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Cited by 132Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Oxytocin and social functioning

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Jones, Candace, Barrera, Ingrid, Brothers, Shaun, Ring, Robert, Wahlestedt, Claes·2017·Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
DOI 10.31887/dcns.2017.19.2/cjonesPMC PMC5573563
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Abstract

Social anxiety is a form of anxiety characterized by continuous fear of one or more social or performance situations. Although multiple treatment modalities (cognitive behavioral therapy, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines) exist for social anxiety, they are effective for only 60% to 70% of patients. Thus, researchers have looked for other candidates for social anxiety treatment. Our review focuses on the peptide oxytocin as a potential therapeutic option for individuals with social anxiety. Animal research both in nonprimates and primates supports oxytocin's role in facilitation of prosocial behaviors and its anxiolytic effects. Human studies indicate significant associations between social anxiety and oxytocin receptor gene alleles, as well as social anxiety and oxytocin plasma levels. In addition, intranasal administration of oxytocin in humans has favorable effects on social anxiety symptomology. Other disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, and anorexia, have components of social anxiety in their pathophysiology. The therapeutic role of oxytocin for social dysfunction in these disorders is discussed.

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  • Exogenous oxytocin decreases threat reactivity by dampening amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli, making it useful in treating social anxiety.

    “Exogenous oxytocin, typically administered nasally, decreases threat reactivity by dampening amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli, making it useful in treating social anxiety (Jones et al., 2022).”

    From The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development (2023) · cites this paper as Jones et al., 2022

    The Human studies and social anxiety section (page unavailable) reports reduced fear-associated amygdala activity in response to threatening faces, and the Intranasal oxytocin studies section says intranasal delivery has been the primary method used in humans. The paper describes oxytocin as a potential treatment for social anxiety, but its adjunct-treatment discussion finds improvement in some characteristics, not others. Saying this makes oxytocin useful for treatment states the clinical conclusion more firmly than the review does. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Authors
Jones, C., Barrera, I., Brothers, S., Ring, R., & Wahlestedt, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Miami (US)
  • Drexel University (US)
Corresponding author
Jones, Candace
ORCID
Venue
Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2017-06-30
Volume
19
Issue
2
Pages
193-201
ISSN
  • 1294-8322 (ISSN-L)
  • 1958-5969
DOI
10.31887/dcns.2017.19.2/cjones
PMC
PMC5573563
OpenAlex
W2772095365
Cited by
132
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 1
FWCI
10.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01AA023781)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH110441)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R21DA035592, R01DA035055)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS092671)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
oxytocin, social anxiety, oxytocin receptor gene, intranasal oxytocin, anxiolytic effects, prosocial behavior, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, social dysfunction
MeSH terms
Phobia, Social, Administration, Intranasal, Animals, Fear, Humans, Oxytocin, Anti-Anxiety Agents

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