Important aspects of human social interaction such as empathy, trust, and social learning are influenced by oxytocin ( 11). In addition, oxytocin plays a complex role in social cognition and behavior. Oxytocin is responsible for important physiological functions, such as uterine contraction, lactation stimulation, sperm transport, and ejaculation ( 10). OTR promote the inhibition of adenilate-cyclase, thus reducing intracellular levels of cyclic-AMP and subsequently opening potassium channels and closing calcium channels, having, thereby, an inhibitory signature ( 9). Oxytocin receptors (OTR) are widespread throughout the human body and belong to the family of heterotrimeric G-protein-coupled receptors, which are found in many cell types ( 8). It is released to the bloodstream by the posterior pituitary. Oxytocin’s production is stimulated by high estrogen doses and inhibited by high doses of catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) ( 7). Oxytocin is a neurohormone that may also act as a neurotransmitter, produced by magnocellular neurons in the ventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus ( 6).
Thus, there is no reasonable argument to believe that tinnitus could not be pharmacologically treated ( 5).
However, various factors structures such as ion channels, neurotransmitters, and receptors have been proposed to be involved in tinnitus pathophysiology ( 4). As yet, there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmacological treatment for tinnitus. Neuroimaging studies suggest that tinnitus results from the dynamic interaction between auditory and non-auditory pathways, and the result of this interaction, especially when the limbic and autonomous systems are involved, is the trigger of negative emotional associations and appearance of uncomfortable reactions ( 3). According to current trends of thoughts, tinnitus is a central nervous system phenomenon that follows an initial peripheral damage and may be modulated by many concurring neuronal circuits ( 2). It is a symptom that affects about 25% of American adults, in a frequent basis for around 8% of them ( 1). Tinnitus is a phantom auditory sensation that is not generated by an external stimulus. Also, the short-term effects in study 2 revealed a significant reduction of tinnitus because of the oxytocin nasal spray as measured with the Visual Analog Scale and the CGI Scale.Ĭonclusion: These preliminary studies demonstrated that oxytocin may represent a helpful tool for treating tinnitus and further larger controlled studies are warranted. Results: For the long-term study (study 1), analysis of variance revealed a significant decrease in tinnitus sensation, both for the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). In study 2, 16 patients were included in a placebo-controlled crossover trial to investigate short-term effects following a single dose.
Subjects and method: In study 1, 15 patients were investigated over a 10-week period in an open pilot study. Study 1 was a long-term open pilot study, while study 2 investigated short-term effects with a double-blinded placebo-controlled cross-over study. Study design: Two studies were performed. Objective: To evaluate the potential of oxytocin as a tinnitus treatment. Oxytocin is a neurohormone and eventual neurotransmitter that plays a complex role in social cognition and behavior. Auditory and non-auditory pathways are involved in tinnitus’ pathophysiology. It is a frequent condition for which there is as yet no pharmacological treatment approved. Introduction: Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external stimulus. 5Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.4Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.Torres”, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina 3Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr.2Faculdade de Medicina de Valença, Valença, Brazil.1Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.Norma De Oliveira Penido 1 and Winfried Schlee 5
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