Is oxytocin related to psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with obesity?

Gonca Özyurt; Gönül Çatlı; Sezer Acar; Gülten Cingöz; Dua Özsoylu; Tuncay Küme; Sefa Kızıldağ; Bumin Nuri Dündar; Yusuf Öztürk; Ezgi Karagöz Tanıgör; Ali Evren Tufan; Ayhan Abaci

doi:10.1515/jpem-2024-0583

Article

Is oxytocin related to psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with obesity?

Gonca Özyurt , Gönül Çatlı , Sezer Acar , Gülten Cingöz , Dua Özsoylu , Tuncay Küme , Sefa Kızıldağ , Bumin Nuri Dündar , Yusuf Öztürk , Ezgi Karagöz Tanıgör , Ali Evren Tufan and Ayhan Abaci

Published/Copyright: February 17, 2025

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From the journal Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism Volume 38 Issue 4

Abstract

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the relation of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene variants (rs53576 and rs2254298) and serum oxytocin (OXT) levels with psychiatric symptoms in healthy adolescents and adolescents with obesity.

Methods

A total of 250 adolescents with obesity and 250 healthy adolescents were included in this study. Attachment properties, anxiety, and depression were evaluated with self-reports while diagnoses were ascertained with KIDDIE-SADS-PL Turkish version. Serum OXT level was studied with the ELISA method, and OXTR gene variants were studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rs53576) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) (rs2254298) methods.

Results

Serum OXT level was significantly lower in adolescents with obesity than in healthy controls. Self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression were significantly elevated, especially in female adolescents with obesity, whereas parent/peer attachment was significantly lower. The rs53576 G/G genotype was found to be significantly more prevalent among obese youth. About 29.2 % of obese youth were diagnosed with psychopathology, especially anxiety and depression. OXT levels and receptor polymorphisms were not related to self-reported symptoms, attachment, and presence of psychopathology.

Conclusions

Further studies should evaluate the roles of other constructs (e.g., early adversity, parenting, social supports, coping, temperament, etc.) and discern the roles of parent–child synchrony in elucidating relationships between OXT, pediatric obesity, and psychopathology.

Keywords: anxiety; attachment; depression; oxytocin receptor gene variants (rs53576, rs2254298)

Corresponding author: Ezgi Karagöz Tanıgör, MD, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, 35100, Türkiye, E-mail: ezgi.karagoztanigor@gmail.com

Funding source: Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) ARDEB 3001

Award Identifier / Grant number: 217S219

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the TÜBİTAK unit and its employees who provided scientific support for evaluating the project application.

Research ethics: The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Kâtip Çelebi University School of Medicine in Izmir, Turkey (IRB Date:10.11.2017 No:115). The study procedures were in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and local laws and regulations.
Informed consent: Written informed consents of all the adolescents and their parents were procured prior to participation in the study.
Author contributions: Disclosure information for each author: G.C. and S.A. performed the anthropometric measurements and filled the case report forms, G. O. made the psychiatric evaluation and collected the data, G.Ç. and A.A. were involved in the planning and supervision of this study. T.K measured OXT levels using ELISA, D. O: and S.K studied OXTR gene variants. AET: analyzed and curated the data and wrote the draft. G.Ç, AA., B.N.D, GEO, AET, YÖ, EKT interpreted the results and finalized the manuscript. All authors have discussed the results and comments. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: This study was funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) ARDEB 3001, Grant No: 217S219.
Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Received: 2024-12-03

Accepted: 2025-01-29

Published Online: 2025-02-17

Published in Print: 2025-04-28

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jpem-2024-0583

Keywords for this article

anxiety; attachment; depression; oxytocin receptor gene variants (rs53576, rs2254298)