Does early life stress alter oxytocin systems in the periphery?
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Early life stress (ELS) has profound and lasting effects on the oxytocin system, both centrally and peripherally, influencing a wide range of physiological and behavioral outcomes. Research indicates that ELS can lead to long-term alterations in the expression and signaling of oxytocin receptors, which are critical for social behavior, emotional control, and stress responses, thereby increasing the risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other stress-related neuropsychiatric diseases. These alterations in the oxytocin system may partly mediate the susceptibility to obesity observed in individuals who have experienced ELS, highlighting the role of oxytocin in regulating energy balance and modulating social, emotional, and eating behaviors. Further evidence suggests that individuals exposed to ELS exhibit lower levels of peripheral and central oxytocin in a dose-response manner and have a differential response to exogenous oxytocin administration, sometimes resulting in negative outcomes. This is supported by findings that early life stress impairs the endogenous control of pain and alters oxytocin receptor-mediated stress-induced analgesia, which can be partially rescued by oxytocin treatment. Additionally, ELS is associated with altered stress responsivity and changes in functional brain connectivity that may influence the peripheral oxytocin system. Oxytocin's role extends beyond its neurohormonal effects, influencing learning, memory, social behavior, and the modulation of microglial reactivity in the developing brain. Lower oxytocin concentrations in adulthood have been significantly associated with higher levels of early life stress, depressive symptoms, and trait anxiety. Affiliative tactile stimuli and exogenous oxytocin application during early life stages can modulate the activity of the oxytocin-oxytocin receptor system in adulthood, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits against early-life maltreatments. Moreover, perinatal exposure to stress hormones can predispose individuals to psychopathological behavior in later life, with oxytocin treatment showing potential in reducing stress responses and restoring regular behavioral phenotypes. In summary, the evidence strongly supports that ELS can alter the oxytocin systems in the periphery, affecting a broad spectrum of physiological and behavioral processes.
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| Papers (9) | Insight |
|---|---|
| Early life stress can increase oxytocin levels in the periphery, showing a bidirectional relationship with the stress response system, potentially impacting neuroprotection in the immature brain. | |
103 Citations | Not addressed in the paper. |
110 Citations | Early life stress negatively correlates with plasma oxytocin concentration in adult men, indicating an alteration in oxytocin systems in the periphery due to early life stress. |
12 Citations | Early-life stress reduces oxytocin system activity, potentially leading to adverse effects in adulthood. Affiliative tactile stimuli and oxytocin treatment enhance oxytocin system activity, offering potential therapeutic benefits. |
| Not addressed in the paper. | |
18 Citations | Early life stress, like neonatal maternal separation, can alter oxytocin systems in the periphery, impacting nociceptive hypersensitivity and impairing oxytocin analgesia in a rat model. |
| Early life stress may alter oxytocin systems in the periphery, impacting energy balance regulation and potentially contributing to obesity susceptibility, as suggested in the research. | |
| Early-life stress can alter oxytocin systems in the periphery by affecting oxytocin receptor expression and signaling, leading to deficits in social behavior and increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. | |
13 Citations | Yes, early life stress is associated with lower levels of peripheral oxytocin in a dose-response manner, as indicated by studies reviewed in the paper. |
Related Questions
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How is early life stress related to reactive agression?5 answersStep 1: Early life stress is linked to altered stress reactivity, potentially leading to increased risk for psychopathological conditions later in life. Exposure to early life stress can result in dysregulated reactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, affecting cortisol responses to stress. Additionally, early life stress can lead to inappropriate forms of aggression, which are associated with alterations in the HPA axis and serotonin systems. Social support, particularly work-related, has been shown to modulate the effects of early life stress, reducing stress reactivity and amygdala response during stress. However, the buffering effect of social support may not extend to the subjective experience of stress in daily life or feelings of uncontrollability induced by stress..
Step 2:
- "Early life stress is linked to altered stress reactivity, potentially leading to increased risk for psychopathological conditions later in life".
- "Exposure to early life stress can result in dysregulated reactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, affecting cortisol responses to stress".
- "Additionally, early life stress can lead to inappropriate forms of aggression, which are associated with alterations in the HPA axis and serotonin systems".
- "Social support, particularly work-related, has been shown to modulate the effects of early life stress, reducing stress reactivity and amygdala response during stress".
- "However, the buffering effect of social support may not extend to the subjective experience of stress in daily life or feelings of uncontrollability induced by stress".
Step 3:
"Early life stress is linked to altered stress reactivity, potentially leading to increased risk for psychopathological conditions later in life". "Exposure to early life stress can result in dysregulated reactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, affecting cortisol responses to stress". "Additionally, early life stress can lead to inappropriate forms of aggression, which are associated with alterations in the HPA axis and serotonin systems". "Social support, particularly work-related, has been shown to modulate the effects of early life stress, reducing stress reactivity and amygdala response during stress". "However, the buffering effect of social support may not extend to the subjective experience of stress in daily life or feelings of uncontrollability induced by stress".
What are the long-term consequences of early life stress?3 answersEarly life stress has long-term consequences on various aspects of health and development. Exposure to stressors during the first 1000 days from conception to age 2 years can shape an individual's life trajectory of health and disease. Early life stress can impair the capacity of the immune system to generate subsequent generations of naïve cells and the capacity of neuronal stem cells to proliferate as they age. It also influences the functional and structural organization of brain areas involved in the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, leading to long-term maladaptive and psychopathological outcomes. Stress exposure during sensitive developmental periods affects brain function and cognition, increasing vulnerability to psychopathology later in life. Prolonged stressful experiences prior to adolescence have been linked to an increased risk of neurological disorders, impairing adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Exposure to early life stress has long-term effects on neural circuits involved in vulnerability and resilience to mental health disorders.