Cited by 89Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorStress Responses and CortisolNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Dose-response relationship between plasma oxytocin and cortisol and adrenocorticotropin concentrations during oxytocin infusion in normal men

LEGROS, J.J., CHIODERA, P., GEENEN, V., SMITZ, S., FRENCKELL, R.VON·1984·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Abstract

We previously demonstrated that acute injection of a pharmacological dose of oxytocin (2 IU) in humans decreased the concentrations of ACTH and cortisol, a neuroendocrine action opposite that of vasopressin. In the present work the effect of continuous infusion of lower doses of oxytocin was tested. Plasma oxytocin was also measured using an oxytocin RIA to study the dose-response relation. Infusion of oxytocin (8 mIU/min for 30 min) resulted in a plasma oxytocin level of 9.9 +/- 1.4 (+/- SD) muIU/ml and induced a decrease in the plasma concentration of ACTH in three of four normal subjects. Infusion of oxytocin at the rate of 16 mIU/ml for 30 min resulted in plasma oxytocin level of 17.7 +/- 1.6 muIU/ml and decreases in plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations in all six subjects tested. Increasing the oxytocin dose from 32 to 64 and 128 mIU/min for three additional 30-min periods induced more pronounced decreases in plasma ACTH and cortisol. In each subject, there was a highly significant inverse relationship between plasma oxytocin, and ACTH and cortisol (r = -0.85 to -0.99). During saline infusion, a significant inverse relationship with a 10-min lag period between plasma oxytocin and ACTH (r = -0.55) was found in only one of six subjects. These data demonstrate that infusion of exogenous oxytocin leading to plasma levels approximately 10 times higher than normal induced consistent decreases in corticotropic function. Because the oxytocin concentration in portal blood is approximately 300 times higher than that in peripheral blood, it is likely that the inhibitory action of oxytocin on ACTH secretion is of physiological significance.

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Crossref · 10.1210/jcem-58-1-105

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Authors
LEGROS, J. J., CHIODERA, P., GEENEN, V., SMITZ, S., & FRENCKELL, R. V.
Affiliations
University of Parma (IT)
Venue
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Published
1984-01
Volume
58
Issue
1
Pages
105-109
ISSN
  • 0021-972X (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-7197
OpenAlex
W2031133459
Cited by
89
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
FWCI
4.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
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
oxytocin, ACTH, cortisol, dose-response relationship, neuroendocrine regulation, vasopressin, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, plasma oxytocin
MeSH terms
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Adult, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Infusions, Parenteral, Male, Oxytocin

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