Publication:
The Influence of Oxytocin and Prolactin During a First Episode of Psychosis: The Implication of Sex Differences, Clinical Features, and Cognitive Performance.

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Date

2022-03-24

Authors

Hidalgo-Figueroa, Maria
Salazar, Alejandro
Romero-Lopez-Alberca, Cristina
MacDowell, Karina S
Garcia-Bueno, Borja
Bioque, Miquel
Bernardo, Miquel
Parellada, Mara
Gonzalez-Pinto, Ana
Garcia Portilla, Maria Paz

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Abstract

Approximately 3% of the population suffers a first episode of psychosis (FEP), and a high percentage of these patients subsequently relapse. Because the clinical course following a FEP is hard to predict, it is of interest to identify cognitive and biological markers that will help improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of such events and to define new therapeutic targets. Here we analyzed the plasma oxytocin and prolactin levels during an FEP, assessing their correlation with clinical and cognitive features. The oxytocin and prolactin in plasma was measured in 120 FEP patients and 106 healthy controls, all of whom were subjected to a clinical and neuropsychological assessment. Most patients were under antipsychotics. Statistical analyses aimed to identify factors associated with the FEP and to search for associations between the variables. This study is preliminary and exploratory because the P-values were not corrected for multiple comparisons. FEP patients had less oxytocin, more prolactin, and a poor premorbid IQ, and they performed worse in sustained attention. Male patients with higher prolactin levels experienced more severe psychotic symptoms and required higher doses of antipsychotics. Low oxytocin was associated with poor sustained attention in women, whereas low oxytocin and high prolactin in men correlated with better performance in sustained attention. Low oxytocin, high prolactin, and poor premorbid IQ and sustained attention are factors associated with an FEP, representing potential therapeutic targets in these patients. These biological factors and cognitive domains might play an important role during a FEP, which could help us to develop new strategies that improve the outcomes of this disorder and that should perhaps be gender specific.

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MeSH Terms

Antipsychotic agents
Cognition
Female
Humans
Male
Oxytocin
Prolactin
Psychotic disorders
Sex characteristics

DeCS Terms

Antipsicóticos
Caracteres sexuales
Cognición
Oxitocina
Prolactina
Trastornos psicóticos

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Keywords

First-episode psychosis, Cognition, Oxytocin, Prolactin, Sexual dimorphism

Citation

Hidalgo-Figueroa M, Salazar A, Romero-López-Alberca C, MacDowell KS, García-Bueno B, Bioque M, et al. The Influence of Oxytocin and Prolactin During a First Episode of Psychosis: The Implication of Sex Differences, Clinical Features, and Cognitive Performance. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2022 Aug 16;25(8):666-677