Modulation of the thermosensory system by oxytocin

Comparative effectiveness of physical exercise interventions on sociability and communication in children and adolescents with autism: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of physical activity as a crucial intervention for Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in clinical settings, we conducted a network meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of various exercise interventions on sociability and communication in individuals with ASD. Our aim was to identify the exercise modalities most conducive to enhancing these essential skills.

METHODS

We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and searched Chinese databases from inception to April 2024. We included randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of different exercise types on sociability and communication in individuals with ASD. Network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed using a frequentist approach, and the node-splitting method was applied to assess inconsistency.

RESULTS

We included 38 original studies published between 2009 and 2024, with a total of 1,382 participants analyzed for sociability outcomes. Results indicated that sports games [SMD = 1.12, 95%CI (0.51, 1.73)], combination therapy [SMD = 1.11, 95%CI (0.13, 2.09)], group ball sports [SMD = 1.06, 95%CI (0.37, 1.75)], and outdoor exercise [SMD = 1.02, 95%CI (0.50, 1.55)] were more effective than passive controls. A total of 25 original literatures were included in the analysis of communication ability, involving 904 subjects, and the results showed that combination therapy [SMD = 1.57, 95% CI (0.74, 2.40)], sports games [SMD = 1.01, 95% CI (0.45, 1.56)], group ball games [SMD = 0.85, 95% CI (0.45, 1.26)], outdoor exercise [SMD = 0.79, 95% CI (0.48, 1.11)], and mind-body exercise [SMD = 0.79, 95% CI (0.29, 1.30)], all of which were more effective than passive controls.

CONCLUSION

Physical exercise plays a significant role in alleviating symptoms and enhancing sociability and communication in individuals with ASD. Our findings highlight that sports games, combination therapy, team ball sports, and outdoor exercise are particularly effective in improving sociability. In terms of communication skills, combination therapy, sports games, team ball sports, outdoor exercise, and mind-body exercise demonstrated the most substantial benefits. These results provide a robust foundation for future interventions aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals with ASD.

The Pivotal Role of Oxytocin's Mechanism of Thermoregulation in Prader-Willi Syndrome, Schaaf-Yang Syndrome, and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Oxytocin (Oxt) regulates thermogenesis, and altered thermoregulation results in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS), and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PWS is a genetic disorder caused by the deletion of the paternal allele of 15q11-q13, the maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 15, or defects in the imprinting center of chromosome 15. PWS is characterized by hyperphagia, obesity, low skeletal muscle tone, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Oxt also increases muscle tonicity and decreases proteolysis while PWS infants are hypotonic and require assisted feeding in early infancy. This evidence inspired us to merge the results of almost 20 years of studies and formulate a new hypothesis according to which the disruption of Oxt's mechanism of thermoregulation manifests in PWS, SYS, and ASD through thermosensory abnormalities and skeletal muscle tone. This review will integrate the current literature with new updates on PWS, SYS, and ASD and the recent discoveries on Oxt's regulation of thermogenesis to advance the knowledge on these diseases.

Assessing the effects of oxytocin in changes of core body temperature during LPS-induced endotoxemia: A novel approach using Extended Poincaré Plot Analysis

Oxytocin has shown cardioprotective effects during inflammation and may modify the core body temperature changes in LPS-induced endotoxemia. Notably, the time series analysis of core body temperature fluctuations may indicate thermoregulation alterations. This study aims to assess the effects of oxytocin on changes in the core body temperature by analyzing the fluctuations of the temperature time series of endotoxemic rats. Twelve hours of continuous core body temperature fluctuations time series were obtained from adult male Dark Agouti rats implanted with a telemetric transmitter under the following treatment: lipopolysaccharide (LPS); oxytocin (O); lipopolysaccharide + oxytocin (LPS + O), and vehicle or control (C). The temperature fluctuations time series were analyzed using the Extended Poincaré Plot Analysis (EPPA), a novel approach for measuring nonlinear features, to compute the autocorrelation by Pearson's correlation coefficient r, the standard deviation perpendicular to the line of identity (SD1), and the standard deviation parallel to the line of identity (SD2). The autocorrelation of the temperature fluctuations assessed by Pearson's coefficient was significantly higher in the LPS group compared to control rats (C). Likewise, the co-administration of oxytocin during endotoxemia (LPS + O) significantly reduced the autocorrelation and increased the short-term variability (SD1) of temperature fluctuations compared to those recorded with a single dose of LPS. Thus, we concluded that oxytocin may introduce thermoregulatory changes under LPS-induced endotoxemia. The EPPA is a simple and powerful approach to assess physiological variability that can provide valuable insights into changes in thermoregulation.

The role of maternal hormones in regulating autonomic functions during pregnancy

Offspring development relies on numerous physiological changes that occur in a mother's body, with hormones driving many of these adaptations. Amongst these, the physiological functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system are required for the mother to survive and are adjusted to meet the demands of the growing foetus and to ensure a successful birth. The hormones oestrogen, progesterone, and lactogenic hormones rise significantly during pregnancy, suggesting they may also play a role in regulating the maternal adaptations linked to autonomic nervous system functions, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions. Indeed, expression of pregnancy hormone receptors spans multiple brain regions known to regulate these physiological functions. This review examines how respiratory, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions are controlled by these pregnancy hormones by focusing on their action on central nervous system circuits. Inadequate adaptations in these systems during pregnancy can give rise to several pregnancy complications, highlighting the importance in understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of these changes and potentially identifying ways to treat pregnancy-associated afflictions using hormones.

Oxytocin's Regulation of Thermogenesis May Be the Link to Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that is caused by either the deletion of the paternal allele of 15q11-q13, maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 15 or defects in the chromosome 15 imprinting centre and is characterized by cognitive impairment, hyperphagia and low metabolic rate with significant risk of obesity, as well as a variety of other maladaptive behaviours and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Many of the features seen in PWS are thought to be due to hypothalamic dysfunction resulting in hormonal abnormalities and impaired social functioning. The preponderance of evidence indicates that the Oxytocin system is dysregulated in PWS individuals and that this neuropeptide pathways may provide promising targets for therapeutic intervention although the process by which this dysregulation occurs in PWS awaits mechanistic investigation. PWS individuals present abnormalities in thermoregulation an impaired detection for temperature change and altered perception of pain indicating an altered autonomic nervous system. Recent studies indicate that Oxytocin is involved in thermoregulation and pain perception. This review will describe the update on PWS and the recent discoveries on Oxytocin regulation of thermogenesis together with the potential link between Oxytocin regulation of thermogenesis and PWS to create a new groundwork for the treatment of this condition.

Highly Specific Detection of Oxytocin in Saliva

Oxytocin is a peptide neurophysin hormone made up of nine amino acids and is used in induction of one in four births worldwide (more than 13 percent in the United States). Herein, we have developed an antibody alternative aptamer-based electrochemical assay for real-time and point-of-care detection of oxytocin in non-invasive saliva samples. This assay approach is rapid, highly sensitive, specific, and cost-effective. Our aptamer-based electrochemical assay can detect as little as 1 pg/mL of oxytocin in less than 2 min in commercially available pooled saliva samples. Additionally, we did not observe any false positive or false negative signals. This electrochemical assay has the potential to be utilized as a point-of-care monitor for rapid and real-time oxytocin detection in various biological samples such as saliva, blood, and hair extracts.