Promising effects of oxytocin on social and food-related behaviour in young children with Prader-Willi syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, controlled crossover trial

Summary Background Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is known for hyperphagia with impaired satiety and a specific behavioural phenotype with stubbornness, temper tantrums, manipulative and controlling behaviour and obsessive–compulsive features. PWS is associated with hypothalamic and oxytocinergic dysfu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical endocrinology (Oxford) 2016-12, Vol.85 (6), p.979-987
Main Authors: Kuppens, R.J., Donze, S.H., Hokken-Koelega, A.C.S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Intranasal
Adolescent
Age Factors
Anger - drug effects
Child
Cross-Over Studies
Depression - drug therapy
Double-Blind Method
Feeding Behavior - drug effects
Humans
Oxytocin - pharmacology
Prader-Willi Syndrome - drug therapy
Prader-Willi Syndrome - physiopathology
Social Behavior
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Summary:Summary Background Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is known for hyperphagia with impaired satiety and a specific behavioural phenotype with stubbornness, temper tantrums, manipulative and controlling behaviour and obsessive–compulsive features. PWS is associated with hypothalamic and oxytocinergic dysfunction. In humans without PWS, intranasal oxytocin administration had positive effects on social and eating behaviour, and weight balance. Objective and hypotheses To evaluate the effects of intranasal oxytocin compared to placebo administration on social behaviour and hyperphagia in children with PWS. Design Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover study in a PWS Reference Center in the Netherlands. Method Crossover intervention with twice daily intranasal oxytocin (dose range 24‐48 IU/day) and placebo administration, both during 4 weeks, in 25 children with PWS (aged 6 to 14 years). Results In the total group, no significant effects of oxytocin on social behaviour or hyperphagia were found, but in the 17 children younger than 11 years, parents reported significantly less anger (P = 0·001), sadness (P = 0·005), conflicts (P = 0·010) and food‐related behaviour (P = 0·011), and improvement of social behaviour (P = 0·018) during oxytocin treatment compared with placebo. In the eight children older than 11 years, the items happiness (P = 0·039), anger (P = 0·042) and sadness (P = 0·042) were negatively influenced by oxytocin treatment compared to placebo. There were no side effects or adverse events. Conclusions This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study suggests that intranasal oxytocin administration has beneficial effects on social behaviour and food‐related behaviour in children with PWS younger than 11 years of age, but not in those older than 11 years of age.
ISSN:0300-0664
1365-2265
DOI:10.1111/cen.13169