ETD

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Tesi etd-10312020-234105


Tipo di tesi
Tesi di specializzazione (4 anni)
Autore
PAGNI, GIOVANNI
URN
etd-10312020-234105
Titolo
Dimorphic effect of oxytocin, a pleiotropic hormone, in psychiatric disorders
Dipartimento
MEDICINA CLINICA E SPERIMENTALE
Corso di studi
PSICHIATRIA
Relatori
relatore Dott.ssa Marazziti, Donatella
relatore Prof.ssa Dell'Osso, Liliana
Parole chiave
  • sex-related differences
  • oxytocin
  • hormone
  • OCD
  • MDD
  • PTSD
Data inizio appello
16/11/2020
Consultabilità
Tesi non consultabile
Riassunto
Oxytocin has effects on the regulation of physiological processes and emotional states with increasing evidence for beneficial actions mediated by the autonomic and immune systems. Possibly acting via the autonomic nervous system, oxytocin seems to play a central role in supportive relationships and psychological safety. Both oxytocin and vasopressin are integral components of a system that affects the ability to cope with stress. However, the effects of oxytocin are context- and dose-dependent; sex-related differences in response to oxytocin were also highlighted in several studies. Furthermore, oxytocin is possibly involved in the pathophysiology of different psychiatric disorders, due to the pleiotropic properties of this hormone and the wide distribution of the oxytocin receptor in the central nervous system. The aim of this retrospective study was to explore plasma oxytocin levels in three samples of psychiatric patients focusing on sex-related differences. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the diagnosed psychiatric disorder: Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The possible relationships between oxytocin and clinical parameters and characteristics were examined as well.
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