There is growing interest in the role of the oxytocin system in social cognition and behavior. Peripheral oxytocin concentrations are regularly used to approximate central concentrations in psychiatric research, however, the validity of this approach is unclear. Here we conducted a pre-registered systematic search and meta-analysis of correlations between central and peripheral oxytocin concentrations. A search of databases yielded 17 eligible studies, resulting in a total sample size of 516 participants and subjects. Overall, a positive association between central and peripheral oxytocin concentrations was revealed [r=0.29, 95% CI (0.14, 0.42), p<0.0001]. This association was moderated by experimental context [Q b (4), p=0.003]. While no association was observed under basal conditions (r=0.08, p=.31), significant associations were observed after intranasal oxytocin administration (r=0.66, p<.0001), and after experimentally induced stress (r=0.49, p=0.0011). These results indicate a coordination of central and peripheral oxytocin release after stress and after intranasal administration. Although popular, the approach of using peripheral oxytocin levels to approximate central levels under basal conditions is not supported by the present results.
There is growing interest in the role of the oxytocin system in social cognition and
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with cognitive decline. Memory problems are typically among the first signs of cognitive impairment in AD, and they worsen considerably as the disease progresses. However, musical memory is partially spared in patients with AD, despite severe deficits in episodic (and partly semantic) memory. AD patients can learn new songs, encode novel verbal information, and react emotionally to music. These effects of music have encouraged the use and development of music therapy (MT) for AD management. MT is easy to implement and well-tolerated by most patients and their caregivers. Effects of MT in patients with AD include improved mood, reduced depressive scores and trait anxiety, enhanced autobiographical recall, verbal fluency, and cognition. Here, we review musical memory in AD, therapeutic effects of studies using MT on AD, and potential mechanisms underlying those therapeutic effects. We argue that, because AD begins decades before the presentation of clinical symptoms, music interventions might be a promising means to delay and decelerate the neurodegeneration in individuals at risk for AD, such as individuals with genetic risk or subjective cognitive decline.
Disruption of non-drug reward processing in addiction could stem from long-term drug use, addiction-related psychosocial stress, or a combination of these. It remains unclear whether long-term opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) disrupts reward processing. Here, we measured subjective and objective reward responsiveness in 26 previously heroin-addicted mothers in >7 years stable OMT with minimal psychosocial stress and illicit drug use. The comparison group was 30 healthy age-matched mothers (COMP). Objective reward responsiveness was assessed in a two-alternative forced-choice task with skewed rewards. Results were also compared to performance from an additional 968 healthy volunteers (meta-analytic approach). We further compared subprocesses of reward-based decisions across groups using computational modelling with a Bayesian drift diffusion model of decision making. Self-reported responsiveness to non-drug rewards was high for both groups (means: OMT = 6.59, COMP = 6.67, p = 0.84, BF 10 = 0.29), yielding moderate evidence against subjective anhedonia in this OMT group. Importantly, the mothers in OMT also displayed robust reward responsiveness in the behavioral task (t 19 = 2.72, p = 0.013, BF 10 = 3.98; d = 0.61). Monetary reward changed their task behavior to the same extent as the local comparison group (reward bias OMT = 0.12, COMP = 0.12, p = 0.96, BF 10 = 0.18) and in line with data from 968 healthy controls previously tested. Computational modelling revealed that long-term OMT did not even change decision subprocesses underpinning reward behavior. We conclude that reduced sensitivity to rewards and anhedonia are not necessary consequences of prolonged opioid use.
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