title: Salivary levels of oxytocin remain elevated for more than two hours after intranasal oxytocin administration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is the first study investigating whether levels of oxytocin in saliva remained elevated after intranasal oxytocin administration for the duration of an experiment (in which neurobehavioral effects of oxytocin were observed) taking more than two hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oxytocin levels were measured in saliva samples collected from 57 female participants right before (T0), approximately 1¼ h (T1), and approximately 2¼ h (T2) after intranasal administration of 16 IU of oxytocin or a placebo, using a double-blind, within-subjects design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average levels of oxytocin did not differ between conditions before use of the nasal spray, markedly increased only after oxytocin administration, and were still elevated after 2¼ h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salivary levels of oxytocin remained persistently elevated over the course of our experiment, i.e. for more than two hours after intranasal oxytocin administration and over a time-period in which neurobehavioral effects of oxytocin are commonly observed. This suggests that salivary concentrations may be a valuable biomarker for oxytocin, and may help to explain its effects on brain activity, information processing, and behavior.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. vanijzen@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Renske
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huffmeijer
authors.forename: Lenneke R A
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Alink
authors.forename: Mattie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tops
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Grewen
authors.forename: Kathleen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Light
authors.forename: Marian J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bakermans-Kranenburg
authors.forename: Marinus H van
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ijzendoorn
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012463:Saliva
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin