Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Eur Addict Res. 2018;24(2):71-78. doi: 10.1159/000485563. Epub 2018 Jun 14.
Animal studies have demonstrated that oxytocin can influence addiction behaviors and might interact with the dopaminergic system, which is a key component of addiction behaviors. However, related evidence from clinical studies is scarce. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between plasma oxytocin level and heroin craving among patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment, and to ascertain whether this relationship is moderated by novelty-seeking.
The study was conducted in a methadone maintenance therapy clinic of a medical center in Taiwan. Seventy-seven patients with heroin addiction were enrolled. Plasma oxytocin was measured using an ELISA kit. Craving was assessed using an established instrument, the Chinese Craving Scale.
A significant negative association was found between the plasma oxytocin level and craving score, which remained robust after controlling the effects of social support and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. An interaction between oxytocin and novelty-seeking indicated that this relationship was stronger among patients with a lower level of novelty-seeking.
This finding may be taken into account in future studies and may provide a basis for the development of potential treatment for addiction. The effect of oxytocin for the treatment of opioid dependence might be modulated by some psychological factors.
动物研究表明，催产素可以影响成瘾行为，并且可能与多巴胺能系统相互作用，多巴胺能系统是成瘾行为的关键组成部分。然而，临床研究的相关证据很少。本研究的目的是探讨接受美沙酮维持治疗的患者血浆催产素水平与海洛因渴求之间的关系，并确定这种关系是否受到寻求新奇的调节。
这项研究在台湾一家医疗中心的美沙酮维持治疗诊所进行。招募了 77 名海洛因成瘾患者。使用 ELISA 试剂盒测量血浆催产素。使用已建立的仪器，即中文渴求量表评估渴求。
血浆催产素水平与渴求评分之间存在显著负相关，在控制社会支持和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇的影响后，这种相关性仍然很强。催产素与寻求新奇之间的相互作用表明，在寻求新奇程度较低的患者中，这种关系更强。
这一发现可能在未来的研究中得到考虑，并为开发潜在的成瘾治疗方法提供依据。催产素对阿片类药物依赖的治疗效果可能受到某些心理因素的调节。
