More frequent partner hugs and higher oxytocin levels are linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate in premenopausal women
KC Light, KM Grewen, JA Amico�- Biological psychology, 2005 - Elsevier
In animals, ventral stroking for> 5 days increases oxytocin (OT) activity and decreases blood
pressure (BP), but related human studies are few. Thus, relationships between self-reported
frequency of partner hugs, plasma OT and BP levels were examined in 59 premenopausal
women before and after warm contact with their husbands/partners ending with hugs. Higher
baseline OT before partner contact was associated with lower BP and heart rate, and met
criteria to be a partial mediator of the lower resting BP shown by women reporting more�…
pressure (BP), but related human studies are few. Thus, relationships between self-reported
frequency of partner hugs, plasma OT and BP levels were examined in 59 premenopausal
women before and after warm contact with their husbands/partners ending with hugs. Higher
baseline OT before partner contact was associated with lower BP and heart rate, and met
criteria to be a partial mediator of the lower resting BP shown by women reporting more�…