Effects of Oxytocin on Physical and Cognitive Functioning in the Elders

The life expectancy of older Americans continues to increase, with persons aged > 65 years representing the fastest growing segment of the US population (Manton et al., 1995). While prolongation of life remains an important public health goal, a goal of even greater significance is that extended life should involve preservation of the capacity to live independently and to function well physically, cognitively, and socioemotionally (Katz et al., 1983). Therefore, identification of proven interventions to maintaining functioning across these domains and prevent disability is a major public health challenge (Branch et al., 1991). Greater physical and cognitive independence in older adults has been shown to crucially influence social integration in old age (Cornwell & Waite, 2009), resulting in significant increase in quality of life and reduction of risk for morbidity and mortality, social stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms (Bassuk et al., 1999; Seeman, 1996). A promising candidate to promote functional levels across physical, cognitive, and socioemotional domains is the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) (Barraza et al., 2013; Bartz et al., 2011; Feifel et al., 2012; Meyer-Lindenberg et al., 2011; Szeto et al., 2012). Combining neuroendocrine with behavioral approaches (e.g., performance-based measures of physical and cognitive function), the proposed multidisciplinary research therefore sets out to clarify the extent to which intranasal administration of OT over a period of 4 weeks can reduce inflammation and improve physical and cognitive function in older men. Constituting a complementary piece to the IRB approved currently ongoing Faces Study (IRB # 39-2013), this project will also allow examination of interactions between OT's effect on physical health, cognition, and socioemotional function.