Bienboire-Frosini, Cecile, Chabaud, Camille, Mendonca, Tiago, Mengoli, Manuel, Arroub, Sana, Oliva, Jessica Lee, Cozzi, Alessandro, and Pageat, Patrick (2019) Investigating the oxytocinergic system: Plasma measures of free vs. total oxytocin fractions in two animal models. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 107, Supplement. p. 33.

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Abstract

Oxytocin measurement methodologies differ, resulting in discrepant published results. Recently, a method measuring the total oxytocin fraction (free and protein-bound) was developed, without elucidating its biological meaningfulness. This study aims to measure plasma levels of free (fOT) and total (tOT) oxytocin in dogs and horses, also assessing the influence of sex and social activities.

Pet (n = 21) and assistance dogs (n = 20) enrolled were 20 females and 21 males. Forty-eight horses were included (19 females; 27 geldings), with 17 horses involved in competition and 9 in equine-assisted interventions (EAI). fOT was measured according to Bienboire-Frosini et al. (2017) and tOT according to Brantzaeg et al. (2016).

fOT and tOT levels are weakly correlated in dogs (Pearson's r = 0.34; p = 0.04) but not in horses (Spearman's rho = −0.03; p = 0.88). In dogs, fOT was not significantly different between sexes (Student t-test; DF = 39; t = 0.33; p = 0.74) or between activities (Welch t-test; DF = 31.80; t = −0.87; p = 0.39). Similar results were obtained for tOT: sexes (Student t-test; DF = 38; t = 1.02; p = 0.32); activities (Student t-test; DF = 38; t = 0.91; p = 0.37). In horses, no significant difference was observed for fOT between sexes (Wilcoxon Two-Sample test, Z = 0.18; p = 0.85) but a trend between EAI and competition horses (Welch t-test; DF = 5.80; t = 2.21; p = 0.07) was observed. tOT was significantly higher in males than in females (Student t-test; DF = 24; t = −2.36; p = 0.03) but was not different between activities (Welch t-test; DF = 23.96; t = 1.04; p = 0.31).

fOT and tOT fraction levels, their relationships, and their link with sexes or sociality could depend upon the species. Further studies should clarify their respective biological significance, considering future clinical applications.

Item ID:	92548
Item Type:	Article (Abstract)
ISSN:	1873-3360
Copyright Information:	Copyright © 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Date Deposited:	30 Jun 2026 03:23
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3109 Zoology > 310910 Animal physiology - systems @ 100%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280102 Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences @ 100%
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