The Interaction of Oxytocin and Social Support, Loneliness, and Cortisol Level in Major Depression
10.9758/cpn.2019.17.4.487
- Author:
Tsung Yu TSAI
1
;
Huai Hsuan TSENG
;
Mei Hung CHI
;
Hui Hua CHANG
;
Cheng Kuan WU
;
Yen Kuang YANG
;
Po See CHEN
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. chenps@mail.ncku.edu.tw
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cortisol;
Loneliness;
Major depressive disorder;
Oxytocin;
Social support
- MeSH:
Buffers;
Depression;
Depressive Disorder, Major;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Hydrocortisone;
Immunoassay;
Loneliness;
Oxytocin;
Risk Factors
- From:Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
2019;17(4):487-494
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
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 (male:female = 3:23; 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.
