Oxytocin-induced coping with stressful life events in old age depends on attachment: Findings from the cross-sectional KORA Age study.
    
    
        
    
    
        
        Psychoneuroendocrinology 56, 132-142 (2015)
    
    
		
		
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			Open Access Green möglich sobald Postprint bei der ZB eingereicht worden ist.
		
     
    
		
		
			
				BACKGROUND: Whether oxytocin functions as a stress hormone in older age is unknown. We investigated levels and the perceived stress of an adverse life event in an older population-representative sample and considered the effect of a secure/insecure attachment style on this association. METHODS: Non-fasting plasma oxytocin was measured from 952 participants (65-90 years) of the cross sectional KORA-Age study. The psychological impact of an adverse life event was assessed based on the Psychosocial Stress Questionnaire. Attachment style was determined by the Relationship-Specific Attachment Scales for Adults. Linear regression models of oxytocin, stratified for attachment style, were controlled for age, sex, and further for alcohol, smoking, and physical activity. Adjusted least squares means of oxytocin were calculated. RESULTS: Oxytocin levels did not differ between men and women (mean, 95% confidence interval (CI), 321 (277-365) and 309 (272-345)pg/ml, respectively). Oxytocin levels were positively associated with the experience of an adverse event (n=273, 29%) versus no event (n=679, 71%), in securely attached (β estimate=0.17, standard error (SE)=0.08, P value=0.03) but not in insecure participants (-0.10, 0.09), P=0.28). Oxytocin was positively associated with diminished stress among securely attached participant (event with little suffering: β=0.35. SE=0.12, great suffering: β=0.15. SE=0.14, severe suffering: β=0.03. SE=0.12). Among participants who reported minimal suffering, insecure individuals had lower oxytocin (adjusted mean, 95%CI: 172, 127-216pg/ml) than securely attached individuals (279, 222-352pg/ml, P=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: These epidemiologic data support the hypothesis that oxytocin may have an attenuating effect on perceived stress due to adverse life events in old age. The conditional role of attachment style in stress-induced endogenous oxytocin production is highlighted.
			
			
				
			
		 
		
			
				
					
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        Publikationstyp
        Artikel: Journalartikel
    
 
    
        Dokumenttyp
        Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
    
 
    
        Typ der Hochschulschrift
        
    
 
    
        Herausgeber
        
    
    
        Schlagwörter
        Aging ; Attachment Style ; Biopsychiatry ; Neuroscience ; Oxytocin ; Psychoanalysis ; Stress ; Stressful Life Events; Plasma Oxytocin; Psychological Stress; Intranasal Oxytocin; Enzyme-immunoassay; Perceived Stress; Mental-health; Humans; Women; Population; Anxiety
    
 
    
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        Sprache
        englisch
    
 
    
        Veröffentlichungsjahr
        2015
    
 
    
        Prepublished im Jahr 
        
    
 
    
        HGF-Berichtsjahr
        2015
    
 
    
    
        ISSN (print) / ISBN
        0306-4530
    
 
    
        e-ISSN
        1873-3360
    
 
    
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	    Band: 56,  
	    Heft: ,  
	    Seiten: 132-142 
	    Artikelnummer: ,  
	    Supplement: ,  
	
    
 
  
        
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            Verlag
            Elsevier
        
 
        
            Verlagsort
            Oxford
        
 
	
        
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        Peer reviewed
    
 
    
        Institut(e)
        Institute of Epidemiology (EPI)
    
 
    
        POF Topic(s)
        30202 - Environmental Health
    
 
    
        Forschungsfeld(er)
        Genetics and Epidemiology
    
 
    
        PSP-Element(e)
        G-504000-003
G-504090-001
    
 
    
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        Erfassungsdatum
        2015-04-03