Oxytocin increases heart rate variability in humans at rest: implications for social approach-related motivation and capacity for social engagement

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e44014. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044014. Epub 2012 Aug 28.

Abstract

Context: Oxytocin (OT) plays a key regulatory role in human social behaviour. While prior studies have examined the effects of OT on observable social behaviours, studies have seldom examined the effects of OT on psychophysiological markers such as heart rate variability (HRV), which provides an index of individual's motivation for social behaviour. Furthermore, no studies have examined the impact of OT on HRV under resting conditions, which provides an index of maximal capacity for social engagement.

Objective: To examine the effects of OT on HRV measures in healthy male participants while at rest. OT was hypothesised to increase HRV, compared to placebo, and that the effects would be greatest for a non-linear measure of HRV (the detrended fluctuation scaling exponent).

Methods: Twenty-one male participants were recruited for this study. Participants were non-smokers, not on any medications and reported no history of psychiatric illness, neurological disorder, or any other serious medical condition (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease). The study employed a randomised, placebo-controlled, within-subject, crossover, experimental design.

Main outcome measures: HRV was calculated from electrocardiography under a standardized, 10-minute, resting state condition.

Results: As hypothesised, OT increased HRV and these effects were largest using the detrended fluctuation scaling exponent, a non-linear measure. These changes were observed in the absence of any change in state mood, as measured by the profile of mood states. Importantly, participants were unable to correctly guess which treatment they had been assigned at either of the two assessments.

Conclusions: Together with the broader literature on OT and HRV, findings suggest that acute administration of OT may facilitate a fundamental psychophysiological feature of social behaviour, increasing capacity for social engagement. Findings also suggest that HRV changes may provide a novel biomarker of response to OT nasal spray that can be incorporated into research on response to treatment.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Heart Rate / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motivation*
  • Oxytocin / pharmacology*
  • Social Behavior*

Substances

  • Oxytocin

Grants and funding

The authors AHK and DSQ are supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Award Fellowship (571101) and an Australian Rotary Health/Hooton family Scholarship, respectively. This study was further supported by NHMRC (632634; 632625) and Australian Research Council (ARC) linkage (LP110100513) funding. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.