RT journal article
T1 The Influence of Oxytocin and Prolactin During a First Episode of Psychosis: The Implication of Sex Differences, Clinical Features, and Cognitive Performance
A1 Hidalgo Figueroa, María
A1 Salazar Couso, Alejandro
A1 Romero López Alberca, Cristina
A1 MacDowell, Karina S.
A1 García-Bueno, Borja
A1 Bioque, Miquel
A1 Bernardo, Miquel
A1 Parellada, M.
A1 González-Pinto, A.
A1 García Portilla, María Paz
A1 Lobo, A.
A1 Rodriguez-Jimenez, R.
A1 Berrocoso Domínguez, Esther María
A1 Leza, Juan Carlos
A2 Estadística e Investigación Operativa
A2 Psicología
K1 First-episode psychosis
K1 oxytocin
K1 prolactin
K1 cognition
K1 sexual dimorphism
AB Background Approximately 3% of the population suffers a first episode of psychosis (FEP), and a high percentage of these patients subsequently relapse. Because the clinical course following a FEP is hard to predict, it is of interest to identify cognitive and biological markers that will help improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of such events and to define new therapeutic targets. Here we analyzed the plasma oxytocin and prolactin levels during an FEP, assessing their correlation with clinical and cognitive features. Methods The oxytocin and prolactin in plasma was measured in 120 FEP patients and 106 healthy controls, all of whom were subjected to a clinical and neuropsychological assessment. Most patients were under antipsychotics. Statistical analyses aimed to identify factors associated with the FEP and to search for associations between the variables. This study is preliminary and exploratory because the P-values were not corrected for multiple comparisons. Results FEP patients had less oxytocin, more prolactin, and a poor premorbid IQ, and they performed worse in sustained attention. Male patients with higher prolactin levels experienced more severe psychotic symptoms and required higher doses of antipsychotics. Low oxytocin was associated with poor sustained attention in women, whereas low oxytocin and high prolactin in men correlated with better performance in sustained attention. Conclusion Low oxytocin, high prolactin, and poor premorbid IQ and sustained attention are factors associated with an FEP, representing potential therapeutic targets in these patients. These biological factors and cognitive domains might play an important role during a FEP, which could help us to develop new strategies that improve the outcomes of this disorder and that should perhaps be gender specific.
PB OXFORD UNIV PRESS
SN 1461-1457
YR 2022
FD 2022-04
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/27068
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/27068
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 11-nov-2026