Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, whose core symptoms consist of deficits in social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive behavior. Brain oxytocin (OXT) has been associated with various prosocial behaviors, and might, therefore, be involved...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000011 |
| _version_ | 1818430145497661440 |
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| author | L. Albantakis M.-L. Brandi T. Brückl D. Gebert M.K. Auer A. Kopczak G.K. Stalla I.D. Neumann L. Schilbach |
| author_facet | L. Albantakis M.-L. Brandi T. Brückl D. Gebert M.K. Auer A. Kopczak G.K. Stalla I.D. Neumann L. Schilbach |
| author_sort | L. Albantakis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, whose core symptoms consist of deficits in social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive behavior. Brain oxytocin (OXT) has been associated with various prosocial behaviors, and might, therefore, be involved in the pathogenesis of disorders associated with socio-emotional dysfunctions such as ASD. However, significant associations between central and peripheral OXT levels may only be present in response to physiological or stressful stimuli but were not shown under baseline conditions. In this study, we, therefore, investigated salivary and plasma OXT in response to physical exercise in adults with ASD (n = 33, mean age: 36.8 ± 10.7 years) without intellectual impairment (IQ > 70) and neurotypical controls (n = 31, mean age: 31.0 ± 11.7 years). To stimulate the OXT system, we used rapid cycling and measured cortisol (CORT) concentrations to monitor the physiological stress response. When controlling for age, neither salivary OXT (p = .469), plasma OXT (p = .297) nor CORT (p = .667) concentrations significantly differed between groups at baseline. In addition, neither OXT nor CORT concentrations significantly differed between groups after physical exercise. Social anxiety traits were negatively correlated with plasma, but not saliva OXT concentrations in neurotypicals at baseline, while empathetic traits were positively correlated with saliva, but not plasma concentrations in autistic patients at baseline. No significant correlations between salivary and plasma OXT concentrations were found at any time point. Future studies including adult participants should investigate the effect of age on CORT and OXT concentrations in response to stress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:28:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe735199e6a7431cb7b16184947d673d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-4976 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:28:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe735199e6a7431cb7b16184947d673d2022-12-21T22:55:58ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology2666-49762021-02-015100027Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exerciseL. Albantakis0M.-L. Brandi1T. Brückl2D. Gebert3M.K. Auer4A. Kopczak5G.K. Stalla6I.D. Neumann7L. Schilbach8Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry – Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany; Corresponding author. Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany.Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry – Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, GermanyMax Planck Institute of Psychiatry – Translational Research in Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, GermanyNeurological Specialty Hospital for Movement Disorders/Parkinson’s Disease, Straße Nach Fichtenwalde 16, 14547, Beelitz, GermanyMedizinische Klinik and Poliklinik IV, LMU Klinikum, Ziemssenstr. 1, 80336, Munich, GermanyInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17, 81377, Munich, GermanyMedizinische Klinik and Poliklinik IV, LMU Klinikum, Ziemssenstr. 1, 80336, Munich, Germany; Medicover Neuroendokrinologie, Orleansplatz 3, 81667, Munich, GermanyDepartment of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, GermanyMax Planck Institute of Psychiatry – Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg, GermanyAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, whose core symptoms consist of deficits in social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive behavior. Brain oxytocin (OXT) has been associated with various prosocial behaviors, and might, therefore, be involved in the pathogenesis of disorders associated with socio-emotional dysfunctions such as ASD. However, significant associations between central and peripheral OXT levels may only be present in response to physiological or stressful stimuli but were not shown under baseline conditions. In this study, we, therefore, investigated salivary and plasma OXT in response to physical exercise in adults with ASD (n = 33, mean age: 36.8 ± 10.7 years) without intellectual impairment (IQ > 70) and neurotypical controls (n = 31, mean age: 31.0 ± 11.7 years). To stimulate the OXT system, we used rapid cycling and measured cortisol (CORT) concentrations to monitor the physiological stress response. When controlling for age, neither salivary OXT (p = .469), plasma OXT (p = .297) nor CORT (p = .667) concentrations significantly differed between groups at baseline. In addition, neither OXT nor CORT concentrations significantly differed between groups after physical exercise. Social anxiety traits were negatively correlated with plasma, but not saliva OXT concentrations in neurotypicals at baseline, while empathetic traits were positively correlated with saliva, but not plasma concentrations in autistic patients at baseline. No significant correlations between salivary and plasma OXT concentrations were found at any time point. Future studies including adult participants should investigate the effect of age on CORT and OXT concentrations in response to stress.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000011Autism spectrum disorderOxytocinCortisolStress |
| spellingShingle | L. Albantakis M.-L. Brandi T. Brückl D. Gebert M.K. Auer A. Kopczak G.K. Stalla I.D. Neumann L. Schilbach Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology Autism spectrum disorder Oxytocin Cortisol Stress |
| title | Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise |
| title_full | Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise |
| title_fullStr | Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise |
| title_short | Oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise |
| title_sort | oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in response to physical exercise |
| topic | Autism spectrum disorder Oxytocin Cortisol Stress |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000011 |
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