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Study · Measured the body's own peptide · 2016

2 results

Peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin: Biomarkers of psychiatric disorders? A comprehensive systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis.

Rutigliano G, Rocchetti M, Paloyelis Y, Gilleen J, Sardella A, Cappucciati M, Palombini E, Dell'Osso L, Caverzasi E, Politi P, McGuire P, Fusar-Poli P

Psychiatry research5 May 2016Cited by 108 (Europe PMC)

PMID27183106 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.117 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-27183106
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

A large array of studies have investigated peripheral oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (ADH) as potential biomarkers of psychiatric disorders, with highly conflicting and heterogenous findings. We searched Web of KnowledgeSM and Scopus® for English original articles investigating OT and/or ADH levels in different biological fluids (plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid) across several psychiatric disorders. Sixty-four studies were included. We conducted 19 preliminary meta-analyses addressing OT alterations in plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid of 7 psychiatric disorders and ADH alterations in plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid of 6 psychiatric disorders compared to controls. Hedge's g was used as effect size measure, together with heterogeneity analyses, test of publication biases and quality control. None of them (except serum OT in anorexia nervosa) revealed significant differences. There is no convincing evidence that peripheral ADH or OT might be reliable biomarkers in psychiatric disorders. However, the lack of significant results was associated with high methodological heterogeneity, low quality of the studies, small sample size, and scarce reliability of the methods used in previous studies, which need to be validated and standardized.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study2

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

Natural levels measured2

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.

  1. 01HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewOther

    In preliminary meta-analyses, the body's own peripheral oxytocin levels did not differ significantly from controls across psychiatric disorders, except serum oxytocin in anorexia nervosa.

    In plain wordsThe body's own oxytocin levels in blood, saliva, urine and spinal fluid mostly did not differ between people with psychiatric disorders and controls.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changePeripheral oxytocin levels across psychiatric disorders
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Controls
    Outcome group
    Endogenous peptide levels · Mental health and mood

    Source sentences

    Summary
    None of them (except serum OT in anorexia nervosa) revealed significant differences.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    We conducted 19 preliminary meta-analyses addressing OT alterations in plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid of 7 psychiatric disorders and ADH alterations in plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid of 6 psychiatric disorders compared to controls.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  2. 02HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewOther

    In a preliminary meta-analysis, serum oxytocin in anorexia nervosa differed significantly from controls; the direction is not stated in the abstract.

    In plain wordsThe body's own oxytocin level in blood differed between people with anorexia nervosa and controls; the abstract does not give the direction.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Direction not reportedSerum oxytocin in anorexia nervosa
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Controls
    Outcome group
    Endogenous peptide levels · Mental health and mood

    Source sentences

    Summary
    except serum OT in anorexia nervosa) revealed significant differences
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    We conducted 19 preliminary meta-analyses addressing OT alterations in plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid of 7 psychiatric disorders and ADH alterations in plasma/serum, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid of 6 psychiatric disorders compared to controls.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

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.

  1. Version 2Current

    9 Oct 2026, 18:17 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:50 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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