Saturday, January 25, 2020

Neuroplasticity and cognitive benefits associated with chronic intranasal oxytocin administration in aging

 Would this help stroke survivors? We'll never know since we have NO STROKE LEADERSHIP and NO STROKE STRATEGY.

Neuroplasticity and cognitive benefits associated with chronic intranasal oxytocin administration in aging


Stockholm University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Biological psychology.
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2019 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation only (Other academic)
Abstract [en]
Oxytocin (OT) is a crucial chemical modulator of social behavior, and intranasal OT administration has potential as treatment for social deficits. Considerably less is known about OT’s effects on non-social cognition, a functional domain of particular relevance in aging. Brain mechanisms underlying OT’s benefits are not well understood but recent animal work suggests that repeated OT administration induces brain changes. To test this neuroplastic role of OT on the human brain and its potential for cognitive improvement in aging, we conducted a randomized double-blind study in older men (> 56 years), with 34 participants self-administering either 24 IUs OT or placebo (P) twice daily. Before and after 4-weeks intranasal administration, participants underwent MRI and processing speed assessment. Using voxel-based morphometry, gray matter (GM) volume was measured on T1-weighted anatomical images. Age, education, physical health, and image quality served as covariates and family-wise error rate determined statistical significance in regions of interest. Analyses were performed without awareness of the assigned treatment labels. Significant interactions between treatment (OT vs. P) and time (pre- vs. post-intervention) on GM volume for left amygdala, hippocampus, and putamen suggested increased regional GM volume following OT but not P. Further, OT-induced enlargement in putamen was associated with improved processing speed, while there was no brain−behavior correlation in the P group. These findings support the notion that amygdala, hippocampus, and putamen are key targets of OT’s neuroplastic potential on the human brain and chronic OT administration may constitute a potential treatment in counteracting cognitive decline in aging.  
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2019.
Keywords [en]
neuroplasticity, chronic intranasal oxytocin administration, aging
National Category
Psychology
Research subject
Psychology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-178081OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-178081DiVA, id: diva2:1386531
Conference
Alpine Brain Imaging Meeting (ABIM), Champéry, Switzerland, January 6-10, 2019
Available from: 2020-01-17 Created: 2020-01-17 Last updated: 2020-01-20Bibliographically approved

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