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Sharing secrets: oxytocin and trust in schizophrenia
Szabolcs Kéri1, Imre Kiss, Oguz Kelemen
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Balassa u. 6., Budapest H1083, Hungary. keriszabolcs@psych.sote.hu
Social Neuroscience
|August 2, 2008
Summary
Oxytocin levels increase with trust in healthy individuals but not in schizophrenia patients. Lower oxytocin after trust interactions predicts negative symptoms in schizophrenia, suggesting a link to social deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Oxytocin is implicated in human trust and social behaviors.
- Trust and oxytocin regulation are often impaired in severe mental disorders like schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma oxytocin levels during interpersonal interactions in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
- To explore the relationship between oxytocin levels, trust, and symptomology in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Measured plasma oxytocin levels in 50 schizophrenia patients and 50 healthy controls.
- Assessed oxytocin response after neutral and trust-related interpersonal interactions.
- Correlated oxytocin levels with schizophrenia symptom severity (positive, negative), depression, anxiety, and neuropsychological function.
Main Results:
- Healthy controls showed increased oxytocin after trust interactions; this effect was absent in schizophrenia patients.
- Lower oxytocin levels post-trust interaction significantly predicted negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
- Oxytocin levels were not related to positive symptoms, depression, anxiety, or neuropsychological functions.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia is associated with a blunted oxytocin response to trust-related interactions.
- Decreased trust-related oxytocin release may contribute to negative symptoms, social withdrawal, and flattened affect in schizophrenia.
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