Oxytocin Reduces Noradrenergic-Induced Opioid-Like Withdrawal Symptoms in Individuals on Opioid Agonist Therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin has been explored as a potential therapeutic agent for substance use disorder including opioid use disorder (OUD).

Methods

This phase 1, crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (80 IU) twice a day for 7 days in participants (N = 20) with OUD who were taking an opioid agonist therapy. In the laboratory, participants underwent opioid cue exposure paired with noradrenergic activation produced by yohimbine (32.4 mg) or placebo. Assessments included, 1) subjective response: craving, withdrawal, anxiety, and stress; 2) biomedical markers: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response (cortisol) and noradrenergic activati

SUBMITTER: Gully BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11555595 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature