Experience of stress in childhood negatively correlates with plasma oxytocin concentration in adult men

Abstract

Early life experience is known to affect responses to stress in adulthood. Adverse experience in childhood and/or adolescence sensitises to life events that precipitate depression in later life. Published evidence suggests a relationship between depression and oxytocin (OT), but the extent to which early life experience influences OT disposition in adulthood deserves further exploration. This study hypothesised that early life stress (ELS) has a long-term negative effect on OT system activity. The study was performed on 90 male volunteers (18-56 years; mean ± standard deviation = 27.7 ± 7.09 years). Several questionnaires were used to assess: health, early life stressful experiences in childhood (ELS-C, up to 12 years) and early life stressful adolescence (13-18 years), recent stressful life events, depressive symptoms, state-trait anxiety and social desirability. Plasma OT concentration was estimated by means of a competitive enzyme immunoassay. Lower OT concentrations were significantly associated with higher levels of ELS-C (p < 0.01), and with depressive symptoms and trait anxiety (both p < 0.05). The interaction between ELS-C and trait anxiety was significant (p < 0.05), indicating that the link between ELS-C and plasma OT concentration is moderated by trait anxiety. These results contribute to the evidence that early life adverse experience is negatively associated with OT system activity in adulthood, and offer further insight into mediator and moderator effects on this link.

Oxytocin pathways in the intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress

“…Moreover, ELS is associated with higher infant cortisol reactivity, more negative emotionality (Feldman et al, 2009), and deficient OT signaling in social interactions (Wismer Fries et al, 2005). Importantly, effects of ELS-exposure may be long lasting and are reliable predictors for later life MDD (Heim and Binder, 2012), PPD (Meltzer-Brody et al, 2013), dysregulated HPA axis reactivity (Heim et al, 2008), as well as lower CSF (Heim et al, 2009) and plasma (Opacka-Juffry and Mohiyeddini, 2012) OT concentrations. This co-occurrence of ELS-dependent alterations begs the question of whether abnormalities in bi-directional OT-HPA-axis communication may critically shape the relationship between ELS and psychiatric risk in adulthood.…”

“…Whether alterations in the OT-immune cross-talk are involved in the ELS-depression relationship has yet to be established, but certainly yields potential for new insights into the etiology of ELS-associated depression. ELS is associated with both decreased OT signaling (Heim et al, 2009; Opacka-Juffry and Mohiyeddini, 2012) and an increased inflammatory phenotype (Miller et al, 2011) in adults. ELS-related attenuation of OT/OTR mediated inhibition of inflammatory pathways may result in an inflammatory excess to culminate in higher risk of MDD in ELS-affected individuals.…”

Neuroticism and stress: the role of displacement behavior

“…Stress plays a key role in the onset and maintenance of a wide range of physical and mental disorders (Bekkouche, Holmes, Whittaker, & Krantz, 2011;Braveman, Egerter, & Mockenhaupt, 2011;Contrada, 2011;Diener 1984;Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999;Lantz, House, Mero, & Williams, 2005;Miller, Cohen, & Ritchey, 2002;Opacka-Juffry & Mohiyeddini, 2012). In the search for risk factors for stress-related disorders, there has been a growing interest in the role of neuroticism (Hettema, Prescott, & Kendler, 2004).…”

Disentangling the link between depressive symptoms and plasma oxytocin in men: The role of brooding rumination

“…Cronbach's alpha for trait subscale was 0.88. Early life stressful experiences-childhood was measured using ELSI-C (Early Life Stress-Inventory-Childhood, Opacka-Juffry & Mohiyeddini (2012). ELSI-C is a 30 items self-report inventory which provides retrospective assessment of the frequency of different types of stressful life experiences considered as uncontrollable or fateful (e.g.…”

“…Oxytocin analysis in peripheral plasma: Plasma OT was analysed by means of enzyme immunoassay (Assay Designs, USA) according to Opacka-Juffry & Mohiyeddini (2012). The person performing the analyses was blind to the subject status of the samples.…”