(Press-News.org) Contact information: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-2424
Concordia University
'Love hormone' oxytocin carries unexpected side effect
New Concordia University study shows an increase in emotional oversensitivity among off-label users
This news release is available in French.
Montreal, January 21, 2014 — The love hormone, the monogamy hormone, the cuddle hormone, the trust-me drug: oxytocin has many nicknames. That's because this naturally occurring human hormone has recently been shown to help people with autism and schizophrenia overcome social deficits.
As a result, some psychologists are keen to prescribe oxytocin off-label, in order to treat mild social unease in those who don't suffer from a diagnosed disorder. Not such a good idea, say researchers from Concordia University's Centre for Research in Human Development. Their recent study, published in the American Psychological Association's journal Emotion, study shows that, in healthy young adults, too much oxytocin can actually result in oversensitivity to emotions in others.
To perform the study, PhD candidates Christopher Cardoso and Anne-Marie Linnen, and psychology professor Mark Ellenbogen recruited 82 healthy young adults who presented no signs of schizophrenia, autism or related disorders. Half of the participants were given measured doses of oxytocin while the other half was given a placebo.
Participants then completed an emotion identification accuracy test that had them compare different facial expressions showing various emotional nuances. As expected, the participants who had been given oxytocin saw greater emotional intensity in the faces that they were rating than did those given a placebo.
"For some, typical situations like dinner parties or job interviews can be a source of major social anxiety," says Cardoso, who was the lead author on the study. "Many psychologists initially thought that oxytocin could be an easy fix in overcoming these worries. Our study proves that the hormone ramps up innate social reasoning skills, resulting in an emotional oversensitivity that can be detrimental in those who don't have any serious social deficiencies."
Cardoso explains: "if your potential boss grimaces because she's uncomfortable in her chair and you think she's reacting negatively to what you're saying, or if the guy you're talking to at a party smiles to be friendly and you think he's coming onto you, it can lead you to overreact and can be real a problem. That's why we're cautioning against giving oxytocin to people who don't really need it.
Ultimately, oxytocin has solid potential to help those with diagnosed mental disorders overcome social deficits, such as autism, but the potential social benefits of oxytocin in most people may be countered by unintended negative consequences, like being too sensitive to emotional cues in everyday life.
###
Partners in research: This research was supported by grants to Mark A. Ellenbogen from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canada Research Chair program (supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada). Christopher Cardoso is supported by a scholarship from the Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec.
Related links:
Watch Concordia researcher Christopher Cardoso explain the links between oxytocin and oversensitivity: http://youtu.be/CIaarjIuVls
Concordia's Department of Psychology
Centre for Research in Human Development
Media contact:
Cléa Desjardins
Senior advisor, media relations
University Communications Services
Concordia University
Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068
Email: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Web: concordia.ca/now/media-relations
Twitter: twitter.com/CleaDesjardins
'Love hormone' oxytocin carries unexpected side effect
New Concordia University study shows an increase in emotional oversensitivity among off-label users
2014-01-22
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study: Possible new druggable target in Ewing's Sarcoma
2014-01-22
Study: Possible new druggable target in Ewing's Sarcoma
Ewing's Sarcoma is an aggressive pediatric cancer, most commonly caused by the improper fusion of the gene EWS with the gene FLI1. Though the cause has long been known, therapeutic targeting of this fusion ...
Study finds 66 children a day treated in emergency departments for shopping cart-related injuries
2014-01-22
Study finds 66 children a day treated in emergency departments for shopping cart-related injuries
Researchers call for cart design changes and tougher safety standards
Although a voluntary shopping cart safety standard was implemented ...
Salamanders help predict health of forest ecosystems and inform forest management
2014-01-22
Salamanders help predict health of forest ecosystems and inform forest management
Researchers suggest a balance between timber harvest and conservation biology
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Woodland salamanders are small, lungless amphibians that live in moist, forest ...
Guys: Get married for the sake of your bones, but wait until you're 25
2014-01-22
Guys: Get married for the sake of your bones, but wait until you're 25
UCLA study also shows women with supportive partners have stronger bones
Marriage is good for the health of men's bones - but only if they marry when they're ...
Research backs more strategies for children with autism
2014-01-22
Research backs more strategies for children with autism
FPG scientists screened 29,000 articles to locate evidence-based interventions only
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders has released its much-anticipated update ...
Researchers model macroscale plasmonic convection to control fluid and particle motion
2014-01-22
Researchers model macroscale plasmonic convection to control fluid and particle motion
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a new theoretical model that explains macroscale fluid convection ...
New test targets salmonella
2014-01-22
New test targets salmonella
Rice University-based research develops fast biosensor for pathogens in food
An array of tiny diving boards can perform the Olympian feat of identifying many strains of salmonella at once.
The novel biosensor developed by scientists at Rice University ...
NASA still watching an amazingly stubborn, strong tropical low: System 94S
2014-01-22
NASA still watching an amazingly stubborn, strong tropical low: System 94S
The tropical low pressure area known as System 94S continues to soak Australia and NASA satellites continue to track its movements. NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites captured visible and infrared ...
UH researcher finds anonymity makes a difference with online comments
2014-01-22
UH researcher finds anonymity makes a difference with online comments
Study reports most anonymous comments online are uncivil
In a study titled, "Virtuous or Vitriolic: The Effect of Anonymity on Civility in Online Newspaper Reader Comment Boards," University of ...
New web-based course to prevent excessive weight gain may improve health in young adults
2014-01-22
New web-based course to prevent excessive weight gain may improve health in young adults
According to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
PHILADELPHIA, PA, January 21, 2014 – The transition from adolescence to adulthood presents individuals ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Reevaluating nonoperative management for pediatric uncomplicated acute appendicitis
Metabolically active visceral fat linked to aggressive endometrial cancer, new study reveals
Scientists glimpse how enzymes “dance” while they work, and why that’s important
California partnership aided COVID-19 response and health equity, report finds
University of Oklahoma secures $19.9 million for revolutionary radar technology
Study finds restoring order to dividing cancer cells may prevent metastasis
High-accuracy tumor detection with label-free microscopy and neural networks
Wayne State research reveals fetuses exposed to Zika virus have long-term immune challenges
Researchers deconstruct chikungunya outbreaks to improve prediction and vaccine development
Study finds one-year change on CT scans linked to future outcomes in fibrotic lung disease
Discovery of a novel intracellular trafficking pathway in plant cells
New tool helps forecast volcano slope collapses and tsunamis
Molecular coating cleans up noisy quantum light
From Parkinson's to rare diseases, discovered a key switch for cellular health
Tiny sugars in the brain disrupt emotional circuits, fueling depression
Mini-organs reveal how the cervix defends itself
Africa, climate, and food: How to feed a continent without increasing its carbon footprint
Researchers demonstrates substrate design principles for scalable superconducting quantum materials
How better software choices could cut US health care costs
Concussion history in NCAA athletes yields mixed health outcomes
Counting plastic reveals hidden waste and sparks action
Warming oceans may pose a serious threat to American lobsters
Deaths from drug-induced unintentional injury rise across the US
In car crashes with pedestrians, age and zip code may predict extent of traumatic injuries
AI optimizes evacuation, diagnosis, and treatment of wounded soldiers in Ukraine
Mastectomy linked to worsened sexual health, body image after surgery
Drop in credit score after cancer diagnosis linked to increased mortality, study shows
Use of weight loss drugs before bariatric surgery has soared in recent years, study finds
EMS call times in rural areas take at least 20 minutes longer than national average
Rectal bleeding in young adults linked to 8.5 times higher risk of colorectal cancer
[Press-News.org] 'Love hormone' oxytocin carries unexpected side effectNew Concordia University study shows an increase in emotional oversensitivity among off-label users