The DOI matches its Crossref record; 69 of the 69 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
More frequent partner hugs and higher oxytocin levels are linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate in premenopausal women
Abstract
In animals, ventral stroking for >5 days increases oxytocin (OT) activity and decreases blood pressure (BP), but related human studies are few. Thus, relationships between self-reported frequency of partner hugs, plasma OT and BP levels were examined in 59 premenopausal women before and after warm contact with their husbands/partners ending with hugs. Higher baseline OT before partner contact was associated with lower BP and heart rate, and met criteria to be a partial mediator of the lower resting BP shown by women reporting more frequent hugs (P<0.05). OT levels during post-contact stress were unrelated to hugs or BP. Menstrual cycle phase did not influence any OT measure. Thus, frequent hugs between spouses/partners are associated with lower BP and higher OT levels in premenopausal women; OT-mediated reduction in central adrenergic activity and peripheral effects of OT on the heart and vasculature are pathways to examine in future research.
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“Oxytocin is released in other animals by stroking and in humans by frequent partner hugging, which also reduces stress (Light et al. 2005).”
From Natural Selection, Childrearing, and the Ethics of Marriage (and Divorce): Building a Case for the Neuroenhancement of Human Relationships (2012) · cites this paper as Light et al. 2005
In the citing paper
“Plasma OXT levels can be elevated by several attachment-related experiences, including partner hugs (20), social support (21), massages (22), or orgasms (23)”
From Oxytocin enhances brain reward system responses in men viewing the face of their female partner (2013) · cites this paper as [20]
In the citing paper
“Likewise, receiving frequent hugs relates to lower blood pressure and heart rate [10,11]”
From Self-soothing touch and being hugged reduce cortisol responses to stress: A randomized controlled trial on stress, physical touch, and social identity (2021) · cites this paper as [11]
In the citing paper
“In humans, the concentration of plasma oxytocin is related to the perceived closeness to [28] or support received by [29] a partner, suggesting a relation between higher oxytocin levels and stronger social bonding.”
From Food sharing is linked to urinary oxytocin levels and bonding in related and unrelated wild chimpanzees (2014) · cites this paper as [29]
In the citing paper
“Increased oxytocin activity during distress [34,35] and its attenuating effects on HPA axis [36] and autonomic nervous system activity [37] may indicate a regulatory function of oxytocin in physiological stress.”
From Efficacy of oxytocin administration early after psychotrauma in preventing the development of PTSD: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Light, K. C., Grewen, K. M., & Amico, J. A.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Corresponding author
- Light, Kathleen C.
- ORCID
- Grewen, Karen M.
- Venue
- Biological Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-04
- Volume
- 69
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 5-21
- ISSN
- 0301-0511 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2114611230
- Semantic Scholar
- 91deb6a7e8533e0dffca305d32a4e7c1d5e0d906
- Cited by
- 470
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 30 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 24
- FWCI
- 7.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Biological Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL064927, HL64927)
- National Center for Research Resources (RR00046, M01RR000046)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Keywords
- oxytocin, blood pressure, heart rate, premenopausal women, spousal affection, menstrual cycle, adrenergic activity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Blood Pressure, Brain, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Object Attachment, Oxytocin, Receptors, Adrenergic, Touch, Premenopause, Spouses
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