Cited by 250Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorStress Responses and CortisolNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Salivary oxytocin concentrations in response to running, sexual self-stimulation, breastfeeding and the TSST: The Regensburg Oxytocin Challenge (ROC) study

Jong, Trynke R. de, Menon, Rohit, Bludau, Anna, Grund, Thomas, Biermeier, Verena, Klampfl, Stefanie M., Jurek, Benjamin, Bosch, Oliver J. +2 more·2015·Psychoneuroendocrinology

Abstract

Intranasal oxytocin (OXT) application is emerging as a potential treatment for socio-emotional disorders associated with abnormalities in OXT system (re-) activity. The crucial identification of patients with such abnormalities could be streamlined by the assessment of basal and stimulus-induced OXT concentrations in saliva, using a simple, stress-free sampling procedure (i.e. an OXT challenge test). We therefore established the Regensburg Oxytocin Challenge (ROC) test to further validate salivary OXT concentrations as a practical, reliable and sensitive biomarker. OXT concentrations were quantified by radioimmunoassay in samples collected at home by healthy adult male and female volunteers before and after running ("Run") or sexual self-stimulation ("Sex"). In lactating women, salivary OXT concentrations were quantified before, during and after breastfeeding. Salivary OXT along with salivary cortisol and heart rate were monitored in healthy adult participants undergoing the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The home-based "Run" and "Sex" challenges as well as the laboratory-based TSST caused quantifiable, rapid, and consistent increases in salivary OXT (approximately 2.5-fold after 10-15min), which were similar for men and women. Breastfeeding did not result in measurably increased salivary OXT levels, probably because the short pulses of OXT release characteristic for lactation were missed. Taken together, ROC tests reliably assess the responsiveness of the OXT system (i.e., the increase in salivary OXT concentrations as compared to basal levels) to challenges such as "Run" and "Sex" at home or psychosocial stress (TSST) in the laboratory. Further studies with larger sample numbers are essentially needed in order to reveal individual differences in ROC test outcomes depending on, for example, genetic or environmental factors.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.08.027

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Authors
Jong, T. R. D., Menon, R., Bludau, A., Grund, T., Biermeier, V., Klampfl, S. M., Jurek, B., Bosch, O. J., Hellhammer, J., & Neumann, I. D.
Affiliations
University of Regensburg (DE)
Venue
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-12
Volume
62
Pages
381-388
ISSN
0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2113173770
Cited by
250
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 1
FWCI
32.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Regensburg Publication Server (University of Regensburg) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
salivary oxytocin, oxytocin challenge test, intranasal oxytocin, running, breastfeeding, Trier Social Stress Test, psychosocial stress, salivary cortisol, heart rate, biomarker validation
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Breast Feeding, Female, Humans, Male, Masturbation, Middle Aged, Oxytocin, Running, Saliva, Stress, Psychological, Young Adult

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