Opioid-blunted cortisol response to stress is associated with increased negative mood and wanting of social reward

Autor(en)

Claudia Massaccesi, Matthaeus Willeit, Boris B Quednow, Urs M Nater, Claus Lamm, Daniel Müller, Giorgia Silani

Abstrakt

Animal research suggests a central role of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system in regulating affiliative behaviors and in mediating the stress-buffering function of social contact. However, the neurochemistry of stress-related social contact seeking in humans is still poorly understood. In a randomized, double-blind, between-subjects design, healthy female volunteers (N = 80) received either 10 mg of the µ-opioid agonist morphine sulfate, or a placebo. Following a standardized psychosocial stress induction, participants engaged in a social reward task, in which the motivation to obtain skin-to-skin social touch and the hedonic reactions elicited by such touch were assessed. Morphine prevented the increase of salivary cortisol typically observed following acute stress exposure. Notably, this altered HPA axis responsivity was associated with increased negative affect in response to psychosocial stress, and with enhanced subjective wanting of highly rewarding social contact. These findings provide novel evidence on the effect of exogenous opioids administration on the reactions to psychosocial stress and point to a state-dependent regulation of social motivation.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie, Forschungsplattform The Stress of Life - Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress, Institut für Psychologie der Kognition, Emotion und Methoden

Externe Organisation(en)

Universitätsspital Zürich, Medizinische Universität Wien

Journal

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Band

47

Seiten

1798-1807

Anzahl der Seiten

10

ISSN

0893-133X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-022-01283-8

Publikationsdatum

02-2022

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

501010 Klinische Psychologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Psychiatry and Mental health, Pharmacology

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/d294319b-d291-4765-a7b5-637ca9e7d766