Association between salivary oxytocin concentration and social loneliness in older adults: Findings from an uncontrolled pre-post multimodal intervention study.

Zaharia G, Valle VI, Corchón S, Cauli O

Psychoneuroendocrinology20 Jul 2026

PMID42475809DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2026.107968PepBankPUB-42475809

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

Summary

Backgroundloneliness, whether social or emotional, is a significant public health issue due to its substantial impact on physical and mental health. Building on studies showing that oxytocin levels rise during social interactions, we hypothesised that oxytocin concentration associates with loneliness, and that an intervention aimed at alleviating loneliness could be accompanied by changes in peripheral oxytocin concentration.MethodsAn intervention based on a 13-week multimodal programme (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT06382181) was conducted with 62 participants (79% women) aged 60 or over, recruited from municipal activity centres in Valencia, Spain. The study was carried out between March and June 2023. The assessment used sociodemographic questionnaires and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, as well as saliva samples collected before and after the multimodal programme aimed at alleviating loneliness in older individuals. Bivariate analyses were used to examine the association between sociodemographic factors, oxytocin and loneliness, and oxytocin concentrations before and after the intervention were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A linear regression analysis was performed to determine which variable predicts changes in oxytocin concentration.ResultsAn increase in salivary oxytocin concentration was observed following the intervention across the entire sample. In the sub-sample of individuals who reported loneliness at baseline, oxytocin concentration in saliva correlated significantly with baseline loneliness (social loneliness, p = 0.003; total loneliness, p = 0.025). Thus, the more intense the perception of loneliness, the lower the baseline levels of oxytocin. Correlations were found between baseline oxytocin and age (p = 0.011, inverse correlation) and level of education (p = 0.019, direct correlation). A direct and significant correlation was observed between loneliness (emotional, social and total) and the number of children (p = 0.04, p = 0.01, p = 0.02, respectively), as well as between social loneliness and caring for grandchildren (p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that caring for grandchildren had a significant effect (p = 0.008) on changes in oxytocin levels following the intervention.ConclusionThe results suggest that salivary oxytocin may be associated with loneliness in older adults; however, further validation is required before salivary oxytocin can be considered a reliable biomarker of loneliness.

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

Results from this study5

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

Natural levels measured5

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 levelNon-randomized trialOther
In older adults, salivary oxytocin concentration increased across the whole sample after a 13-week multimodal programme aimed at reducing loneliness.
In plain wordsIn older adults, the body's own oxytocin level in saliva rose after a 13-week programme aimed at loneliness.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseSalivary oxytocin change after multimodal programme
Study
n = 62
Comparator
Pre-intervention baseline
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
An increase in salivary oxytocin concentration was observed following the intervention across the entire sample.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
An intervention based on a 13-week multimodal programme (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT06382181) was conducted with 62 participants (79% women) aged 60 or over, recruited from municipal activity centres in Valencia, Spain.
Summary · context
The assessment used sociodemographic questionnaires and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, as well as saliva samples collected before and after the multimodal programme aimed at alleviating loneliness in older individuals.
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-4247580901
02HumanEndogenous levelNon-randomized trialOther
In older adults, caring for grandchildren had a significant effect on changes in salivary oxytocin after the programme in multivariate analysis; the direction is not stated.
In plain wordsIn older adults, caring for grandchildren was linked to changes in the body's own oxytocin level in saliva after the programme.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Direction not reportedPredictors of change in salivary oxytocin (caring for grandchildren)
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Multivariate analysis revealed that caring for grandchildren had a significant effect (p = 0.008) on changes in oxytocin levels following the intervention.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
An intervention based on a 13-week multimodal programme (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT06382181) was conducted with 62 participants (79% women) aged 60 or over, recruited from municipal activity centres in Valencia, Spain.
Summary · context
The assessment used sociodemographic questionnaires and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, as well as saliva samples collected before and after the multimodal programme aimed at alleviating loneliness in older individuals.
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-4247580905
03HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In older adults who reported loneliness at baseline, stronger perceived loneliness was associated with lower baseline salivary oxytocin.
In plain wordsIn older adults who felt lonely, the body's own oxytocin level in saliva was linked to being lower when loneliness was stronger.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseBaseline salivary oxytocin and loneliness
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
In the sub-sample of individuals who reported loneliness at baseline, oxytocin concentration in saliva correlated significantly with baseline loneliness (social loneliness, p = 0.003; total loneliness, p = 0.025). Thus, the more intense the perception of loneliness, the lower the baseline levels of oxytocin.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
An intervention based on a 13-week multimodal programme (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT06382181) was conducted with 62 participants (79% women) aged 60 or over, recruited from municipal activity centres in Valencia, Spain.
Summary · context
The assessment used sociodemographic questionnaires and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, as well as saliva samples collected before and after the multimodal programme aimed at alleviating loneliness in older individuals.
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-4247580902
04HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In older adults, baseline salivary oxytocin correlated inversely with age.
In plain wordsIn older adults, the body's own oxytocin level in saliva was linked to being lower at older ages.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseBaseline salivary oxytocin and age
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Correlations were found between baseline oxytocin and age (p = 0.011, inverse correlation) and level of education (p = 0.019, direct correlation).
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
An intervention based on a 13-week multimodal programme (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT06382181) was conducted with 62 participants (79% women) aged 60 or over, recruited from municipal activity centres in Valencia, Spain.
Summary · context
The assessment used sociodemographic questionnaires and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, as well as saliva samples collected before and after the multimodal programme aimed at alleviating loneliness in older individuals.
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-4247580903
05HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In older adults, baseline salivary oxytocin correlated directly with level of education.
In plain wordsIn older adults, the body's own oxytocin level in saliva was linked to being higher with more education.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseBaseline salivary oxytocin and level of education
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Correlations were found between baseline oxytocin and age (p = 0.011, inverse correlation) and level of education (p = 0.019, direct correlation).
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
An intervention based on a 13-week multimodal programme (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT06382181) was conducted with 62 participants (79% women) aged 60 or over, recruited from municipal activity centres in Valencia, Spain.
Summary · context
The assessment used sociodemographic questionnaires and the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, as well as saliva samples collected before and after the multimodal programme aimed at alleviating loneliness in older individuals.
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-4247580904

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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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