Saliva oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone levels in adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder, oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder and typically developing individuals
Bakker-Huvenaars, M. J.; Greven, C. U.; Herpers, P.; Wiegers, E.; Jansen, A.; van der Steen, R.; van Herwaarden, A. E.; Baanders, A. N.; Nijhof, K. S.; Scheepers, F.; Rommelse, N.; Glennon, J. C.; Buitelaar, J. K.
(2020) European Neuropsychopharmacology, volume 30, pp. 87 - 101
(Article)
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to compare levels of oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone in adolescents with either autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD), and in typically developing individuals (TDI), and relate hormone levels to severity and subtype of aggression and callous-unemotional (CU) traits.
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Saliva concentrations of oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone were assessed in 114 male participants (N = 49 ASD, N = 37 ODD/CD, N = 28 TDI,) aged 12–19 years (M = 15.4 years, SD = 1.9). The ASD and the ODD/CD groups had significantly lower levels of oxytocin than the TDI group, and the ODD/CD group had significantly higher levels of testosterone than the ASD group. There were no group effects on cortisol levels. Group differences remained for oxytocin after correcting for the influence of CU traits, but were not significant after controlling for aggression. Results for testosterone became non-significant after correction for either CU traits or aggression. Across groups, higher levels of CU traits were related to higher levels of cortisol and testosterone, however, proactive and reactive aggression were unrelated to all three hormonal levels. The current findings show that, regardless of cognitive ability or comorbid disorders, the diagnostic groups (ASD, ODD/CD) differ from each other by their hormonal levels, with the ASD group characterized by relative low level of oxytocin, and the ODD/CD group by a relative low level of oxytocin and high level of testosterone. These group effects were partly driven by differences in CU traits between the groups.
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Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, Conduct disorder, Cortisol, CU traits, Empathy, Oxytocin, Testosterone, Pharmacology, Neurology, Clinical Neurology, Psychiatry and Mental health, Biological Psychiatry, Pharmacology (medical)
ISSN: 0924-977X
Publisher: Elsevier
Note: Funding Information: In the past 3 years, Buitelaar has been a consultant to / member of advisory board of / and/or speaker for Janssen Cilag BV, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myer Squibb, Shering Plough, UCB, Shire, Novartis and Servier. Glennon has been a consultant to Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH. Both are not an employee of any of these companies, nor a stock shareholder of any of these companies. They have no other financial or material support, including expert testimony, patents, and royalties. Bakker-Huvenaars, Greven, Jansen, van der Steen, van Herwaarden, Scheepers, Nijhof, Baanders, Rommelse declare that they have no conflict of interest. This study was supported by Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Center. The study is further supported by the European Union 7th Framework programs AGGRESSOTYPE (602805), MATRICS (603016), and TACTICS (278948), a Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie program MiND (643051), and the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking EU-AIMS (115300), resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007 - 2013) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) companies' in kind contribution and by a NWO Brain & Cognition grant (056-24-011). We are grateful to participating families. Funding Information: This study was supported by Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Center. The study is further supported by the European Union 7th Framework programs AGGRESSOTYPE (602805), MATRICS (603016), and TACTICS (278948), a Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie program MiND (643051), and the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking EU-AIMS (115300), resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007 - 2013) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) companies' in kind contribution and by a NWO Brain & Cognition grant (056-24-011). We are grateful to participating families. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP
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