A study on the oxytocin levels and the relationship of symptoms severity with clinical symptoms

Abstract

Objective To explore the difference of the oxytocin levels between social phobia patients and normal controls, and the relationship of symptoms severity of social phobia with the oxytocin levels and the relationship of drug effects with oxytocin levels. Methods Twenty seven 16-26 years old social phobia patients and thirty one normal controls were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate the oxytocin levels, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale was used to evaluate the symptoms severity of social phobia in patient group.Paroxetine was used to treat the patients with the drugs of 20mg per day, the Clinical Global Impression Scale were used to evaluate the drug effects after 4 weeks treatment. Results Mann-Whitney test showed there were significantly differences in oxytocin level between patients and controls ((202.93±145.06)pg/ml vs (152.29±101.89)pg/ml, Z=-1.307, P=0.030). Multiple liner regression analyses showed that the level of oxytocin was an impact factor of the severity of social phobia symptom (adjusted R2=0.158, F=5.888, P=0.023). Logistic regression analyses showed that the level of oxytocin was an impact factor of the effective of drug treatment(OR=3.132, P=0.029). Conclusion This study indicate that the value of plasma oxytocin maybe significantly differences between social phobia and normal controls and the plasma oxytocin level maybe a factor which influence the symptoms severity and the effective of drug treatment in social phobia patients. Key words: Social phobia; Oxytocin level; Paroxetine