Socio-behavioral dysfunction in disorders of hypothalamic-pituitary involvement: The potential role of disease-induced oxytocin and vasopressin signaling deficits

Oxytocin-induced increases in cytokines and clinical effect on the core social features of autism: Analyses of RCT datasets

Although oxytocin may provide a novel therapeutics for the core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), previous results regarding the efficacy of repeated or higher dose oxytocin are controversial, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The current study is aimed to clarify whether repeated oxytocin alter plasma cytokine levels in relation to clinical changes of autism social core feature. Here we analyzed cytokine concentrations using comprehensive proteomics of plasmas of 207 adult males with high-functioning ASD collected from two independent multi-center large-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs): Testing effects of 4-week intranasal administrations of TTA-121 (A novel oxytocin spray with enhanced bioavailability: 3U, 6U, 10U, or 20U/day) and placebo in the crossover discovery RCT; 48U/day Syntocinon or placebo in the parallel-group verification RCT. Among the successfully quantified 17 cytokines, 4 weeks TTA-121 6U (the peak dose for clinical effects) significantly elevated IL-7 (9.74, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 3.59 to 15.90, False discovery rate corrected P (PFDR) < 0.001), IL-9 (56.64, 20.46 to 92.82, PFDR < 0.001) and MIP-1b (18.27, 4.96 to 31.57, PFDR < 0.001) compared with placebo. Inverted U-shape dose-response relationships peaking at TTA-121 6U were consistently observed for all these cytokines (IL-7: P < 0.001; IL-9: P < 0.001; MIP-1b: P = 0.002). Increased IL-7 and IL-9 in participants with ASD after 4 weeks TTA-121 6U administration compared with placebo was verified in the confirmatory analyses in the dataset before crossover (PFDR < 0.001). Furthermore, the changes in all these cytokines during 4 weeks of TTA-121 10U administration revealed associations with changes in reciprocity score, the original primary outcome, observed during the same period (IL-7: Coefficient = -0.05, -0.10 to 0.003, P = 0.067; IL-9: -0.01, -0.02 to -0.003, P = 0.005; MIP-1b: -0.02, -0.04 to -0.007, P = 0.005). These findings provide the first evidence for a role of interaction between oxytocin and neuroinflammation in the change of ASD core social features, and support the potential role of this interaction as a novel therapeutic seed. Trial registration: UMIN000015264, NCT03466671/UMIN000031412.

Positive psychological effects of seated acupressure massage are associated with a rise in plasma oxytocin without affecting CGRP levels or circulating IL-6

Work-related stress is a major public health issue. Given the relationship between acute stress responses and health, finding strategies to deal with the unpleasant symptoms brought on by stress is essential. Massage therapy is a popular stress-reduction technique, but its effectiveness has yet to be shown. In that matter, this study investigates the effects of a 17-minute session of seated Amma massage on young healthy people. Subjective stress perception, anxiety and self-confidence were assessed before and after the massage using the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale (STAI-Y, Spielberger et al., 1983) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (EEAC, Cury et al., 1999), together with cardiovascular parameters. Cortisol, CGRP, IL-6, and oxytocin plasma levels were measured before and after the massage to investigate its possible mode of action. This study enrolled 59 people: 33 receiving the massage, and 26 controls only seated on the massage chair. Interaction Time x Group demonstrates significant differences for all psychological measurements (STAI, EEAC) before and after the Amma massage, showing a beneficial effect of this treatment, in particular on perceived anxiety and self-confidence. No evidence was found of any correlation between cortisol plasma levels and psychological outcomes. No relationship was shown between the decrease of perceived stress and measured CGRP or IL-6 release, but the data demonstrated that heart frequency could be slightly decreased. The oxytocin plasma levels were significantly increased by the massage and could be responsible for the recovery of psychological outcomes. We conclude that seated acupressure Amma massage could be a useful tool to ameliorate quality of life at work.

Is the efficacy of oxytocin for autism diminished at higher dosages or repeated doses?: Potential mechanisms and candidate solutions

No approved pharmacological intervention currently exists to address the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition. However, there is a growing body of empirical evidence highlighting oxytocin's modulatory effects on social and communicative behaviors. Numerous single-dose trials have consistently demonstrated the efficacy of oxytocin in ameliorating behavioral and neural measurements associated with the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Nevertheless, prior investigations involving the repeated administration of oxytocin have yielded disparate findings concerning its effectiveness, particularly in relation to clinical measures of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Recent studies have also raised the possibility of diminishing efficacy of oxytocin over time, particularly when higher or recurrent dosages of oxytocin are administered. This review article aims to provide an overview of previous studies examining this issue. Furthermore, it aims to discuss the potential mechanisms underlying these effects, including the interaction between oxytocin and vasopressin, as well as potential strategies for addressing the challenges mentioned. This review's overall objective is to provide insights into the potential development of innovative therapeutics to mitigate the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, representing potential breakthroughs in the treatment of this complex neurodevelopmental condition.

Tales from the life and lab of a female social neuroscientist

This narrative review charts my unconventional path to becoming a social neuroscientist and describes my research findings - some baffling, some serendipitous, some pivotal - in the field of neuropeptide biology. I trace my childhood as a Bell Labs "brat" to my adolescence as a soccer-playing party girl, to my early days as a graduate student, when I first encountered oxytocin and vasopressin. These two molecules instantly captivated - and held - my attention and imagination. For more than 25 years, a core goal of my research program has been to better understand how these neuropeptides regulate social functioning across a range of species (e.g., meadow voles, mice, squirrel monkeys, rhesus monkeys, and humans), and to translate fundamental insights from this work to guide development of novel pharmacotherapies to treat social impairments in clinical populations. I also discuss my experience of being a woman and a mother in STEM, and identify the important people and events which helped shape my career and the scientist I am today.

Neurodevelopmental impairments in children with septo-optic dysplasia spectrum conditions: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is a rare condition diagnosed in children with two or more of the following: hypopituitarism, midline brain abnormalities, and optic nerve hypoplasia. Children with SOD experience varied visual impairment and endocrine dysfunction. Autistic-like behaviours have been reported; however, their nature and prevalence remain to be fully understood. The present systematic review aimed to explore the type and prevalence of neurodevelopmental impairments in children with SOD spectrum conditions.

METHODS

The search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycInfo. Hand-searching reference lists of included studies was conducted. All peer-reviewed, observational studies assessing behavioural and cognitive impairments or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms in children (< 18 years) with SOD, optic nerve hypoplasia, and SOD-plus were included. Studies were excluded if they did not report standardised measures of neurodevelopmental impairments or ASD outcomes.

RESULTS

From 2132 screened articles, 20 articles reporting data from a total of 479 children were included in prevalence estimates. Of 14 studies assessing cognitive-developmental outcomes, 175 of 336 (52%) children presented with intellectual disability or developmental delay. A diagnosis of ASD or clinical level of symptoms was observed in 65 of 187 (35%) children across five studies. Only five studies assessed for dysfunction across behavioural, emotional, or social domains and reported impairments in 88 of 184 (48%) of children assessed.

LIMITATIONS

Importantly, high heterogeneity among the samples in relation to their neuroanatomical, endocrine, and optic nerve involvement meant that it was not possible to statistically assess the relative contribution of these confounding factors to the specific neurodevelopmental phenotype. This was further limited by the variation in study designs and behavioural assessments used across the included studies, which may have increased the risk of information bias.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review suggests that the prevalence of neurodevelopmental impairments in children within the SOD spectrum may be high. Clinicians should therefore consider including formal assessments of ASD symptoms and neurodevelopmental impairments alongside routine care. There is, additionally, a need for further research to define and validate a standardised battery of tools that accurately identify neurodevelopmental impairments in SOD spectrum conditions, and for research to identify the likely causal mechanisms.

Modulation of social behavior by distinct vasopressin sources

The neuropeptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is well known for its peripheral effects on blood pressure and antidiuresis. However, AVP also modulates various social and anxiety-related behaviors by its actions in the brain, often sex-specifically, with effects typically being stronger in males than in females. AVP in the nervous system originates from several distinct sources which are, in turn, regulated by different inputs and regulatory factors. Based on both direct and indirect evidence, we can begin to define the specific role of AVP cell populations in social behavior, such as, social recognition, affiliation, pair bonding, parental behavior, mate competition, aggression, and social stress. Sex differences in function may be apparent in both sexually-dimorphic structures as well as ones without prominent structural differences within the hypothalamus. The understanding of how AVP systems are organized and function may ultimately lead to better therapeutic interventions for psychiatric disorders characterized by social deficits.