Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand
Related content
(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Associations between oxytocin and empathy in humans: A systematic literature review

Full text
Author(s):
Barchi-Ferreira, A. M. [1] ; Osorio, F. L. [1, 2]
Total Authors: 2
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Natl Inst Sci & Technol, Brasilia, DF - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Review article
Source: PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY; v. 129, JUL 2021.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT). Searches were conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, SciELO, and LILACS using the search terms ``oxytocin{''}, ``empathy{''}, and ``empathic{''}. Forty-four studies were reviewed. Scarce findings point to a lack of association between baseline endogenous OXT levels and empathy traits, and for a trend towards a direct relationship between oxytocinergic reactivity and empathic functioning. The results showed that variations in empathy were related to polymorphisms in the OXT receptor gene, especially in rs53576, and that this relationship seems to mediated by individual, ethnic, and cultural characteristics. Most studies on the exogenous administration of OXT tested a single dose (24 IU) with positive effects mainly on the affective domain of empathy. At the neural level, findings were inconsistent. Taken together, the results of the studies reviewed support the existence of a relationship between OXT and empathy that is complex and multifaceted. Robust evidence is still needed to elucidate existing links. Future investigations could benefit from methodological improvements aimed at increasing the reproducibility and applicability of findings, as well as the systematic assessment of the effects of exogenous OXT considering dose and frequency of administration, genotyping, and hormonal availability at the peripheral and central levels. This should lead to significant progress in the understanding of the therapeutic possibilities of OXT in the domain of empathic behavior. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 18/11662-8 - Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric study of the personality inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5)
Grantee:Ana Maria Barchi Ferreira
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
FAPESP's process: 19/27022-0 - Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric study of the personality inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5): self-report (SRF) and brief (BF) versions
Grantee:Ana Maria Barchi Ferreira
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)