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Oxytocin Effects on Chemosensory Function in a Clinical Setting—a Preliminary Study

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Chemosensory Perception

Abstract

Background

Despite the large body of literature on the effects of oxytocin via the exchange of social chemo-signals, no previous study tested the effects of oxytocin stimulation during parturition on the mother’s chemical senses. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of oxytocin, administered via intramyometrial and intravenous injection, on general odor processing andgustatory functioning in women shortly after giving birth via Caesarean section.

Methods

General olfactory and gustatory sensitivity, and subjectively perceived taste intensities and hedonic ratings, next to self-reported mood and nausea were assessed 1 day before the Caesarean section in 21 women and again a few hours after the oxytocin stimulations.

Results

We found no changes in general olfactory sensitivity, self-reported mood, or nausea between test sessions. However, following oxytocin, women rated the quality of sweet taste as significantly more positive and tended to exhibit higher gustatory sensitivity.

Conclusions

Although this study was performed in a highly controlled clinical environment, we cannot rule out potential confounders related to parturition, and our interpretation on the specific effects of oxytocin therefore is limited. However, our findings agree with the literature reporting oxytocin effects on chemo-sensory functions. We speculate that an increased preference for sweet taste might be particularly relevant during the early post-partum and breastfeeding period, facilitating thenecessary nutrient supply to the newborn via the intake of calorie-rich carbohydrate food.

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Compliance with Ethical Standards

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Conflict of Interest

None of the authors declared a conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the district Zurich (application number KEK-ZH-Nr. 2010-0396).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Sarah M Burke & Thomas Hummel

  2. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Medical Psychology, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1131, 1081 HX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sarah M Burke

  3. Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sarah M Burke

  4. Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Regula Graf & Nicole Ochsenbein-Kölble

Authors
  1. Sarah M Burke
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  2. Regula Graf
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  3. Nicole Ochsenbein-Kölble
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  4. Thomas Hummel
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Correspondence to Thomas Hummel.

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Burke, S.M., Graf, R., Ochsenbein-Kölble, N. et al. Oxytocin Effects on Chemosensory Function in a Clinical Setting—a Preliminary Study. Chem. Percept. 8, 159–166 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-015-9185-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-015-9185-8

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