The influence of depressive symptomatology and perceived stress on plasma and salivary oxytocin before, during and after a support enhancement intervention.

Holt-Lunstad J, Birmingham W, Light KC

Psychoneuroendocrinology19 Apr 2011Cited by 79 (Europe PMC)

PMID21507578DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.007PepBankPUB-21507578

Summary

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Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study6

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured6

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

01HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialOther
In married adults high in depressive symptoms, salivary oxytocin stayed elevated in the control group but not in the warm touch intervention group.
In plain wordsIn adults with more depressive symptoms, the body's own oxytocin in saliva stayed high with behavior monitoring but not after the warm touch intervention.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseSalivary oxytocin during the warm touch intervention in subjects high in depressive symptoms
Study
n = 68
Comparator
Behavior monitoring control group
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
During the intervention, salivary OT remained elevated among subjects high in depressive symptomatology in the control group but not the intervention group.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n=68) ages 20-39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) before being randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention study enhancing partner support through "warm touch", or to a "behavior monitoring" control group.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-2150757805
02HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialOther
At post-intervention, plasma oxytocin levels no longer differed between subjects with and without depressive symptomatology.
In plain wordsAfter the intervention, the body's own oxytocin in blood no longer differed between people with and without depressive symptoms.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changePlasma oxytocin after intervention by depressive symptoms
Study
n = 68
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
At post-intervention, plasma OT levels in subjects with vs. without depressive symptomatology no longer differed.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n=68) ages 20-39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) before being randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention study enhancing partner support through "warm touch", or to a "behavior monitoring" control group.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-2150757806
03HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In married adults, higher depressive symptom scores were linked to higher plasma oxytocin levels before the intervention.
In plain wordsIn married adults, more depressive symptoms were linked to higher levels of the body's own oxytocin in blood.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePlasma oxytocin before intervention by depressive symptoms
Study
n = 68
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
subjects with higher depressive symptoms scores had higher plasma OT levels at pre-intervention
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n=68) ages 20-39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) before being randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention study enhancing partner support through "warm touch", or to a "behavior monitoring" control group.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-2150757801
04HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In married adults, higher depressive symptom scores were linked to higher salivary oxytocin levels at home during week 1.
In plain wordsIn married adults, more depressive symptoms were linked to higher levels of the body's own oxytocin in saliva.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseHome salivary oxytocin in week 1 by depressive symptoms
Study
n = 68
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
and higher salivary OT levels at home during week 1 (p<.05).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n=68) ages 20-39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) before being randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention study enhancing partner support through "warm touch", or to a "behavior monitoring" control group.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-2150757802
05HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In married adults, the link between depressive symptoms and plasma oxytocin was moderated by gender, with the highest levels among women with high depressive symptoms.
In plain wordsThe link between depressive symptoms and the body's own oxytocin was strongest in women.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
MixedPlasma oxytocin by depressive symptoms and gender
Study
n = 68
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Plasma OT results were moderated by gender such that plasma OT levels were highest among females high in depressive symptomology.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n=68) ages 20-39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) before being randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention study enhancing partner support through "warm touch", or to a "behavior monitoring" control group.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-2150757803
06HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In married adults, higher perceived stress was linked to higher plasma oxytocin and mediated part of the depression link.
In plain wordsIn married adults, more perceived stress was linked to higher levels of the body's own oxytocin in blood.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePlasma oxytocin by perceived stress
Study
n = 68
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Higher perceived stress was also linked to both higher depressive symptomatology (r=+65, p<.0001) and plasma OT (p< .05) and a significant mediator.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n=68) ages 20-39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) before being randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention study enhancing partner support through "warm touch", or to a "behavior monitoring" control group.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-2150757804

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:50 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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