Attachment representation modulates oxytocin effects on the processing of own-child faces in fathers

Waller, Christiane; Wittfoth, Matthias; Fritzsche, Konstantin; Timm, Lydia; Wittfoth-Schardt, Dina; Rottler, Edit; Heinrichs, Markus; Buchheim, Anna; Kiefer, Markus; Gündel, Harald

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.07.003

Cited by 32 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Previous findings in parent sensitivity suggest that peripheral OT levels increase in both parents during the first weeks post‐partum, but a sex‐specific relationship was found between parental OT and behaviors during dyadic interactions: affectionate behavior is associated with maternal OT, while stimulatory behavior is associated with paternal OT . Several authors have underlined the role of OT in the development of synchrony, and the difference between patterns of maternal and paternal care. More specifically, OT was associated with father–infant affect synchrony in social and affective contexts .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychophysiological effects of oxytocin on parent–child interactions: A literature review on oxytocin and parent–child interactions

Szymanska

Schneider

Chateau-Smith

et al. 2017

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci

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Oxytocin (OT), often called the 'hormone of love' or 'hormone of attachment,' plays a fundamental role in the establishment and quality of parent-infant bonding. However, emerging evidence indicates that OT can also produce antisocial behavior. To clarify these effects, we review studies examining the role of endogenous and exogenous OT on several determinants of attachment: parental sensitivity, and bonding or synchrony in parent-child dyads. Contextual and individual factors moderating the effect of intranasal OT and its peripheral levels are also reviewed. Finally, potential therapeutic applications for OT and current limitations in human OT research are examined. This systematic literature review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, with two electronic databases and other bibliographic sources. We identified a total of 47 relevant studies for inclusion in our review. Most of the findings are in accordance with recent ideas that OT administration may increase parent-child prosocial interaction, showing that OT exerts beneficial effects on processes thought to promote bonding, sensitivity, and synchrony. However, we found that OT can induce antisocial behavior (e.g., anxiety) or adverse effects (modulation of maternal care recollections) that are moderated by different contextual (e.g., maltreatment level, presence of unfamiliar people) and individual (attachment style) factors. This review reinforces the importance of context- and individual-dependent factors, which must be taken into account when analyzing the psychophysiological effects of OT.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychophysiological effects of oxytocin on parent–child interactions: A literature review on oxytocin and parent–child interactions

Szymanska

Schneider

Chateau-Smith

et al. 2017

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci

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“…However, ERP studies in healthy participants on the processing of attractive or attachment-relevant faces allow inferences concerning the stage at which attachment-relevant stimulus information associated with TOs is being processed. Evidence regarding the ERP latency range of the influences of attachment-related facial stimuli in healthy female and male participants is not homogenous, although the majority of studies suggest a modulation of later mnemonic, emotional or evaluative processing stages in both genders starting at about 200 ms after stimulus onset (EPN, N250, P3/LPP, for N1 effects, see refs 23 , 24 ): Faces of the own child increased N250 amplitudes in fathers 25 . Attractive faces modulated a posterior negativity, presumably the EPN, in samples including male and female participants 24 , 26 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain activity to transitional objects in patients with borderline personality disorder

Kiefer

Neff

Schmid

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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Adult patients with borderline personality disorders (BPD) frequently have attachments to inanimate transitional objects (TOs) such as stuffed animals. Using event-related potential (ERP) recordings, we determined in patients with BPD the neural correlates of the processing of these attachment-relevant objects and their functional significance. Sixteen female patients with BPD viewed pictures of their TOs, other familiar stuffed toys (familiar objects, FOs), and unfamiliar objects (UOs). ERPs in the patients were compared to those in 16 matched healthy controls who possessed a stuffed animal of comparably high familiarity. Here, we found a specific increase of frontal P3/LPP amplitude in patients with BPD, which was related to attachment anxiety and depression scores. Attachment-related TO stimuli in patients with BPD specifically modulated stages of emotional stimulus evaluation reflecting processing of self-relevance. The relation of the frontal ERP effect to patients’ attachment anxiety and depression highlights the function of TOs for coping with anxiety about being abandoned by significant others and for dealing with depressive symptoms.

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“…Additionally oxytocin plays a crucial role in bond formation between children and parents and social reciprocity. Parental oxytocin plasma level and early parental care patterns seemed to be associated with social reciprocity (Feldman et al, 2013; Waller et al, 2015). These natural variations in parental oxytocin responses may predict differences in the quality of maternal/paternal caregiving.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System on Oxytocin and Cortisol Blood Levels in Mothers

Krause

Pokorný

Schury

et al. 2016

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Oxytocin, a small neuropeptide of nine amino acids, has been characterized as the “hormone of affiliation” and is stimulated, for instance, in mothers when interacting with their offspring. Variations in maternal oxytocin levels were reported to predict differences in the quality of care provided by mothers. In this study, the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) as a valid measure to assess attachment representations was used as an activating attachment-related stimulus. We investigated whether the AAP induces a release of oxytocin in mothers with a secure attachment representation and a stress-related cortisol response in mothers with an insecure attachment representation. Therefore, pre-post effects of AAP administration on plasma oxytocin and serum cortisol levels were investigated in n = 44 mothers 3 months after parturition. Oxytocin levels increased from pre to post in the significant majority of 73% participants (p = 0.004) and cortisol decreased in the significant majority of 73% participants (p = 0.004). Interestingly, no association between alterations in oxytocin and cortisol were found; this suggests taking a model of two independent processes into considerations. These results show that the AAP test procedure induces an oxytocin response. Concerning the results within the four AAP representation subgroups, our hypothesis of a particularly strong increase in oxytocin in secure mothers was not confirmed; however, in secure mothers we observed a particularly strong decrease in cortisol. Effect sizes are reported, allowing the replication of results in a larger study with sufficient sample size to draw final conclusions with respect to differences in OT and cortisol alterations depending on attachment representation. When interpreting the results, one should keep in mind that this study investigated lactating mothers. Thus, the generalizability of results is limited and future studies should investigate non-lactating healthy females as well as males and include a control stimulus condition.

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Attachment representation modulates oxytocin effects on the processing of own-child faces in fathers

Cited by 32 publications

References 62 publications

Psychophysiological effects of oxytocin on parent–child interactions: A literature review on oxytocin and parent–child interactions

Psychophysiological effects of oxytocin on parent–child interactions: A literature review on oxytocin and parent–child interactions

Brain activity to transitional objects in patients with borderline personality disorder

Effects of the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System on Oxytocin and Cortisol Blood Levels in Mothers

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