Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study

Rationale/statement of the problem : Intranasal oxytocin attenuates cortisol levels during social stress inductions. However, no research to date has documented the dose–response relationship between intranasal oxytocin administration and cortisol, and researchers examining intranasal oxy...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Christopher Cardoso, Mark A. Ellenbogen, Mark Anthony Orlando, Simon L. Bacon, Ridha Joober
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2012-09-01
Series:European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Subjects:
_version_ 1818444628037206016
author Christopher Cardoso
Mark A. Ellenbogen
Mark Anthony Orlando
Simon L. Bacon
Ridha Joober
author_facet Christopher Cardoso
Mark A. Ellenbogen
Mark Anthony Orlando
Simon L. Bacon
Ridha Joober
author_sort Christopher Cardoso
collection DOAJ
description Rationale/statement of the problem : Intranasal oxytocin attenuates cortisol levels during social stress inductions. However, no research to date has documented the dose–response relationship between intranasal oxytocin administration and cortisol, and researchers examining intranasal oxytocin have not examined the cortisol response to physical stress. We, therefore, examined the effects of 24 and 48 IU of intranasal oxytocin on the cortisol response to vigorous exercise. Methods : Seventeen males participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and within-subject experiment. Participants engaged in vigorous exercise for 60 minutes following the administration of placebo or intranasal oxytocin on three occasions. Saliva samples and mood ratings were collected at 8 intervals across each session. Results : Salivary cortisol concentrations changed over time, peaking after 60 minutes of exercise [Quadratic: F(1,16) = 7.349, p=0.015, partial η2=0.32]. The 24 IU dose of oxytocin attenuated cortisol levels relative to placebo [F(1,16) = 4.496, p=0.05, partial η2=0.22) and the 48 IU dose, although the latter fell just short of statistical significance [F(1,16) = 3.054, p=0.10, partial η2=0.16). There was no difference in the cortisol response to exercise in participants who were administered 48 IU of intranasal oxytocin relative to placebo. Intranasal oxytocin had no effect on mood. Conclusion : This is the first study to demonstrate that the effect of intranasal oxytocin on salivary cortisol is dose-dependent, and that intranasal oxytocin attenuates cortisol levels in response to physical stress. Future research using exogenous oxytocin will need to consider the possibility of dose–response relations.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T19:18:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f66e238dabf24bbf86730b454fa6aff3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2000-8066
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T19:18:57Z
publishDate 2012-09-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series European Journal of Psychotraumatology
spelling doaj.art-f66e238dabf24bbf86730b454fa6aff32022-12-21T22:50:25ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662012-09-01301110.3402/ejpt.v3i0.19391Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response studyChristopher CardosoMark A. EllenbogenMark Anthony OrlandoSimon L. BaconRidha JooberRationale/statement of the problem : Intranasal oxytocin attenuates cortisol levels during social stress inductions. However, no research to date has documented the dose–response relationship between intranasal oxytocin administration and cortisol, and researchers examining intranasal oxytocin have not examined the cortisol response to physical stress. We, therefore, examined the effects of 24 and 48 IU of intranasal oxytocin on the cortisol response to vigorous exercise. Methods : Seventeen males participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and within-subject experiment. Participants engaged in vigorous exercise for 60 minutes following the administration of placebo or intranasal oxytocin on three occasions. Saliva samples and mood ratings were collected at 8 intervals across each session. Results : Salivary cortisol concentrations changed over time, peaking after 60 minutes of exercise [Quadratic: F(1,16) = 7.349, p=0.015, partial η2=0.32]. The 24 IU dose of oxytocin attenuated cortisol levels relative to placebo [F(1,16) = 4.496, p=0.05, partial η2=0.22) and the 48 IU dose, although the latter fell just short of statistical significance [F(1,16) = 3.054, p=0.10, partial η2=0.16). There was no difference in the cortisol response to exercise in participants who were administered 48 IU of intranasal oxytocin relative to placebo. Intranasal oxytocin had no effect on mood. Conclusion : This is the first study to demonstrate that the effect of intranasal oxytocin on salivary cortisol is dose-dependent, and that intranasal oxytocin attenuates cortisol levels in response to physical stress. Future research using exogenous oxytocin will need to consider the possibility of dose–response relations.intranasal oxytocincortisolstressexercise24 IU48 IUdose–response
spellingShingle Christopher Cardoso
Mark A. Ellenbogen
Mark Anthony Orlando
Simon L. Bacon
Ridha Joober
Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
intranasal oxytocin
cortisol
stress
exercise
24 IU
48 IU
dose–response
title Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study
title_full Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study
title_fullStr Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study
title_full_unstemmed Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study
title_short Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose–response study
title_sort intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress a dose x2013 response study
topic intranasal oxytocin
cortisol
stress
exercise
24 IU
48 IU
dose–response
work_keys_str_mv AT christophercardoso intranasaloxytocinattenuatesthecortisolresponsetophysicalstressadosex2013responsestudy
AT markaellenbogen intranasaloxytocinattenuatesthecortisolresponsetophysicalstressadosex2013responsestudy
AT markanthonyorlando intranasaloxytocinattenuatesthecortisolresponsetophysicalstressadosex2013responsestudy
AT simonlbacon intranasaloxytocinattenuatesthecortisolresponsetophysicalstressadosex2013responsestudy
AT ridhajoober intranasaloxytocinattenuatesthecortisolresponsetophysicalstressadosex2013responsestudy