Gender moderates the effect of oxytocin on social judgments

Hoge, Elizabeth A.; Anderson, Eric; Lawson, Elizabeth A.; Bui, Éric; Fischer, Laura E.; Khadge, Shradha D.; Barrett, Lisa Feldman; Simon, Naomi M.

doi:10.1002/hup.2402

Cited by 52 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Only a limited number of studies have included females in research pertaining to stress and oxytocin, particularly those studies in which intranasal oxytocin was administered (owing to complications relating to hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle). Yet, increasing evidence has pointed to differential actions (or correlations) of endogenous and exogenous oxytocin on various behaviors among men and women (Taylor et al., 2010, Hoge et al., 2014), thus suggesting that this hormone may potentially serve different functions in men and women. The present investigation, in women, suggested that basal oxytocin and cortisol levels are related, and oxytocin is linked to attitudes, such as distrust and empathy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relations between plasma oxytocin and cortisol: The stress buffering role of social support

McQuaid

McInnis

Paric

et al. 2016

Neurobiology of Stress

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Stress responses in humans can be attenuated by exogenous oxytocin administration, and these stress-buffering properties may be moderated by social factors. Yet, the influence of acute stressors on circulating endogenous oxytocin levels have been inconsistent, and limited information is available concerning the influence of social support in moderating this relationship. In the current investigation, undergraduate women (N = 67) were assessed in the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) with either social support available from a close female friend or no social support being available. An additional set of women served as controls. The TSST elicited marked elevations of state anxiety and negative emotions, which were largely attenuated among women who received social support. Furthermore, baseline oxytocin levels were inversely related to women's general feelings of distrust, as well as basal plasma cortisol levels. Despite these associations, oxytocin levels were unaffected by the TSST, and this was the case irrespective of oral contraceptive use or estrogen levels. In contrast, plasma cortisol elevations were elicited by the psychosocial stressor, but only in women using oral contraceptives, an effect that was prevented when social support was available. Taken together, these data provisionally suggest that changes in plasma oxytocin might not accompany the stress attenuating effects of social support on cortisol levels. Moreover, as plasma oxytocin might not reliably reflect brain oxytocin levels, the linkage between oxytocin and prosocial behaviors remains tenuous.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relations between plasma oxytocin and cortisol: The stress buffering role of social support

McQuaid

McInnis

Paric

et al. 2016

Neurobiology of Stress

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“…Despite growing evidence for gender differences for OXT actions on physiological and emotional responses (Kubzansky et al, 2012; Ditzen et al, 2013; Fischer-Shofty et al, 2013; Rilling et al, 2014; Hoge et al, 2014; Yao et al, 2014) we found no clear evidence for this in the context of the current study. A recent study reporting OXT-induced increases in empathy for pain in out-group individuals also found no gender difference in responses to OXT (Shamay-Tsoory et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin increases liking for a country's people and national flag but not for other cultural symbols or consumer products

Luo

Geng

et al. 2014

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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The neuropeptide oxytocin enhances in-group favoritism and ethnocentrism in males. However, whether such effects also occur in women and extend to national symbols and companies/consumer products is unclear. In a between-subject, double-blind placebo controlled experiment we have investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on likeability and arousal ratings given by 51 adult Chinese males and females for pictures depicting people or national symbols/consumer products from both strong and weak in-groups (China and Taiwan) and corresponding out-groups (Japan and South Korea). To assess duration of treatment effects subjects were also re-tested after 1 week. Results showed that although oxytocin selectively increased the bias for overall liking for Chinese social stimuli and the national flag, it had no effect on the similar bias toward other Chinese cultural symbols, companies, and consumer products. This enhanced bias was maintained 1 week after treatment. No overall oxytocin effects were found for Taiwanese, Japanese, or South Korean pictures. Our findings show for the first time that oxytocin increases liking for a nation's society and flag in both men and women, but not that for other cultural symbols or companies/consumer products.

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“…Notably, there is also accumulating evidence for sex differences in effects of intranasal OT on social-emotional functioning and associated brain function (Campbell et al , 2014, Ditzen et al , 2012, Hoge et al , 2014, Lynn et al , 2014, Preckel et al , 2014). For instance, while intranasal OT administration during couple conflict augments activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in men, it attenuates ANS activity in women (Ditzen et al , 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A common oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism modulates intranasal oxytocin effects on the neural response to social cooperation in humans

Feng

Lori²,

Waldman

et al. 2015

Genes Brain and Behavior

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Intranasal oxytocin (OT) can modulate social-emotional functioning and related brain activity in humans. Consequently, OT has been discussed as a potential treatment for psychiatric disorders involving social behavioral deficits. However, OT effects are often heterogeneous across individuals. Here we explore individual differences in OT effects on the neural response to social cooperation as a function of the rs53576 polymorphism of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Previously, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which healthy men and women were randomized to treatment with intranasal OT or placebo. Afterwards, they were imaged with fMRI while playing an iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma Game with same-sex partners. Within the left ventral caudate nucleus, intranasal OT treatment increased activation to reciprocated cooperation in men, but tended to decrease activation in women. Here, we show that these sex differences in OT effects are specific to individuals with the rs53576 GG genotype, and are not found for other genotypes (rs53576 AA/AG). Thus, OT may increase the reward or salience of positive social interactions for male GG homozygotes, while decreasing those processes for female GG homozygotes. These results suggest that rs53576 genotype is an important variable to consider in future investigations of the clinical efficacy of intranasal OT treatment.

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Gender moderates the effect of oxytocin on social judgments

Abstract: These findings contribute to a small but growing body of research demonstrating differential effects of oxytocin in men and women.

Cited by 52 publications

References 31 publications

Relations between plasma oxytocin and cortisol: The stress buffering role of social support

Relations between plasma oxytocin and cortisol: The stress buffering role of social support

Oxytocin increases liking for a country's people and national flag but not for other cultural symbols or consumer products

A common oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism modulates intranasal oxytocin effects on the neural response to social cooperation in humans

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