Adult attachment representations predict cortisol and oxytocin responses to stress

Abstract

There are many factors contributing to individual variations in the response to stressful experiences. The present study evaluated the patterns of stress responses according to attachment representations in 28 adults from a community sample, plus 46 subjects expected to be particularly sensitive to stress, having been exposed during childhood and/or adolescence to traumatizing events such as abuse or potentially lethal illnesses. Subjects were given the Adult Attachment Interview, which provides attachment classifications, and the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), involving an experimental psychosocial challenge. Subjective responses to the TSST, as well as saliva samples (assayed for cortisol) and blood plasma samples (assayed for ACTH and oxytocin) were collected before, during and after the stress procedure. The stress responses presented specific patterns according to attachment classifications. Subjects with an autonomous attachment classification reported relatively low subjective stress, they presented a moderate response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (ACTH and cortisol), and a high level of oxytocin. Subjects with a dismissing classification reported a moderate subjective stress, they presented an elevated response of the HPA axis, and moderate levels of oxytocin. Subjects with a preoccupied classification presented moderate levels of subjective stress, and of HPA response, and a relatively low level of oxytocin. Finally, subjects with an unresolved classification reported elevated subjective stress; they presented a suppressed HPA response, and moderate levels of oxytocin. These data support the notion that attachment representations may affect stress responses, and suggest a specific role of oxytocin in both the attachment system and the stress system.

The Neurobiology of Attachment: From Infancy to Clinical Outcomes

“…Securely attached mothers have an increase in oxytocin when playing with their infants while insecurely attached mothers' oxytocin levels actually decrease with play (Strathearn, Fonagy, Amico, & Montague, 2009). Furthermore, secure attachment was correlated with higher oxytocin levels and decreased subjective stress during an acutely stressful situation (Pierrehumbert, Torrisi, Ansermet, Borghini, & Halfon, 2012). Hence, it appears that oxytocin and secure attachment may regulate the stress system.…”

“…Cortisol increases plasma oxytocin levels, hence this serves as a negative feedback system where stress increases cortisol, which then increases oxytocin, which then decreases cortisol. In individuals who are securely attached, oxytocin levels increase in response to stress (Pierrehumbert, Torrisi, Ansermet, Borghini, & Halfon, 2012). Given that women with a history of child abuse have lower oxytocin levels in general (Heim et al, 2009), it is possible that insecurely attached individuals do not have this inhibitory process in place, allowing the stress response to escalate to higher levels.…”

“…In securely attached individuals, oxytocin levels are generally higher and increase during periods of stress, increase with play, and oxytocin and reward activation synchronize during interaction with one's infant (Pierrehumbert, Torrisi, Ansermet, Borghini, & Halfon, 2012). Women with a history of child abuse have lower oxytocin levels in general as well as during pregnancy and the postpartum period (Heim et al, 2009).…”

“…Given that women with a history of child abuse have lower oxytocin levels in general (Heim et al, 2009), it is possible that insecurely attached individuals do not have this inhibitory process in place, allowing the stress response to escalate to higher levels. Furthermore, insecurely attached individuals are less likely to reach out to their loved ones in times of stress, may have a lower oxytocin response to interaction with loved ones, both which contribute to lower oxytocin levels (Pierrehumbert, Torrisi, Ansermet, Borghini, & Halfon, 2012;Strathearn, Fonagy, Amico, & Montague, 2009).…”

Anxious attachment style predicts an enhanced cortisol response to group psychosocial stress

“…Other studies have reported insecure dismissing attachment style to predict enhanced cortisol reactivity (Pierrehumbert et al, 2012;RifkinGraboi, 2008) whereas secure and dismissive attachment styles have been reported as similar elsewhere (Kidd et al, 2011). Further studies show no relationship between cortisol responding to a stressor and attachment style (e.g.…”