Orkun Aydın1, Kuzeymen Balıkçı2, Cumhur Taş3, Pınar Ünal-Aydın1, Fatma Taneli4, Ayşen Esen-Danacı5. 1. a Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences , International University of Sarajevo , Sarajevo , Bosnia-Herzegovina. 2. b Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine , Near East University , Nicosia , Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic. 3. c Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences , Uskudar University , Istanbul , Turkey. 4. d Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine , Celal Bayar University , Manisa , Turkey. 5. e Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine , Celal Bayar University , Manisa , Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is widely acknowledged that schizophrenia patients tend to have insecure attachment styles and improper parenting. However, the biological processes related to these adversities remain unclear and that the disturbance in oxytocin system is considered as one of the strongest predictors of such adversities. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected thirty-four healthy siblings were recruited for the study and they were compared with thirty-one healthy controls. We examined attachment styles via Experience in Close Relationship-Revised Test and perceived parental attitudes with the My Memories of Upbringing-Short Version Test. In addition, we evaluated plasma oxytocin levels across groups. RESULTS: The patients with schizophrenia had lower plasma oxytocin levels and obtained higher levels for attachment anxiety and avoidance with more parental rejection and over protection. There was a significantly negative relationship between the levels of plasma oxytocin in blood and parental over protection in the healthy sibling and healthy control groups. In contrast, there was a significantly positive relationship between the levels of plasma oxytocin in blood and parental over protection in the schizophrenia group. Results of the regression analyses revealed that the plasma oxytocin levels and over protection were notable factors in discriminating the groups from each other. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that disturbance in oxytocin is associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia predisposition. In sum, therapeutic interventions that address oxytocin and over protection may influence the outcomes in this severe mental disorder.
BACKGROUND: It is widely acknowledged that schizophreniapatients tend to have insecure attachment styles and improper parenting. However, the biological processes related to these adversities remain unclear and that the disturbance in oxytocin system is considered as one of the strongest predictors of such adversities. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected thirty-four healthy siblings were recruited for the study and they were compared with thirty-one healthy controls. We examined attachment styles via Experience in Close Relationship-Revised Test and perceived parental attitudes with the My Memories of Upbringing-Short Version Test. In addition, we evaluated plasma oxytocin levels across groups. RESULTS: The patients with schizophrenia had lower plasma oxytocin levels and obtained higher levels for attachment anxiety and avoidance with more parental rejection and over protection. There was a significantly negative relationship between the levels of plasma oxytocin in blood and parental over protection in the healthy sibling and healthy control groups. In contrast, there was a significantly positive relationship between the levels of plasma oxytocin in blood and parental over protection in the schizophrenia group. Results of the regression analyses revealed that the plasma oxytocin levels and over protection were notable factors in discriminating the groups from each other. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that disturbance in oxytocin is associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia predisposition. In sum, therapeutic interventions that address oxytocin and over protection may influence the outcomes in this severe mental disorder.
Entities:
Keywords:
Oxytocin; attachment; over protection; parental care; schizophrenia; sibling
Authors: Marta Broniarczyk-Czarniak; Janusz Szemraj; Janusz Śmigielski; Piotr Gałecki Journal: Curr Issues Mol Biol Date: 2022-01-12 Impact factor: 2.976