Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: Relations to couples’ interactive reciprocity

In the paper

“In addition, research has shown that the early stages of romantic love may be linked to alterations in plasma levels of cortisol, sex steroids, nerve growth factor (NGF), and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (Marazziti et al., 2009), as well as decreased density of the serotonin transporter in platelets (Emanuele et al., 2006; Marazziti et al., 1999; Marazziti and Canale, 2004), suggesting”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Discussion (page unavailable) reports an association between plasma BDNF and romantic attachment in women, and reports higher NGF in people who had recently fallen in love. It does not link cortisol or sex-steroid levels to early romantic love, nor establish that its BDNF finding concerns the early stage. The platelet serotonin-transporter claim has separate citations in the citing sentence and is not attributed to this paper. (LLM, conf=0.87)

  cites Marazziti et al., 2009 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Emanuele et al., 2006 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Marazziti et al., 1999 source

In the paper

“In humans, intranasal administration of OT was found to increase bonding-related behavior, including gaze to eye region (Guastella et al., 2008), interpersonal trust and empathy (Hurlemann et al., 2010; Kosfeld et al., 2005), and social cognition (Kirsch et al., 2005).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Guastella et al., 2008 source
• Supported

  The Abstract reports that intranasal oxytocin increased emotional empathy in healthy adult men, but not cognitive empathy. The Introduction also reports evidence that oxytocin enhances interpersonal trust, citing earlier studies. The eye-gaze and social-cognition claims are attributed to other citations in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.90)

  cites Hurlemann et al., 2010 source
• Partly supported

  The Abstract and LETTERS report that intranasal oxytocin increased trusting behavior in humans. They do not report an increase in empathy, which the citing sentence groups with interpersonal trust under the Kosfeld citation. Gaze to the eye region and social cognition are attributed to other cited papers in that sentence. (LLM, conf=0.87)

  cites Kosfeld et al., 2005 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“However, findings regarding peripheral OT are mixed. Whereas some found links between plasma OT and positive communication, affiliation, and emotional support (Gonzaga et al., 2006; Grewen et al., 2005; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2008), others showed associations with negative emotions, anxiety, and distress in romantic couples (Marazziti et al., 2006; Tabak et al., 2010; Taylor et al., 2010).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Gonzaga et al., 2006 source
• Partly supported

  The Results report a positive association between plasma oxytocin and romantic-attachment anxiety (r = 0.30, p = 0.04). The paper does not report associations with negative emotions or distress, and the Results note that some participants were not in a romantic relationship, so its sample cannot be described simply as romantic couples. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites Marazziti et al., 2006 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• Partly supported

  The Results report that peripheral oxytocin reactivity was associated with post-conflict anxiety and lack of forgiveness in women following interpersonal harms. But the Methods include harms involving friends and relatives as well as romantic partners, and the Results found no significant association between baseline oxytocin and post-conflict anxiety. This source therefore supports the distress association, but not a finding specifically about romantic couples or baseline plasma oxytocin. (LLM, conf=0.87)

  cites Tabak et al., 2010 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Specifically, OT has been shown to play a critical role in the regulation of pair-bond formation in monogamous mammals (Ross and Young, 2009).”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  Section 1.7, Social Bonding in Adults (page not provided), reports convincing evidence that oxytocin is critical for partner-preference formation in female monogamous prairie voles. It says the role in males is less clear and that whether oxytocin is involved in pair bonding in other monogamous species remains to be determined. The claim extends the established finding beyond the population the review supports. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites Ross and Young, 2009 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Experiments were conducted in a comfortable laboratory during the mid-afternoon hours, in light of previous research suggesting stability in the diurnal cycle of plasma OT in the afternoon and evening hours (Forsling et al., 1998).”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Fluid balance section (page unavailable) reports that plasma oxytocin concentrations were lowest during the afternoon and evening, then rose steeply after midnight. That pattern supports the citing sentence’s hedged description of relative stability during the afternoon and evening. (LLM, conf=0.84)

  cites Forsling et al., 1998 source

In the paper

“Third, although increasing literature suggests that arginine vasopressin is involved in pair bonding along with OT (Donaldson et al., 2010), the current study did not measure vasopressin.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The paper reports that vasopressin V1a receptor signaling is necessary for partner-preference formation and expression in male prairie voles (Abstract; no page supplied). Its Methods section also discusses oxytocin receptors in the context of social behavior. The statement that the citing authors’ current study did not measure vasopressin is not attributed to Donaldson et al. (LLM, conf=0.90)

  cites Donaldson et al., 2010 source

In the paper

“Pearson correlations indicated that OT was not associated with sex, body weight, height, smoking, contraceptive pills (58% of women were taking contraceptive pills), time since last meal, or sexual activity of the subject.”

In the paper

“Finally, OT was related to specific bonding-related behaviors and to preoccupations and worries in both parents and romantic partners.”

In the paper

“Consistent with the parental bonding literature, associations were found between OT levels and the couple’s reciprocal interactive behavior and mental preoccupations and worries.”

In the paper

“As seen, interactive behaviors such as affectionate touch, interpersonal focus, and matched dyadic states, which are central for the formation of parent–infant synchrony in both mothers and fathers (Feldman and Eidelman, 2007) and are associated with parental OT (Feldman et al., 2011), were central components of the reciprocity formed between romantic partners and similarly correlated with OT.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman and Eidelman, 2007 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman et al., 2011 source

In the paper

“The CIB has good psychometric properties and has shown sensitivity to differences related to child age, interactive partner, cultural background, and risk conditions, and has been validated in numerous studies (Feldman, 2010; Feldman and Eidelman, 2009; Feldman and Klein, 2003; Feldman et al., 2001).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman, 2010
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman and Eidelman, 2009 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman and Klein, 2003 source

In the paper

“No differences in demographic conditions were found between new lovers and singles, between new lovers who did or did not stay together, or between those who did or did not return for the follow-up assessment.”

In the paper

“Coding was conducted by coders trained to reliability and inter-rated reliability, conducted on 10% of the sample, exceeded 85% on all codes. Coders were blind to all other information.”

In the paper

“The Interactive Reciprocity construct of the CIB has been extensively used in research spanning infancy to adolescence and has shown to be stable over the first 13 years of life, to predict adjustment in adolescence, and to be sensitive to cultural background and high-risk parenting (Feldman, 2010; Feldman and Masalha, 2010; Feldman et al., 2003).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman, 2010
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman and Masalha, 2010 source
• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., 2003

In the paper

“subjects completed the Experience in Close Relationships scale (ECR), a well-known measure of attachment in adults (Brennan et al., 1998).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Brennan et al., 1998

In the paper

“Interviews were audiotaped and were then coded by two trained coders, with inter-rated reliability on 10% of the sample exceeding 90% on all topics. Coders did not participate in conducting the interviews and were blind to all other hormonal, behavioral, self-report and demographic information.”

In the paper

“The biochemist conducting the analysis was blind to any information related to relational status (single, in relationship), sex, or behavioral and interview data.”

In the paper

“The intra-assay coefficients are 5.4% for the medium-high range and 12.4% for low range. The inter-assay coefficients were 8.7% for the medium–high range and 14.5%, for low range.”

In the paper

“Plasma OT values at the first assessment, D(52) = .26, p < .05, as well as at the follow up, D(52) = .17, p < .05, were non-normal. Therefore, prior to statistical analysis OT values were log-transformed to correct for their non-Gaussian distribution.”

In the paper

“findings which parallel those described for parent–infant bonding”

In the paper

“OT is a nonapeptide hormone associated with affiliative bonding in mammals (Insel et al., 1997) that is known to mediate social behavior, pair-bonding, and parental attachment across a variety of species (Carter, 1998).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Insel et al., 1997 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Carter, 1998 source

In the paper

“OT has also been shown to play a role in human parenting and peripheral levels of OT have been associated with reciprocal parent–infant interactions in both mothers and fathers (Feldman et al., 2010).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., 2010

In the paper

“recent findings showed associations between plasma OT, genetic variability in the CD38 rs3796863 SNP, and the degree of reciprocity and touch between parents and their infants (Feldman et al., in press), pointing to the potential involvement of OT in the development of reciprocal interactions between”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., in press

In the paper

“Determination of OT concentrations in plasma was performed using a commercial OT enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Assay Design, Ann Arbor, MI) consistent with previous research (Carter et al., 2007; Feldman et al., 2007; Gordon et al., 2008).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Carter et al., 2007 source
• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., 2007
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Gordon et al., 2008 source

In the paper

“However, since we did not examine the same individuals prior to falling in love and again at the initial stages of romantic attachment, it is not possible to fully determine whether OT levels increased in response to the onset of a romantic relationship or whether OT represents a trait-like dimension of the individual and individuals with higher OT are more likely to fall in love.”

In the paper

“Acevedo et al. (2011) found higher activations among romantically attached individuals in regions implicated in pair-bonding in monogamous rodents, and OT administration has shown to increase couples’ positive communication (Ditzen et al., 2009).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Ditzen et al., 2009 source

In the paper

“OT has also been shown to play a role in human parenting and peripheral levels of OT have been associated with reciprocal parent–infant interactions in both mothers and fathers (Feldman et al., 2010).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., 2010

In the paper

“Consistent with perspectives suggesting that periods of parental and romantic bonding share underlying mechanisms, this factor is similar to the one used in parenting research, describes a unique mental state in parents during the postpartum period (Feldman et al., 1999; Leckman et al., 1999), and has shown to correlate with parental OT (Feldman et al., 2007).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman et al., 1999 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Leckman et al., 1999 source
• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., 2007

In the paper

“Similarly, warm contact between romantic partners has been associated with elevations in a subset of serum proteins (Matsunaga et al., 2009).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Matsunaga et al., 2009

In the paper

“In addition, research has pointed to the central role of transmembrane glycoprotein CD38 in OT neuropathways and in the release of OT from axon terminalis (Jin et al., 2007), and recent findings showed associations between plasma OT, genetic variability in the CD38 rs3796863 SNP, and the degree of reciprocity and touch between parents and their infants (Feldman et al., in press), pointing to the”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Jin et al., 2007 source

In the paper

“In addition, the early stages of parenting has shown to be accompanied by heightened sensitivity to infant cues and mental preoccupations and worries, which similarly correlate with OT (Feldman et al., 2007) and are essential for the formation of the parent’s bond to the infant (Feldman et al., 1999; Leckman et al., 1999).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Feldman et al., 2007
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Feldman et al., 1999 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Leckman et al., 1999 source

In the paper

“Because the links between central and peripheral OT are not fully understood, it is not clear whether plasma levels reflect central activity of the system, although studies in both humans and animals point to coordination between central and peripheral levels (Burri et al., 2008; Wotjak et al., 1998).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Burri et al., 2008 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Wotjak et al., 1998 source

In the paper

“Previous research reported an increase in plasma OT levels during sexual arousal and orgasm in both men and women (Carmichael et al., 1987, 1994).”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites Carmichael et al., 1987, 1994

In the paper

“Dysfunctional romantic relationships and unreciprocated love have been associated with substantial psychological distress and suicidal behavior (Canetto and Lester, 2002; Emanuele, 2009).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Canetto and Lester, 2002 source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Emanuele, 2009 source

In the paper

“Finally, we did not measure genetic variability in the OT receptor gene, the CD38 gene, or allelic variations that may impact physiological and behavioral processes at the initiation of romantic love.”

In the paper

“In addition, the ELISA OT assay that had been conducted in the study had relatively high intra- and interassay CVs.”

In the paper

“To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study to investigate romantic attachment from a developmental biochemical perspective.”

In the paper

“Although we know that lovers were heterosexual, we did not collect this information from singles.”

In the paper

“Second, it is important to note that the results do not imply a causal relationship between the beginning of a romantic relationship and higher OT values and it is possible that individuals with high OT also form romantic attachments more readily.”

In the paper

“First, due to obvious constraints in human research, we did not measure OT at the neurochemical brain level.”