The correlation between central and peripheral oxytocin concentrations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Endocrinology

Background:

• The oxytocin system is crucial for social cognition and behavior.
• Peripheral oxytocin levels are frequently used as a proxy for central concentrations in psychiatric research.
• The validity of using peripheral oxytocin to estimate central levels remains uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the correlation between central and peripheral oxytocin concentrations.
• To determine if experimental context influences this relationship.
• To assess the validity of peripheral oxytocin as a biomarker for central oxytocin.

Main Methods:

• A pre-registered systematic search and meta-analysis were conducted.
• 17 studies with a total of 516 participants were included.
• Correlations between central and peripheral oxytocin were analyzed, stratified by experimental context.

Main Results:

• A significant positive association between central and peripheral oxytocin was found overall (r=0.29).
• No association was observed under basal conditions (r=0.08).
• Significant associations emerged after intranasal oxytocin administration (r=0.66) and experimentally induced stress (r=0.49).

Conclusions:

• Central and peripheral oxytocin levels show coordinated release following intranasal administration and stress.
• Using peripheral oxytocin to approximate central levels is not supported under basal conditions.
• This highlights the importance of considering experimental context when measuring oxytocin.