TY - JOUR
T1 - Oxytocin and cortisol in romantically unattached young adults
T2 - Associations with bonding and psychological distress
AU - Gordon, Ilanit
AU - Zagoory-Sharon, Orna
AU - Schneiderman, Inna
AU - Leckman, James F.
AU - Weller, Aron
AU - Feldman, Ruth
PY - 2008/5
Y1 - 2008/5
N2 - Despite extensive research on the involvement of oxytocin (OT) in mammalian bonding, less is known about its role in human social affiliation across the life cycle. Forty-five romantically unattached young adults participated. Plasma oxytocin and salivary cortisol were assessed using enzyme immuno-assay, and self-report measures of bonding, attachment, anxiety, and depression were collected. Oxytocin was associated with bonding to own parents and inversely related to psychological distress, particularly depressive symptoms. Cortisol was related to attachment anxiety. Regression analysis indicated that the adult's representations of bonding to parents predicted OT levels above and beyond cortisol, psychological distress, and attachment. Findings are consistent with antistress models of oxytocin and suggest that oxytocin may play a role in bonding-related cognitions across the life span.
AB - Despite extensive research on the involvement of oxytocin (OT) in mammalian bonding, less is known about its role in human social affiliation across the life cycle. Forty-five romantically unattached young adults participated. Plasma oxytocin and salivary cortisol were assessed using enzyme immuno-assay, and self-report measures of bonding, attachment, anxiety, and depression were collected. Oxytocin was associated with bonding to own parents and inversely related to psychological distress, particularly depressive symptoms. Cortisol was related to attachment anxiety. Regression analysis indicated that the adult's representations of bonding to parents predicted OT levels above and beyond cortisol, psychological distress, and attachment. Findings are consistent with antistress models of oxytocin and suggest that oxytocin may play a role in bonding-related cognitions across the life span.
KW - Anxiety
KW - Bonding
KW - Cortisol
KW - Depression
KW - Oxytocin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=41849150086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00649.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00649.x
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C2 - 18266803
AN - SCOPUS:41849150086
SN - 0048-5772
VL - 45
SP - 349
EP - 352
JO - Psychophysiology
JF - Psychophysiology
IS - 3
ER -