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Diaz-Marsá M, López-Villatoro JM, De la Torre-Luque A, MacDowell KS, Galvez-Merlin A, Gómez Del Barrio A, Ruiz-Guerrero F, Beato-Fernández L, Polo-Montes F, León-Velasco M, Martín-Hernández D, Carrasco-Diaz A, Leza JC, Carrasco JL. Decreased oxytocin plasma levels and oxytocin receptor expression associated with aggressive behavior in aggressive-impulsive disorders. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 170:200-206. [PMID: 38157667 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aims to enhance the understanding of the association between the phenotypic and endophenotypic characteristics of impulsive-aggressive disorders, through the study of plasma oxytocin (OXT) and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) levels in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and patients with eating disorders (ED), as well as to examine the relationship of OXT system with aggressive behavior in these disorders. METHODS 68 patients with BPD, 67 patients with ED and 57 healthy control subjects were examined for plasma oxytocin levels and protein expression of OXTR in blood mononuclear cells. Aggressive behavior was assessed using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2). Other self and hetero-aggressive behaviors were also evaluated through interviews. RESULTS BPD and ED patients exhibited significantly lower plasma oxytocin levels than control subjects. Furthermore, BPD patients demonstrated significantly reduced expression of OXTR compared to controls. Plasma oxytocin levels negatively correlated with verbal aggression, while OXTR expression was inversely associated with the STAXI trait subscale. CONCLUSIONS The findings validate the existence of oxytocin system dysfunction in impulsive-aggressive disorders. They also support the link between low OXT levels in plasma and OXTR expression and the impulsive-aggressive behavior that characterizes these patients in both state and trait situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Diaz-Marsá
- Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, UCM, Spain
| | - J M López-Villatoro
- Institute of Health Research, Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, UCM, Spain.
| | - A De la Torre-Luque
- Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, UCM, Spain
| | - K S MacDowell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Institute of Health Research Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), University Institute of Research in Neurochemistry UCM, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - A Galvez-Merlin
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, UCM, Spain
| | - A Gómez Del Barrio
- Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain; Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Eating Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Santander, Spain; Valdecilla Biomedical Research Institute (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
| | - F Ruiz-Guerrero
- Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Eating Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Santander, Spain; Valdecilla Biomedical Research Institute (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
| | | | | | | | - D Martín-Hernández
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Institute of Health Research Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), University Institute of Research in Neurochemistry UCM, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | | | - J C Leza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Institute of Health Research Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), University Institute of Research in Neurochemistry UCM, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - J L Carrasco
- Biomedical Research Networking Consortium for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, UCM, Spain
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