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Arnold CA, Bagg MK, Harvey AR. The psychophysiology of music-based interventions and the experience of pain. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1361857. [PMID: 38800683 PMCID: PMC11122921 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1361857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In modern times there is increasing acceptance that music-based interventions are useful aids in the clinical treatment of a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including helping to reduce the perception of pain. Indeed, the belief that music, whether listening or performing, can alter human pain experiences has a long history, dating back to the ancient Greeks, and its potential healing properties have long been appreciated by indigenous cultures around the world. The subjective experience of acute or chronic pain is complex, influenced by many intersecting physiological and psychological factors, and it is therefore to be expected that the impact of music therapy on the pain experience may vary from one situation to another, and from one person to another. Where pain persists and becomes chronic, aberrant central processing is a key feature associated with the ongoing pain experience. Nonetheless, beneficial effects of exposure to music on pain relief have been reported across a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, and it has been shown to be effective in neonates, children and adults. In this comprehensive review we examine the various neurochemical, physiological and psychological factors that underpin the impact of music on the pain experience, factors that potentially operate at many levels - the periphery, spinal cord, brainstem, limbic system and multiple areas of cerebral cortex. We discuss the extent to which these factors, individually or in combination, influence how music affects both the quality and intensity of pain, noting that there remains controversy about the respective roles that diverse central and peripheral processes play in this experience. Better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie music's impact on pain perception together with insights into central processing of pain should aid in developing more effective synergistic approaches when music therapy is combined with clinical treatments. The ubiquitous nature of music also facilitates application from the therapeutic environment into daily life, for ongoing individual and social benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn A. Arnold
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Caulfield Pain Management and Research Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew K. Bagg
- School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Alan R. Harvey
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Human Sciences and Conservatorium of Music, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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2
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Plessow F, Kerem L, Wronski ML, Asanza E, O'Donoghue ML, Stanford FC, Eddy KT, Holmes TM, Misra M, Thomas JJ, Galbiati F, Muhammed M, Sella AC, Hauser K, Smith SE, Holman K, Gydus J, Aulinas A, Vangel M, Healy B, Kheterpal A, Torriani M, Holsen LM, Bredella MA, Lawson EA. Intranasal Oxytocin for Obesity. NEJM EVIDENCE 2024; 3:EVIDoa2300349. [PMID: 38815173 DOI: 10.1056/evidoa2300349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating preclinical and preliminary translational evidence shows that the hypothalamic peptide oxytocin reduces food intake, increases energy expenditure, and promotes weight loss. It is currently unknown whether oxytocin administration is effective in treating human obesity. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults with obesity 1:1 (stratified by sex and obesity class) to receive intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) or placebo four times daily for 8 weeks. The primary end point was change in body weight (kg) from baseline to week 8. Key secondary end points included change in body composition (total fat mass [g], abdominal visceral adipose tissue [cm2], and liver fat fraction [proportion; range, 0 to 1; higher values indicate a higher proportion of fat]), and resting energy expenditure (kcal/day; adjusted for lean mass) from baseline to week 8 and caloric intake (kcal) at an experimental test meal from baseline to week 6. RESULTS Sixty-one participants (54% women; mean age ± standard deviation, 33.6 ± 6.2 years; body-mass index [the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters], 36.9 ± 4.9) were randomly assigned. There was no difference in body weight change from baseline to week 8 between oxytocin and placebo groups (0.20 vs. 0.26 kg; P=0.934). Oxytocin (vs. placebo) was not associated with beneficial effects on body composition or resting energy expenditure from baseline to week 8 (total fat: difference [95% confidence interval], 196.0 g [-1036 to 1428]; visceral fat: 3.1 cm2 [-11.0 to 17.2]; liver fat: -0.01 [-0.03 to 0.01]; resting energy expenditure: -64.0 kcal/day [-129.3 to 1.4]). Oxytocin compared with placebo was associated with reduced caloric intake at the test meal (-31.4 vs. 120.6 kcal; difference [95% confidence interval], -152.0 kcal [-302.3 to -1.7]). There were no serious adverse events. Incidence and severity of adverse events did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS In this randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with obesity, intranasal oxytocin administered four times daily for 8 weeks did not reduce body weight. (Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03043053.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem
| | - Marie-Louis Wronski
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elisa Asanza
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Michelle L O'Donoghue
- TIMI Study Group, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Fatima C Stanford
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Kamryn T Eddy
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Tara M Holmes
- Translational and Clinical Research Centers, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Jennifer J Thomas
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Francesca Galbiati
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Maged Muhammed
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Aluma Chovel Sella
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
- The Jesse Z. and Sara Lea Shafer Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, National Center for Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Kristine Hauser
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Sarah E Smith
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Katherine Holman
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Julia Gydus
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Anna Aulinas
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IIB-Sant Pau, Barcelona
| | - Mark Vangel
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Brian Healy
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Arvin Kheterpal
- Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Martin Torriani
- Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Miriam A Bredella
- Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
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3
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Hu H, Verbalis JG. Oxytocin and Body Weight Homeostasis - Wrong Hypothesis or Wrong Methodology? NEJM EVIDENCE 2024; 3:EVIDe2400072. [PMID: 38815148 DOI: 10.1056/evide2400072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroe Hu
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Joseph G Verbalis
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
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4
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Fansa S, Acosta A. The melanocortin-4 receptor pathway and the emergence of precision medicine in obesity management. Diabetes Obes Metab 2024; 26 Suppl 2:46-63. [PMID: 38504134 DOI: 10.1111/dom.15555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, there has been a global surge in the prevalence of obesity, rendering it a globally recognized epidemic. Contrary to simply being a medical condition, obesity is an intricate disease with a multifactorial aetiology. Understanding the precise cause of obesity remains a challenge; nevertheless, there seems to be a complex interplay among biological, psychosocial and behavioural factors. Studies on the genetic factors of obesity have revealed several pathways in the brain that play a crucial role in food intake regulation. The best characterized pathway, thus far, is the leptin-melanocortin pathway, from which disruptions are responsible for the majority of monogenic obesity disorders. The effectiveness of conservative lifestyle interventions in addressing monogenic obesity has been limited. Therefore, it is crucial to complement the management strategy with pharmacological and surgical options. Emphasis has been placed on developing drugs aimed at replacing the absent signals, with the goal of restoring the pathway. In both monogenic and polygenic forms of obesity, outcomes differ across various interventions, likely due to the multifaceted nature of the disease. This underscores the need to explore alternative therapeutic strategies that can mitigate this heterogeneity. Precision medicine can be regarded as a powerful tool that can address this concern, as it values the understanding of the underlying abnormality triggering the disease and provides a tailored treatment accordingly. This would assist in optimizing outcomes of the current therapeutic approaches and even aid in the development of novel treatments capable of more effectively managing the global obesity epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Fansa
- Precision Medicine for Obesity Program, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Andres Acosta
- Precision Medicine for Obesity Program, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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5
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Li E, Wang L, Wang D, Chi J, Lin Z, Smith GI, Klein S, Cohen P, Rosen ED. Control of lipolysis by a population of oxytocinergic sympathetic neurons. Nature 2024; 625:175-180. [PMID: 38093006 PMCID: PMC10952125 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06830-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT), a nine-amino-acid peptide produced in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary, has well-known actions in parturition, lactation and social behaviour1, and has become an intriguing therapeutic target for conditions such as autism and schizophrenia2. Exogenous OXT has also been shown to have effects on body weight, lipid levels and glucose homeostasis1,3, suggesting that it may also have therapeutic potential for metabolic disease1,4. It is unclear, however, whether endogenous OXT participates in metabolic homeostasis. Here we show that OXT is a critical regulator of adipose tissue lipolysis in both mice and humans. In addition, OXT serves to facilitate the ability of β-adrenergic agonists to fully promote lipolysis. Most surprisingly, the relevant source of OXT in these metabolic actions is a previously unidentified subpopulation of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive sympathetic neurons. Our data reveal that OXT from the peripheral nervous system is an endogenous regulator of adipose and systemic metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwei Li
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luhong Wang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daqing Wang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jingyi Chi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Metabolism, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zeran Lin
- Laboratory of Molecular Metabolism, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gordon I Smith
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samuel Klein
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Paul Cohen
- Laboratory of Molecular Metabolism, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Evan D Rosen
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Concepción-Zavaleta MJ, Quiroz-Aldave JE, Durand-Vásquez MDC, Gamarra-Osorio ER, Valencia de la Cruz JDC, Barrueto-Callirgos CM, Puelles-León SL, Alvarado-León EDJ, Leiva-Cabrera F, Zavaleta-Gutiérrez FE, Concepción-Urteaga LA, Paz-Ibarra J. A comprehensive review of genetic causes of obesity. World J Pediatr 2024; 20:26-39. [PMID: 37725322 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00757-z] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a multifactorial chronic disease with a high, increasing worldwide prevalence. Genetic causes account for 7% of the cases in children with extreme obesity. DATA SOURCES This narrative review was conducted by searching for papers published in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and SciELO databases and included 161 articles. The search used the following search terms: "obesity", "obesity and genetics", "leptin", "Prader-Willi syndrome", and "melanocortins". The types of studies included were systematic reviews, clinical trials, prospective cohort studies, cross-sectional and prospective studies, narrative reviews, and case reports. RESULTS The leptin-melanocortin pathway is primarily responsible for the regulation of appetite and body weight. However, several important aspects of the pathophysiology of obesity remain unknown. Genetic causes of obesity can be grouped into syndromic, monogenic, and polygenic causes and should be assessed in children with extreme obesity before the age of 5 years, hyperphagia, or a family history of extreme obesity. A microarray study, an analysis of the melanocortin type 4 receptor gene mutations and leptin levels should be performed for this purpose. There are three therapeutic levels: lifestyle modifications, pharmacological treatment, and bariatric surgery. CONCLUSIONS Genetic study technologies are in constant development; however, we are still far from having a personalized approach to genetic causes of obesity. A significant proportion of the affected individuals are associated with genetic causes; however, there are still barriers to its approach, as it continues to be underdiagnosed. Video Abstract (MP4 1041807 KB).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - José Paz-Ibarra
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
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Becetti I, Singhal V, Nimmala S, Lee H, Lawson EA, Bredella MA, Misra M. Serum Oxytocin Levels Decrease 12 Months Following Sleeve Gastrectomy and Are Associated with Decreases in Lean Mass. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10144. [PMID: 37373292 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT), an anorexigenic hormone, is also bone anabolic. Further, OXT administration results in increases in lean mass (LM) in adults with sarcopenic obesity. We examine, for the first time, associations of OXT with body composition and bone endpoints in 25 youth 13-25 years old with severe obesity who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and 27 non-surgical controls (NS). Forty participants were female. Subjects underwent fasting blood tests for serum OXT and DXA for areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and body composition. At baseline, SG vs. NS had higher median body mass index (BMI) but did not differ for age or OXT levels. Over 12 months, SG vs. NS had greater reductions in BMI, LM, and fat mass (FM). OXT decreased in SG vs. NS 12 months post-SG. While baseline OXT predicted a 12-month BMI change in SG, decreases in OXT levels 12 months post-SG were not associated with decreases in weight or BMI. In SG, decreases in OXT were positively associated with decreases in LM but not with decreases in FM or aBMD. Loss of LM, a strong predictor of BMD, after bariatric surgery may reduce functional and muscular capacity. OXT pathways may be targeted to prevent LM loss following SG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Becetti
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Mass General for Children and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Vibha Singhal
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Mass General for Children and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Pediatric Program, MGH Weight Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Supritha Nimmala
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Hang Lee
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Miriam A Bredella
- Department of Radiology, Musculoskeletal Imaging and Interventions, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Mass General for Children and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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8
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Russell J, Hunt GE. Oxytocin and eating disorders: Knowledge gaps and future directions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 154:106290. [PMID: 37178641 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Eating disorders continue to be a major public health issue and important cause of morbidity and premature mortality, particularly for young people. Yet in a concerning dialectic, this occurs in the context of an epidemic of obesity which, with its medical complications, constitutes another vexing public health challenge. While it is not an eating disorder per se obesity is often comorbid with eating disorders. Effective treatment for both eating disorders and obesity has proven to be elusive and in the search for novel therapeutic interventions, the prosocial, anxiolytic, brain plasticity and metabolic effects of oxytocin (OT) have been examined from this perspective. The availability of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) has led to a number of interventional treatment studies in anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), their atypical and subclinical forms and in medical and psychiatric conditions co-occurring or comorbid with these, obesity with BED would be included here. The aim of this mini review is to collate recent findings on OT as a novel therapeutic intervention in eating disorders and obesity and to identify and address some of the knowledge gaps in the use of IN-OT. The wider clinical perspective utilised here might better address some of the gaps and identify future directions of research. Clearly much remains to be done for OT to fulfil its therapeutic promise in eating disorders. OT might yet be of therapeutic promise and will be appreciated where treatment advances have been hard to come by and prevention challenging for these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Russell
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Area Health Service, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Specialty of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Glenn E Hunt
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Speciality of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
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Camerino C. The Long Way of Oxytocin from the Uterus to the Heart in 70 Years from Its Discovery. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032556. [PMID: 36768879 PMCID: PMC9916674 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The research program on oxytocin started in 1895, when Oliver and Schafer reported that a substance extracted from the pituitary gland elevates blood pressure when injected intravenously into dogs. Dale later reported that a neurohypophysial substance triggers uterine contraction, lactation, and antidiuresis. Purification of this pituitary gland extracts revealed that the vasopressor and antidiuretic activity could be attributed to vasopressin, while uterotonic and lactation activity could be attributed to oxytocin. In 1950, the amino-acid sequences of vasopressin and oxytocin were determined and chemically synthesized. Vasopressin (CYFQNCPRG-NH2) and oxytocin (CYIQNCPLG-NH2) differ by two amino acids and have a disulfide bridge between the cysteine residues at position one and six conserved in all vasopressin/oxytocin-type peptides. This characterization of oxytocin led to the Nobel Prize awarded in 1955 to Vincent du Vigneaud. Nevertheless, it was only 50 years later when the evidence that mice depleted of oxytocin or its receptor develop late-onset obesity and metabolic syndrome established that oxytocin regulates energy and metabolism. Oxytocin is anorexigenic and regulates the lean/fat mass composition in skeletal muscle. Oxytocin's effect on muscle is mediated by thermogenesis via a pathway initiated in the myocardium. Oxytocin involvement in thermogenesis and muscle contraction is linked to Prader-Willi syndrome in humans, opening exciting therapeutic avenues.
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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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Tsingotjidou AS. Oxytocin: A Multi-Functional Biomolecule with Potential Actions in Dysfunctional Conditions; From Animal Studies and Beyond. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1603. [PMID: 36358953 PMCID: PMC9687803 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a hormone secreted from definite neuroendocrine neurons located in specific nuclei in the hypothalamus (mainly from paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei), and its main known function is the contraction of uterine and/or mammary gland cells responsible for parturition and breastfeeding. Among the actions of the peripherally secreted oxytocin is the prevention of different degenerative disorders. These actions have been proven in cell culture and in animal models or have been tested in humans based on hypotheses from previous studies. This review presents the knowledge gained from the previous studies, displays the results from oxytocin intervention and/or treatment and proposes that the well described actions of oxytocin might be connected to other numerous, diverse actions of the biomolecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia S Tsingotjidou
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54 124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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11
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Chacko TP, Toole JT, Richman S, Spink GL, Reinhard MJ, Brewster RC, Costanzo ME, Broderick G. Mapping the network biology of metabolic response to stress in posttraumatic stress disorder and obesity. Front Psychol 2022; 13:941019. [PMID: 35959009 PMCID: PMC9362840 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.941019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-occurrence of stress-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity is common, particularly among military personnel but the link between these conditions is unclear. Individuals with comorbid PTSD and obesity manifest other physical and psychological problems, which significantly diminish their quality of life. Current understanding of the pathways connecting stress to PTSD and obesity is focused largely on behavioral mediators alone with little consideration of the biological regulatory mechanisms that underlie their co-occurrence. In this work, we leverage prior knowledge to systematically highlight such bio-behavioral mechanisms and inform on the design of confirmatory pilot studies. We use natural language processing (NLP) to extract documented regulatory interactions involved in the metabolic response to stress and its impact on obesity and PTSD from over 8 million peer-reviewed papers. The resulting network describes the propagation of stress to PTSD and obesity through 34 metabolic mediators using 302 documented regulatory interactions supported by over 10,000 citations. Stress jointly affected both conditions through 21 distinct pathways involving only two intermediate metabolic mediators out of a total of 76 available paths through this network. Moreover, oxytocin (OXT), Neuropeptide-Y (NPY), and cortisol supported an almost direct propagation of stress to PTSD and obesity with different net effects. Although stress upregulated both NPY and cortisol, the downstream effects of both markers are reported to relieve PTSD severity but exacerbate obesity. The stress-mediated release of oxytocin, however, was found to concurrently downregulate the severity of both conditions. These findings highlight how a network-informed approach that leverages prior knowledge might be used effectively in identifying key mediators like OXT though experimental verification of signal transmission dynamics through each path will be needed to determine the actual likelihood and extent of each marker’s participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Chacko
- Center for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, United States
- Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - J. Tory Toole
- Center for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, United States
- Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Spencer Richman
- Center for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Garry L. Spink
- Rochester Regional Behavioral Health, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Matthew J. Reinhard
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Ryan C. Brewster
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Michelle E. Costanzo
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Gordon Broderick
- Center for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Gordon Broderick,
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