beyond that one unique case. We found that intravenous OT+NTX combination, at doses subthreshold for each of the drugs individually, decreased episodic consumption of a 10% sucrose solution in non-deprived animals. Daily administration of OT and NTX just before a scheduled, 2-hour, high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) meal over 24 days, decreased cumulative HFHS diet intake, but without a change in body weight due to compensatory standard chow intake during the remainder of the day. The NTX-OT treatment affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the hypothalamus, brain stem and nucleus accumbens, brain regions essential for the regulation of energy- and reward-driven consumption. We conclude that OT and NTX act synergistically to decrease food consumption in rats and that this transient effect is accompanied by changes in brain processes relevant to feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell A Head
- School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Allen S Levine
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55113 United States.
| | - David G Christian
- School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Anica Klockars
- School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Pawel K Olszewski
- School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand; Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55113 United States; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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20
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Hong SM, Ko JK, Moon JJ, Kim YR. Oxytocin: A Potential Therapeutic for Obesity. J Obes Metab Syndr 2021; 30:115-123. [PMID: 33820878 PMCID: PMC8277591 DOI: 10.7570/jomes20098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide involved in the homeostasis of food consumption and energy; it affects hedonic eating. Studies in obese or binge-eating patients reported the hypophagic effect of oxytocin, which reduced caloric intake after administration. Several studies have demonstrated the effect of oxytocin’s increasing energy intake, decreasing food consumption, and contributing to weight loss. Oxytocin’s effects on food intake and metabolism suggest its therapeutic potential for treating obesity and binge eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Min Hong
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong-Kyung Ko
- Institute of Eating Disorders and Mental Health, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung-Joon Moon
- Department of Psychiatry, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Korea
| | - Youl-Ri Kim
- Institute of Eating Disorders and Mental Health, Inje University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
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21
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Wirobski G, Range F, Schaebs FS, Palme R, Deschner T, Marshall-Pescini S. Endocrine changes related to dog domestication: Comparing urinary cortisol and oxytocin in hand-raised, pack-living dogs and wolves. Horm Behav 2021; 128:104901. [PMID: 33245878 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are exceptionally well adapted to life close to humans, and alterations in their endocrine system during the domestication process may be an underlying mechanism. In particular, it has been suggested that low circulating cortisol concentrations in conjunction with simultaneously high oxytocin concentrations may have resulted in dogs' increased docility ('selection for tameness' hypothesis) and heightened propensity to interact and form relationships with humans ('hypersociability' hypothesis) compared to wolves. To investigate this, we analyzed cortisol and oxytocin metabolite concentrations from urine samples of hand-raised, pack-living domestic dogs and their non-domestic relatives, grey wolves. Based on the hypotheses outlined above, we predicted lower cortisol but higher oxytocin concentrations in dogs than wolves. In contrast to our prediction, we found higher cortisol concentrations in dogs than wolves. However, oxytocin concentrations were higher in dogs compared to wolves although the effect was relatively small. Indeed, male dogs had the highest oxytocin concentrations while female dogs' oxytocin concentrations were comparable to wolves'. Feeding status, reproductive phase, and conspecific social interactions also significantly affected cortisol and oxytocin concentrations. Furthermore, we compared two methods of correcting for variable water content of urine samples. We discuss our results in light of physiological and behavioral changes during domestication and highlight the importance of accounting for confounding variables in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Wirobski
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - F Range
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - F S Schaebs
- University of Leipzig, ZLS, Prager Str. 34, 04317 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - R Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - T Deschner
- Endocrinology Lab, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - S Marshall-Pescini
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
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22
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Plemeniti Tololeski B, Suhodolčan Grabner A, Kumperscak HG. Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anorexia Nervosa Comorbidity: Common Features and Treatment Possibilities With Cognitive Remediation Therapy and Oxytocin. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:686030. [PMID: 34413796 PMCID: PMC8369034 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.686030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autistic traits or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be found in 4% to 52% of anorexic patients, which makes the treatment of these patients very challenging. In this review, possible ways to treat ASD and anorexia nervosa (AN) comorbidity in children and adolescents are summarized. Over recent years, the focus has shifted from searching for the evidence of connections between these two disorders, which have started with Gillberg's study in 1983, to searching for more effective and holistic treatment of this comorbidity. The latter is known to contribute to more severe courses and worse prognosis, which is probably related to the obstacles in both diagnosing and treating. Since AN usually starts in early adolescence and high-functioning ASD children seem to begin struggling with increased pressure in adolescence, while various comorbidities can occur, it is important to improve the treatment of this comorbidity in young patients and to tailor it specifically in terms of diagnosing. In this paper, a literature review is conducted on common features and promising treatment possibilities. We describe cognitive remediation therapy and the promising pharmacotherapeutic candidate oxytocin with a special focus on adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Plemeniti Tololeski
- Centre for Mental Health, Unit for Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospital Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Hojka Gregoric Kumperscak
- Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Maribor, Slovenia.,Faculty for Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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23
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Abstract
The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin has been increasingly recognized as a hormone and neurotransmitter with important effects on energy intake, metabolism, and body weight and is under investigation as a potential novel therapeutic agent for obesity. The main neurons producing oxytocin and expressing the oxytocin receptor are strategically located in brain areas known to be critically involved in homeostatic energy balance as well as hedonic and motivational aspects of eating behavior. In this chapter, we will review the central and peripheral physiology of oxytocin and the interaction of oxytocin with key hormones and neural circuitries that affect food intake and metabolism. Next, we will synthesize the available data on endogenous oxytocin levels related to caloric intake, body weight, and metabolic status. We will then review the effects of exogenous oxytocin administration on eating behavior, body weight, and metabolism in humans, including in healthy individuals as well as specific populations with suspected perturbations involving oxytocin pathways. Finally, we will address the promise and fundamental challenges of translating this line of research to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
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Wald HS, Chandra A, Kalluri A, Ong ZY, Hayes MR, Grill HJ. NTS and VTA oxytocin reduces food motivation and food seeking. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2020; 319:R673-R683. [PMID: 33026822 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00201.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide whose central receptor-mediated actions include reducing food intake. One mechanism of its behavioral action is the amplification of the feeding inhibitory effects of gastrointestinal (GI) satiation signals processed by hindbrain neurons. OT treatment also reduces carbohydrate intake in humans and rodents, and correspondingly, deficits in central OT receptor (OT-R) signaling increase sucrose self-administration. This suggests that additional processes contribute to central OT effects on feeding. This study investigated the hypothesis that central OT reduces food intake by decreasing food seeking and food motivation. As central OT-Rs are expressed widely, a related focus was to assess the role of one or more OT-R-expressing nuclei in food motivation and food-seeking behavior. OT was delivered to the lateral ventricle (LV), nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), or ventral tegmental area (VTA), and a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of operant reinforcement and an operant reinstatement paradigm were used to measure motivated feeding behavior and food-seeking behavior, respectively. OT delivered to the LV, NTS, or VTA reduced 1) motivation to work for food and 2) reinstatement of food-seeking behavior. Results provide a novel and additional interpretation for central OT-driven food intake inhibition to include the reduction of food motivation and food seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hallie S Wald
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ananya Chandra
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Anita Kalluri
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Zhi Yi Ong
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew R Hayes
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Harvey J Grill
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Tanaka K, Saito R, Sanada K, Nishimura H, Nishimura K, Sonoda S, Ueno H, Motojima Y, Matsuura T, Yoshimura M, Maruyama T, Onaka T, Yamamoto Y, Kusuhara K, Ueta Y. Expression of hypothalamic feeding-related peptide genes and neuroendocrine responses in an experimental allergic encephalomyelitis rat model. Peptides 2020; 129:170313. [PMID: 32298774 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is considered to be a useful animal model of human multiple sclerosis (MS). However, among the various symptoms of MS, the mechanisms contributing to inflammatory anorexia remain unclear. In the present study, we used an EAE rat model to examine changes in expression levels of hypothalamic feeding-related peptide genes and neuroendocrine responses such as the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The weight gain and cumulative food intake in EAE rats in the early days after immunization was significantly lower than that of the control group. The expression of orexigenic peptide genes Npy and Agrp were significantly increased, whereas the levels of anorectic peptide genes (Pomc and Cart) were significantly decreased in the hypothalamus of EAE rats. There was also a significant increase in the mRNA and plasma oxytocin (OXT) but not of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei (PVN) of EAE rats at days 12 and 18 after immunization. The expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) and Avp was downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in the parvocellular division of the PVN at day 12 after immunization. The expression level of Pomc in the anterior pituitary significantly increased, accompanied by increased plasma corticosterone levels, at days 6, 12, and 18 after immunization. These results suggest that inflammatory anorexia in rat EAE may be caused by activation of the OXT-ergic pathway and HPA axis via changes in the expression of hypothalamic feeding-related peptides, including Avp but not Crh.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Tanaka
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Reiko Saito
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Kenya Sanada
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Haruki Nishimura
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nishimura
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Satomi Sonoda
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Ueno
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Motojima
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Takanori Matsuura
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Yoshimura
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Takashi Maruyama
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Tatsushi Onaka
- Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University, Shimono, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Yukiyo Yamamoto
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Koichi Kusuhara
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan
| | - Yoichi Ueta
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
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Investigating resting brain perfusion abnormalities and disease target-engagement by intranasal oxytocin in women with bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder and healthy controls. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:180. [PMID: 32513936 PMCID: PMC7280271 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00871-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder (BN/BED) have been marred by our limited understanding of the underpinning neurobiology. Here we measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to map resting perfusion abnormalities in women with BN/BED compared with healthy controls and investigate whether intranasal oxytocin (OT), proposed as a potential treatment, can restore perfusion in disorder-related brain circuits. Twenty-four women with BN/BED and 23 healthy women participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study. We used arterial spin labelling MRI to measure rCBF and the effects of an acute dose of intranasal OT (40 IU) or placebo over 18-26 min post dosing, as we have previously shown robust OT-induced changes in resting rCBF in men in a similar time-window (15-36 min post dosing). We tested for effects of treatment, diagnosis and their interaction on extracted rCBF values in anatomical regions-of-interest previously implicated in BN/BED by other neuroimaging modalities, and conducted exploratory whole-brain analyses to investigate previously unidentified brain regions. We demonstrated that women with BN/BED presented increased resting rCBF in the medial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, anterior cingulate gyrus, posterior insula and middle/inferior temporal gyri bilaterally. Hyperperfusion in these areas specifically correlated with eating symptoms severity in patients. Our data did not support a normalizing effect of intranasal OT on perfusion abnormalities in these patients, at least for the specific dose (40 IU) and post-dosing interval (18-26 min) examined. Our findings enhance our understanding of resting brain abnormalities in BN/BED and identify resting rCBF as a non-invasive potential biomarker for disease-related changes and treatment monitoring. They also highlight the need for a comprehensive investigation of intranasal OT pharmacodynamics in women before we can fully ascertain its therapeutic value in disorders affecting predominantly this gender, such as BN/BED.
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Panaro MA, Benameur T, Porro C. Hypothalamic Neuropeptide Brain Protection: Focus on Oxytocin. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051534. [PMID: 32438751 PMCID: PMC7290962 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is hypothalamic neuropeptide synthetized in the brain by magnocellular and parvo cellular neurons of the paraventricular (PVN), supraoptic (SON) and accessory nuclei (AN) of the hypothalamus. OXT acts in the central and peripheral nervous systems via G-protein-coupled receptors. The classical physiological functions of OXT are uterine contractions, the milk ejection reflex during lactation, penile erection and sexual arousal, but recent studies have demonstrated that OXT may have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and regulate immune and anti-inflammatory responses. In the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, microglia are present in an active form and release high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that are implicated in the process of neural injury. A promising treatment for neurodegenerative diseases involves new therapeutic approaches targeting activated microglia. Recent studies have reported that OXT exerts neuroprotective effects through the inhibition of production of pro-inflammatory mediators, and in the development of correct neural circuitry. The focus of this review is to attribute a new important role of OXT in neuroprotection through the microglia–OXT interaction of immature and adult brains. In addition, we analyzed the strategies that could enhance the delivery of OXT in the brain and amplify its positive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Antonietta Panaro
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Tarek Benameur
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, 31982 Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Chiara Porro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Leslie M, Leppanen J, Paloyelis Y, Treasure J. A pilot study investigating the influence of oxytocin on attentional bias to food images in women with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12843. [PMID: 32202692 PMCID: PMC8650572 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research has found that exogenous oxytocin administration has the potential to modulate attentional biases in women with anorexia nervosa. Recent work has indicated that attentional biases to food may reinforce the recurrent binge eating behaviour characterising bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. To date, however, no study has yet investigated the effect of oxytocin on attentional biases to palatable food in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. METHODS The present study employed a single-session cross-over design to test the hypothesis that a divided dose of 64 IU of intranasal oxytocin, administered as one intranasal dose of 40 IU of oxytocin followed by a top-up of 24 IU of oxytocin 80 minutes later, vs placebo administration administered in the same dosing schedule would reduce attentional biases towards food images in a dot probe task. We hypothesised that oxytocin administration would reduce vigilance towards food to a greater degree in women with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder vs healthy comparison women. Twenty-five women with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder and 27 comparison women without history of an eating disorder were recruited to take part in the study. RESULTS In contrast to our hypothesis, there was no main effect of diagnosis on attentional bias to food (fixed effect = 5.70, P = 0.363), nor a significant interaction between diagnosis and drug condition (fixed effect =-14.80, P = 0.645). There was a main effect of drug condition, such that oxytocin increased vigilance towards food vs neutral images in the dot probe task (fixed effect = 10.42, P = 0.044). A correlation analysis revealed that this effect was moderated by attentional bias in the placebo condition, such that greater avoidance of food stimuli in the placebo condition was associated with a greater increase in vigilance induced by oxytocin. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study add to a mixed body of literature investigating the therapeutic effects of oxytocin in women. Future research would benefit from dose-response studies investigating the optimal dose of oxytocin for modulating the attentional processing of palatable food in populations with eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Leslie
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN)King’s College London (KCL)LondonUK
| | - Jenni Leppanen
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN)King’s College London (KCL)LondonUK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN)King’s College London (KCL)LondonUK
| | - Janet Treasure
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN)King’s College London (KCL)LondonUK
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29
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An Allostatic Theory of Oxytocin. Trends Cogn Sci 2020; 24:515-528. [PMID: 32360118 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin has garnered considerable interest for its role in social behavior, as well as for the potential of intranasal administration to treat social difficulties. However, current theoretical models for the role of oxytocin in social behavior pay little consideration to its evolutionary and developmental history. This article aims to broaden our understanding of the role of oxytocin in social behavior by adopting an ethological approach through the lens of Nikolaas Tinbergen's 'four questions' - how does oxytocin work; how does the role of oxytocin change during development; how does oxytocin enhance survival; and how did the oxytocin system evolve? We argue that oxytocin is most accurately described as an allostatic hormone that modulates both social and non-social behavior by maintaining stability through changing environments.
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30
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Martins DA, Mazibuko N, Zelaya F, Vasilakopoulou S, Loveridge J, Oates A, Maltezos S, Mehta M, Wastling S, Howard M, McAlonan G, Murphy D, Williams SCR, Fotopoulou A, Schuschnig U, Paloyelis Y. Effects of route of administration on oxytocin-induced changes in regional cerebral blood flow in humans. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1160. [PMID: 32127545 PMCID: PMC7054359 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14845-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Could nose-to-brain pathways mediate the effects of peptides such as oxytocin (OT) on brain physiology when delivered intranasally? We address this question by contrasting two methods of intranasal administration (a standard nasal spray, and a nebulizer expected to improve OT deposition in nasal areas putatively involved in direct nose-to-brain transport) to intravenous administration in terms of effects on regional cerebral blood flow during two hours post-dosing. We demonstrate that OT-induced decreases in amygdala perfusion, a key hub of the OT central circuitry, are explained entirely by OT increases in systemic circulation following both intranasal and intravenous OT administration. Yet we also provide robust evidence confirming the validity of the intranasal route to target specific brain regions. Our work has important translational implications and demonstrates the need to carefully consider the method of administration in our efforts to engage specific central oxytocinergic targets for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - N Mazibuko
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - F Zelaya
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - S Vasilakopoulou
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - J Loveridge
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A Oates
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - S Maltezos
- Adult Autism and ADHD Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - M Mehta
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - S Wastling
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Lysholm Department of Neuroradiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - M Howard
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - G McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science (SM), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - D Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science (SM), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - S C R Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A Fotopoulou
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Y Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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Pflimlin E, Zhou Z, Amso Z, Fu Q, Lee C, Muppiddi A, Joseph SB, Nguyen-Tran V, Shen W. Engineering a Potent, Long-Acting, and Periphery-Restricted Oxytocin Receptor Agonist with Anorexigenic and Body Weight Reducing Effects. J Med Chem 2019; 63:382-390. [PMID: 31850759 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The effects of oxytocin on food intake and body weight reduction have been demonstrated in both animal models and human clinical studies. Despite being efficacious, oxytocin is enzymatically unstable and thus considered to be unsuitable for long-term use in patients with obesity. Herein, a series of oxytocin derivatives were engineered through conjugation with fatty acid moieties that are known to exhibit high binding affinities to serum albumin. One analog (OT-12) in particular was shown to be a potent full agonist at the oxytocin receptor (OTR) in vitro with good selectivity and long half-life (24 h) in mice. Furthermore, OT-12 is peripherally restricted, with very limited brain exposure (1/190 of the plasma level). In a diet-induced obesity mouse model, daily subcutaneous administration of OT-12 exhibited more potent anorexigenic and body weight reducing effects than carbetocin. Thus, our results suggest that the long-acting, peripherally restricted OTR agonist may offer potential therapeutic benefits for obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Pflimlin
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Zhihong Zhou
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Zaid Amso
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Qiangwei Fu
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Candy Lee
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Avinash Muppiddi
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Sean B Joseph
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Vân Nguyen-Tran
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Weijun Shen
- Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
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Kerem L, Hadjikhani N, Holsen L, Lawson EA, Plessow F. Oxytocin reduces the functional connectivity between brain regions involved in eating behavior in men with overweight and obesity. Int J Obes (Lond) 2019; 44:980-989. [PMID: 31740723 PMCID: PMC7192759 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-019-0489-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background: Oxytocin (OXT), shown to decrease food intake in animal models and men, is a promising novel treatment for obesity. We have shown that in men with overweight and obesity, intranasal (IN) OXT reduced the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygenation level-dependent signal in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the origin of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system, in response to high-calorie food vs. non-food images. Here, we employed functional connectivity fMRI analysis, which measures the synchrony in activation between neural systems in a context-dependent manner. We hypothesized that OXT would attenuate the functional connectivity of the VTA with key food motivation brain areas only when participants viewed high-calorie food stimuli. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 24 IU IN OXT included 10 men with overweight or obesity (mean±SEM BMI: 28.9±0.8 kg/m2). Following drug administration, subjects completed an fMRI food motivation paradigm including images of high and low-calorie foods, non-food objects, and fixation stimuli. A psychophysiological interaction analysis was performed with the VTA as seed region. Results: Following OXT administration, compared with placebo, participants exhibited significantly attenuated functional connectivity between the VTA and the insula, oral somatosensory cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, operculum, and middle temporal gyrus in response to viewing high-calorie foods (Z≥3.1, cluster-corrected, p<0.05). There was no difference in functional connectivity between VTA and these brain areas when comparing OXT and placebo for low-calorie food, non-food, and fixation images. Conclusion: In men with overweight and obesity, OXT attenuates the functional connectivity between the VTA and food motivation brain regions in response to high-calorie visual food images. These findings could partially explain the observed anorexigenic effect of OXT, providing insight into the mechanism through which OXT ameliorates food cue-induced reward anticipation in patients with obesity. Additional studies are ongoing to further delineate the anorexigenic effect of OXT in obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nouchine Hadjikhani
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Center, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Laura Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review is to describe animal models that simulate the features of eating disorders. The literature pertaining to animal models that are of relevance for clinical eating disorders and the possible underpinning mechanisms was reviewed using PubMed, Ovid database and Google Scholar. RECENT FINDINGS New refinements of the circuits regulated by neurotransmitters and neuropeptides which instigate eating behaviours and the various feedback pathways which monitor acute and chronic nutrient status continue to be discovered. Moreover, work with the animal models that simulate the behavioural features and risk factors related to eating disorders is flourishing and providing new insights into possible causal mechanisms. For example, rodents develop binge-eating behaviours if they are intermittently exposed to processed, palatable foods and/or sugar adulterated drinks. This led to the controversial conceptualization of binge eating as a form of food addiction. Self-starvation taken to a fatal consequence such as occurs in anorexia nervosa can emerge in rodents exposed to triggers like social exclusion and/or the opportunity to exercise. SUMMARY There are plausible animal models for both anorexia nervosa and binge-eating disorders. These can be used to elaborate the theoretical models to explain the mechanisms underpinning eating disorders.
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Leslie M, Leppanen J, Paloyelis Y, Treasure J. The influence of oxytocin on eating behaviours and stress in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 497:110354. [PMID: 30579958 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The current study aimed to test the influence of oxytocin on palatable food intake, 24-h caloric consumption, and stress in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. We recruited 25 women with DSM-5 bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder, and 27 weight-matched comparison women without history of an eating disorder. We employed a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design in which each participant attended the lab for two experimental sessions, receiving a divided dose of 64IU intranasal oxytocin in one session and equivalent volume of placebo nasal spray in the opposite session. The order of administration was pseudo-randomised across participants. We hypothesised that a divided dose of 64IU intranasal oxytocin administration would reduce subjective hunger, the immediate consumption of palatable food, 24-h calorie consumption, and the incidence of binge eating when compared to placebo. We also hypothesised that oxytocin administration would be associated with lower levels of stress and salivary cortisol, and that there would be an interaction with participant group such that oxytocin would reduce eating behaviour and stress to a greater degree in women with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder, compared to women without history of an eating disorder. We did not find a significant effect of oxytocin on any of the measurements of eating behaviour, subjective stress, or salivary cortisol. We recommend that future studies test the dose-response effect of oxytocin on eating behaviours and stress in human populations with eating disorders to further clarify the moderating factors for oxytocin's effect on eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Leslie
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) - King's College London (KCL), London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jenni Leppanen
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) - King's College London (KCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) - King's College London (KCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Janet Treasure
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) - King's College London (KCL), London, United Kingdom
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Burmester V, Gibson EL, Butler G, Bailey A, Terry P. Oxytocin reduces post-stress sweet snack intake in women without attenuating salivary cortisol. Physiol Behav 2019; 212:112704. [PMID: 31628930 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Intranasal oxytocin produces anorectic effects on snack intake in men when tested in the absence of deprivation-induced hunger, but its effects on food intake in women without eating disorders have not been reported. Oxytocin may reduce food intake by reducing stress eating, since it inhibits ACTH release. The present study adopted a double-blind, repeated measures and fully concealed crossover protocol in which 38 women self-administered 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo intranasally, ate lunch, and underwent two consecutive stress tests. Snack intake was assessed 15-20 min after lunch, via a sham taste test. Salivary cortisol was measured throughout the test period every 15 min. Oxytocin significantly reduced sweet fatty snack intake independently of any effect on salivary cortisol, which declined over time at a similar rate after either drug or placebo. Ratings of sweet taste were slightly reduced by oxytocin, but only in self-reported stress eaters. These results differ from previous studies with men that found an effect of oxytocin on postprandial cortisol levels. However, previous research assayed the less active form of plasma cortisol and did not control for protein intake, which can drive elevated cortisol. The finding that oxytocin reduces snack intake in females after acute stress has important implications for appetite regulation and its treatment in obese people and in those with eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Burmester
- Department of Psychology, School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK
| | - E L Gibson
- Department of Psychology, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | - G Butler
- Department of Psychology, School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK
| | - A Bailey
- Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - P Terry
- Department of Psychology, School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK.
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Leslie M, Leppanen J, Paloyelis Y, Nazar BP, Treasure J. The influence of oxytocin on risk-taking in the balloon analogue risk task among women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12771. [PMID: 31283053 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Previous theoretical models of bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) have implicated cross-domain risk-taking behaviour as a significant maintenance factor in both disorders. The present study aimed to test this hypothesis by administering the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) to 25 women with BN or BED and 27 healthy comparison women without a history of an eating disorder. Furthermore, we tested the effect of a divided dose of 64 IU of oxytocin on risk-taking behaviour in the BART. Contrary to our hypothesis, women with BN or BED did not exhibit baseline differences in performance on the BART in the placebo condition (t = 1.42, df = 50, P = 0.161, d = 0.39). Oxytocin did not have a main effect on performance in the BART (F = 0.01, df = 1, P = .907, η2partial < 0.001); however, there was an interaction, such that participants in the BN/BED participant group, compared to the healthy comparison group, demonstrated safer behaviour on the BART in the oxytocin condition, but not in the placebo condition (F = 4.29, df = 1, P = 0.044, η2partial = 0.082). These findings cast doubt on the common assumption that individuals with BN and BED exhibit greater risk-taking behaviour in all domains and add to the evidence that oxytocin plays a functional role in modulating behaviours that entail trade-offs between reward approach and risk in humans. We recommend that future dose-response studies investigate the effect of oxytocin on reward approach behaviour further in women with recurrent binge eating behaviour, as well as the clinical significance of this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Leslie
- King's College London (KCL), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK
| | - Jenni Leppanen
- King's College London (KCL), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- King's College London (KCL), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK
| | - Bruno Palazzo Nazar
- King's College London (KCL), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK
- Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Janet Treasure
- King's College London (KCL), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK
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Odekunle EA, Semmens DC, Martynyuk N, Tinoco AB, Garewal AK, Patel RR, Blowes LM, Zandawala M, Delroisse J, Slade SE, Scrivens JH, Egertová M, Elphick MR. Ancient role of vasopressin/oxytocin-type neuropeptides as regulators of feeding revealed in an echinoderm. BMC Biol 2019; 17:60. [PMID: 31362737 PMCID: PMC6668147 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0680-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vasopressin/oxytocin (VP/OT)-type neuropeptides are well known for their roles as regulators of diuresis, reproductive physiology and social behaviour. However, our knowledge of their functions is largely based on findings from studies on vertebrates and selected protostomian invertebrates. Little is known about the roles of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in deuterostomian invertebrates, which are more closely related to vertebrates than protostomes. RESULTS Here, we have identified and functionally characterised a VP/OT-type signalling system comprising the neuropeptide asterotocin and its cognate G-protein coupled receptor in the starfish (sea star) Asterias rubens, a deuterostomian invertebrate belonging to the phylum Echinodermata. Analysis of the distribution of asterotocin and the asterotocin receptor in A. rubens using mRNA in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry revealed expression in the central nervous system (radial nerve cords and circumoral nerve ring), the digestive system (including the cardiac stomach) and the body wall and associated appendages. Informed by the anatomy of asterotocin signalling, in vitro pharmacological experiments revealed that asterotocin acts as a muscle relaxant in starfish, contrasting with the myotropic actions of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in vertebrates. Furthermore, in vivo injection of asterotocin had a striking effect on starfish behaviour-triggering fictive feeding where eversion of the cardiac stomach and changes in body posture resemble the unusual extra-oral feeding behaviour of starfish. CONCLUSIONS We provide a comprehensive characterisation of VP/OT-type signalling in an echinoderm, including a detailed anatomical analysis of the expression of both the VP/OT-type neuropeptide asterotocin and its cognate receptor. Our discovery that asterotocin triggers fictive feeding in starfish provides important new evidence of an evolutionarily ancient role of VP/OT-type neuropeptides as regulators of feeding in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther A. Odekunle
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Dean C. Semmens
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Nataly Martynyuk
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ UK
| | - Ana B. Tinoco
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Abdullah K. Garewal
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Radhika R. Patel
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Liisa M. Blowes
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Meet Zandawala
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Jérôme Delroisse
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
- Research Institute for Biosciences, Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics, University of Mons (UMONS), 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Susan E. Slade
- Waters/Warwick Centre for BioMedical Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL UK
- Waters Corporation, Stamford Avenue, Altrincham Road, Wilmslow, SK9 4AX UK
| | - James H. Scrivens
- Waters/Warwick Centre for BioMedical Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL UK
- School of Science, Engineering & Design, Teesside University, Stephenson Street, Tees Valley, TS1 3BA UK
| | - Michaela Egertová
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
| | - Maurice R. Elphick
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS UK
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Crucianelli L, Serpell L, Paloyelis Y, Ricciardi L, Robinson P, Jenkinson P, Fotopoulou A. The effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception of affective touch and multisensory integration in anorexia nervosa: protocol for a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e024913. [PMID: 30878983 PMCID: PMC6429868 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterised by restriction of energy intake, fears of gaining weight and related body image disturbances. The oxytocinergic system has been proposed as a pathophysiological candidate for AN. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide involved in bodily processes (eg, breast feeding) and in the onset of social behaviours (eg, bonding). Studies investigating the effect of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) in AN showed that it can improve attentional bias for high-calorie food and fat bodies stimuli, and related stress. However, less is known about the effect of IN-OT on bodily awareness and body image distortions, key features of the disorder linked to its development, prognosis and maintenance. Here, we aim to investigate the effect of IN-OT on the perception of affective, C-tactile-optimal touch, known to be impaired in AN and on multisensory integration processes underlying a body ownership illusion (ie, rubber hand illusion). For exploratory purposes, we will also investigate the effect of IN-OT on another interoceptive modality, namely cardiac awareness and its relationship with affective touch. DESIGN, METHODS AND ANALYSIS Forty women with AN and forty matched healthy controls will be recruited and tested in two separate sessions; self-administering IN-OT (40 IU) or placebo, intranasally, in a pseudo-randomised manner. The data from this double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study will be analysed using linear mixed models that allow the use of both fixed (treatment levels) and random (subjects) effects in the same analysis. To address our main hypotheses, separate analyses will be run for the affective touch task, where the primary outcome dependent variable will be the pleasantness of the touch, and for the rubber hand illusion, where we will investigate multisensory integration quantified as subjective embodiment towards the rubber hand. In the latter, we will manipulate the synchronicity of touch and the size of the hand. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval has been obtained by National Research Ethics Service NRES Committee London (Queen's Square Committee, ref number 14/LO/1593). The results will be disseminated through conference presentations and publication in peer-reviewed journals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Crucianelli
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lucy Serpell
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Lucia Ricciardi
- Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George’s Hospital, London, UK
| | - Paul Robinson
- Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust, London, UK
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Jenkinson
- Department of Psychology and Sport Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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Onaka T, Takayanagi Y. Role of oxytocin in the control of stress and food intake. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12700. [PMID: 30786104 PMCID: PMC7217012 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin neurones in the hypothalamus are activated by stressful stimuli and food intake. The oxytocin receptor is located in various brain regions, including the sensory information-processing cerebral cortex; the cognitive information-processing prefrontal cortex; reward-related regions such as the ventral tegmental areas, nucleus accumbens and raphe nucleus; stress-related areas such as the amygdala, hippocampus, ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray; homeostasis-controlling hypothalamus; and the dorsal motor complex controlling intestinal functions. Oxytocin affects behavioural and neuroendocrine stress responses and terminates food intake by acting on the metabolic or nutritional homeostasis system, modulating emotional processing, reducing reward values of food intake, and facilitating sensory and cognitive processing via multiple brain regions. Oxytocin also plays a role in interactive actions between stress and food intake and contributes to adaptive active coping behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsushi Onaka
- Division of Brain and NeurophysiologyDepartment of PhysiologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsuke‐shiJapan
| | - Yuki Takayanagi
- Division of Brain and NeurophysiologyDepartment of PhysiologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsuke‐shiJapan
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Skinner JA, Campbell EJ, Dayas CV, Garg ML, Burrows TL. The relationship between oxytocin, dietary intake and feeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies in mice and rats. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 52:65-78. [PMID: 30315826 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin has been associated with food intake and feeding behaviour. This systematic review aimed to investigate the impact of oxytocin on dietary intake and feeding behaviour in rodent studies. Six electronic databases were searched to identify published studies to April 2018. Preclinical studies in mice and rats were included if they reported: (1) a dietary measure (i.e. food or nutrient and/or behaviour (2) an oxytocin measure, and (3) relationship between the two measures. A total of 75 articles (n = 246 experiments) were included, and study quality appraised. The majority of studies were carried out in males (87%). The top three oxytocin outcomes assessed were: exogenous oxytocin administration (n = 126), oxytocin-receptor antagonist administration (n = 46) and oxytocin gene deletion (n = 29). Meta-analysis of exogenous studies in mice (3 studies, n = 43 comparisons) and rats (n = 8 studies, n = 82 comparisons) showed an overall decrease in food intake with maximum effect shown at 2 h post-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle A Skinner
- Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
| | - Erin J Campbell
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Christopher V Dayas
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
| | - Manohar L Garg
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
| | - Tracy L Burrows
- Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
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Seelke AM, Rhine MA, Khun K, Shweyk AN, Scott AM, Bond JM, Graham JL, Havel PJ, Wolden-Hanson T, Bales KL, Blevins JE. Intranasal oxytocin reduces weight gain in diet-induced obese prairie voles. Physiol Behav 2018; 196:67-77. [PMID: 30144467 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) elicits weight loss in diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents, nonhuman primates and humans by reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure. In addition to being important in the regulation of energy balance, OT is involved in social behaviors including parent-infant bonds, friendships, and pair bonds. However, the impact of social context on susceptibility to diet-induced obesity (DIO) and feeding behavior (including food sharing) has not been investigated in a rodent model that forms strong social bonds (i.e. prairie vole). Our goals were to determine in Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) whether i) social context impacts susceptibility to DIO and ii) chronic intranasal OT reverses DIO. Voles were housed in divided cages with holes in the divider and paired with a same-sex animal with either the same food [high fat diet (HFD)/HFD, [low fat diet (LFD; chow)/chow], or the opposite food (HFD/chow or chow/HFD) for 19 weeks. HFD-fed voles pair-housed with voles maintained on the HFD demonstrated increased weight relative to pair-housed voles that were both maintained on chow. The study was repeated to determine the impact of social context on DIO susceptibility and body composition when animals are maintained on purified sugar-sweetened HFD and LFD to enhance palatability. As before, we found that voles demonstrated higher weight gain on the HFD/HFD housing paradigm, in part, through increased energy intake and the weight gain was a consequence of an increase in fat mass. However, HFD-fed animals housed with LFD-fed animals (and vice versa) showed intermediate patterns of weight gain and evidence of food sharing. Of translational importance is the finding that chronic intranasal OT appeared to reduce weight gain in DIO voles through a decrease in fat mass with no reduction in lean body mass. These effects were associated with transient reductions in food intake and increased food sharing. These findings identify a role of social context in the pathogenesis of DIO and indicate that chronic intranasal OT treatment reduces weight gain and body fat mass in DIO prairie voles, in part, by reducing food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele M Seelke
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Maya A Rhine
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Konterri Khun
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Amira N Shweyk
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Jessica M Bond
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - James L Graham
- Department of Nutrition and Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Peter J Havel
- Department of Nutrition and Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tami Wolden-Hanson
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - James E Blevins
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98108, USA; Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Burmester V, Higgs S, Terry P. Rapid-onset anorectic effects of intranasal oxytocin in young men. Appetite 2018; 130:104-109. [PMID: 30081055 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although the neuropeptide oxytocin exhibits many of the characteristics that would support its use as an anorectic agent for overeaters, studies of oxytocin's effectiveness at reducing eating in humans remain limited. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, under the pretext of examining oxytocin's effects on various aspects of sensory perception, 20 men were given 24 IU of oxytocin and took a taste test of sweet, salty, and neutral snacks 45 min later. Participants self-rated appetite, anxiety, and other mood parameters, and then were left alone for 10 min with the pre-weighed snack food and invited to help themselves. To minimize the influence of hunger-driven eating, lunch had been provided immediately after oxytocin administration. In line with Ott et al. (2013), oxytocin significantly reduced the consumption of sweet foods; however, it also reduced consumption of salty snacks. Self-reported anxiety did not differ across drug conditions. The study is the first to demonstrate an effect of oxytocin on snack eating at 45 min post administration and on salty snacks. The anorectic efficacy of oxytocin after 45 min cannot easily be explained by the same mechanism as the one presumed to underpin its effects in previous studies that adopted much longer intervals between drug administration and testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Burmester
- Department of Psychology, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, KT1 2EE, United Kingdom
| | - Suzanne Higgs
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Terry
- Department of Psychology, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, KT1 2EE, United Kingdom.
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Freeman SM, Ngo J, Singh B, Masnaghetti M, Bales KL, Blevins JE. Effects of Chronic Oxytocin Administration and Diet Composition on Oxytocin and Vasopressin 1a Receptor Binding in the Rat Brain. Neuroscience 2018; 392:241-251. [PMID: 30071278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) elicits weight loss in diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans, in part, by reducing food intake. Chronic OT administration produces more sustained weight loss in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed DIO rodents relative to chow-fed controls, but the reasons for this effect remain unclear. We hypothesized that HFD-induced obesity is associated with elevated OT receptor (OXTR) binding in brain regions where OT is known to cause decreased food intake and that this sensitized neural system is one mechanism by which OT preferentially elicits weight loss in DIO rodents. We therefore determined the impact of diet (HFD vs chow) and drug treatment (chronic OT infusion vs vehicle) on (1) OXTR binding in hindbrain and forebrain sites where OT suppresses food intake relative to control sites that express OXTR and (2) forebrain vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a) density to evaluate the specificity of any OT effects. Using quantitative receptor autoradiography, we found that (1) diet composition failed to alter OXTR or AVPR1a binding; (2) chronic OT treatment produced largely global reductions in forebrain OXTR and AVPR1a binding without significantly altering hindbrain OXTR binding. These findings suggest that forebrain OXTR and AVPR1a are down-regulated in response to chronic OT treatment. Given that chronic intranasal OT may be used as a therapeutic strategy to treat obesity, future studies should consider the potential downregulatory effect that chronic treatment can have across forebrain and hindbrain nonapeptide receptors and assess the potential contribution of both receptor subtypes to the outcome measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Freeman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Julie Ngo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Bhavdeep Singh
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - James E Blevins
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98108, USA; Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
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44
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Molecular Mechanisms of Oxytocin Signaling at the Synaptic Connection. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:4864107. [PMID: 30057594 PMCID: PMC6051047 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4864107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant regulation of oxytocin signaling is associated with the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Synaptic dysfunctions in neurodevelopmental disorders are becoming increasingly known, and their pathogenic mechanisms could be a target of potential therapeutic intervention. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the role of oxytocin and its receptor in synapse structure, function, and neuron connectivity. An early alteration in oxytocin signaling may disturb neuronal maturation and may have short-term and long-term pathological consequences. At the molecular level, neurodevelopmental disorders include alterations in cytoskeletal rearrangement and neuritogenesis resulting in a diversity of synaptopathies. The presence of oxytocin receptors in the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes and the direct effects of oxytocin on neuronal excitability by regulating the activity of ion channels in the cell membrane implicate that alterations in oxytocin signaling could be involved in synaptopathies. The ability of oxytocin to modulate neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and certain parameters of cytoskeletal arrangement is discussed in the present review.
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