Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
The Interaction of Oxytocin and Social Support, Loneliness, and Cortisol Level in Major Depression
Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience ; : 487-494, 2019.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-763574
ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

Loneliness is a specific risk factor for depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior. The present study examined whether the serum oxytocin level would interact with social support and buffers loneliness and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis activity in drug-naïve patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODS:

Twenty-six patients with MDD (malefemale = 323; mean age, 45.54 ± 12.97 years) were recruited. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale and self-reported Measurement of Support Function Questionnaire were administered. Serum oxytocin and cortisol levels were assessed using a commercial immunoassay kits.

RESULTS:

In MDD patients, a negative association was found between degrees of social support and loneliness (β = −0.39, p = 0.04). The interaction between social support and serum oxytocin level was negatively associated with loneliness (β = −0.50, p = 0.017) and serum cortisol level (β = −0.55, p = 0.020) after adjusting for age. Follow-up analyses showed that the association between higher social support and lower loneliness was observed only in the higher-oxytocin group (r = −0.75, p = 0.003) but not in the lower group (r = −0.19, p = 0.53). The significance remained after further adjusting for sex and depression severity.

CONCLUSION:

Low oxytocin level is a vulnerability factor for the buffering effect of social support for loneliness and aberrant HPA-axis activity in MDD patients.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Index: WPRIM (Western Pacific) Main subject: Buffers / Hydrocortisone / Immunoassay / Oxytocin / Risk Factors / Follow-Up Studies / Depression / Depressive Disorder, Major / Loneliness Type of study: Etiology study / Observational study / Prognostic study / Risk factors Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience Year: 2019 Type: Article

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS

Full text: Available Index: WPRIM (Western Pacific) Main subject: Buffers / Hydrocortisone / Immunoassay / Oxytocin / Risk Factors / Follow-Up Studies / Depression / Depressive Disorder, Major / Loneliness Type of study: Etiology study / Observational study / Prognostic study / Risk factors Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience Year: 2019 Type: Article