Correlation Engine 2.0
Clear Search sequence regions


  • cortisol (4)
  • humans (2)
  • meta analysis (1)
  • oxytocin (9)
  • Sizes of these terms reflect their relevance to your search.

    The stress dampening effects of exogenous oxytocin in humans have been well documented. However, the relation between endogenous oxytocin and cortisol is poorly understood. We conducted a meta-analysis on the correlation between oxytocin and cortisol levels measured at baseline (k=24, N=739). The effect size for the baseline correlation statistic was small (Pearson r=0.163, p=0.008), with high heterogeneity (I2=67.88%). Moderation analysis revealed that studies where participants anticipated an experimental manipulation evidenced a greater positive correlation compared to those that did not (Pearson r=0.318, p=0.006). A supplementary analysis including additional studies indicated that oxytocin levels in unextracted samples were 60 times higher when using this questionable practice. The findings suggest that the interplay between oxytocin and cortisol is dynamic and sensitive to the anticipation of stress or novelty. Furthermore, extraction of oxytocin appears to be an essential methodological practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    Citation

    Christopher A Brown, Christopher Cardoso, Mark A Ellenbogen. A meta-analytic review of the correlation between peripheral oxytocin and cortisol concentrations. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology. 2016 Oct;43:19-27

    Expand section icon Mesh Tags

    Expand section icon Substances


    PMID: 27836673

    View Full Text