Boosting oxytocin in postpartum depression: Intranasal oxytocin enhances maternal positive affect and regard for the...

Although oxytocin has been recognized for its affiliative and anxiolytic properties, dysregulation of this system may contribute to the link between depressed mood and insensitive maternal care in mothers with postpartum depression (PPD). This double-blind, randomized, within-subject control study investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin on caregiving behaviors, mood and physiology in mothers with (subclinical) PPD. The study included 45 mothers with 3- to 9-month-old infants who exhibited clinically relevant scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, with 35 mothers even fulfilling the criteria of a major depressive episode assessed with the SCID-5. We assessed oxytocin's effects on maternal sensitivity, positive regard toward the infant, self-reported positive and negative mood, and physiological responses, including salivary cortisol, heart rate, and heart rate variability during mother-infant interactions. We found that oxytocin significantly increased maternal positive regard for the child and self-reported positive affect. No effects on maternal sensitivity, negative mood, or physiological responses were found. Our findings suggest that oxytocin may enhance positive maternal emotions in PPD. Future research should explore oxytocin's therapeutic potential in larger, more diverse populations, considering individual differences such as PPD severity or childhood trauma.