Music's context-dependent influence on oxytocin, social bonding, and emotion regulation: a systematic review.

Chu TH, Tsai CG

Frontiers in cognition2 Jan 2026Cited by 2 (Europe PMC)

PMID42339210PMCIDPMC13281211DOI10.3389/fcogn.2025.1678665PepBankPUB-42339210

Summary

ObjectiveThis systematic review aims to explore how individual and group musical activities influence social bonding and emotion regulation through the oxytocinergic system.MethodsFollowing the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and PsycInfo was conducted to identify studies up to October 2024, supplemented by a manual search. One reviewer screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the study quality. Framework synthesis and narrative synthesis were conducted to integrate findings.ResultsA total of 1,865 records were identified. After reviewing the full-text papers, 20 studies (seven randomized controlled trials and 13 quasi-experiments) were included, which involved 877 participants across healthy and clinical populations. The reviewed interventions included singing, playing instruments, listening to music, and music therapy. Most studies reported improvements in psychosocial outcomes, such as reduced anxiety and depression or enhanced social cognition, but they do not always align with peripheral oxytocin (OXT) changes. However, certain psychosocial outcomes or contexts revealed relatively consistent patterns in OXT responses, suggesting the presence of context-dependent modulation. Short-term interventions often reported detectable peripheral OXT changes, which only partially reflected the temporary activity of magnocellular OXT neurons in the hypothalamus. No significant changes in baseline peripheral OXT levels were observed after long-term interventions.ConclusionMusic-induced OXT responses are context-dependent. The bidirectional modulation of OXT supports social bonding and emotion regulation in musical contexts. Clinicians and music therapists should carefully consider therapeutic goals, individual differences, and environmental factors when designing music therapy.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

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

Natural levels measured3

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 levelSystematic reviewMechanism
In music intervention studies, psychosocial improvements did not always align with changes in peripheral oxytocin.
In plain wordsIn music studies, mood and social gains did not always match changes in the body's own oxytocin.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
MixedPeripheral oxytocin change versus psychosocial improvement
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Receptor activity and mechanism · Mental health and mood
Source sentences
Summary
Most studies reported improvements in psychosocial outcomes, such as reduced anxiety and depression or enhanced social cognition, but they do not always align with peripheral oxytocin (OXT) changes.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
After reviewing the full-text papers, 20 studies (seven randomized controlled trials and 13 quasi-experiments) were included, which involved 877 participants across healthy and clinical populations.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4233921001
02HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewMechanism
In music intervention studies, short-term interventions often reported detectable changes in peripheral oxytocin.
In plain wordsIn music studies, short sessions often changed the body's own oxytocin levels in the blood.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
MixedPeripheral oxytocin after short-term music interventions
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Receptor activity and mechanism · Mental health and mood
Source sentences
Summary
Short-term interventions often reported detectable peripheral OXT changes, which only partially reflected the temporary activity of magnocellular OXT neurons in the hypothalamus.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
After reviewing the full-text papers, 20 studies (seven randomized controlled trials and 13 quasi-experiments) were included, which involved 877 participants across healthy and clinical populations.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4233921002
03HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewMechanism
In music intervention studies, baseline peripheral oxytocin levels did not change significantly after long-term interventions.
In plain wordsIn music studies, long-term programs did not change the body's usual oxytocin levels.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBaseline peripheral oxytocin after long-term music interventions
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Receptor activity and mechanism · Mental health and mood
Source sentences
Summary
No significant changes in baseline peripheral OXT levels were observed after long-term interventions.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
After reviewing the full-text papers, 20 studies (seven randomized controlled trials and 13 quasi-experiments) were included, which involved 877 participants across healthy and clinical populations.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4233921003

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Version history

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Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 00:50 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:47 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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