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Effects of self-touch and social-touch on peripheral oxytocin concentrations: A study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Loneliness and its impact on health is one of the major challenges for individuals worldwide. Pleasant social-touch has been shown to promotes well-being, mediated among others by oxytocin release. However, social-touch is not always available. In contrast, self-touch is constantly available. Its effects on oxytocin have been hardly investigated. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the role of oxytocin in self-touch in order to gain a better understanding on how self-touch may serve as a substitute in the absence of pleasant social-touch. METHODS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, saliva samples in a total of 30 healthy participants (mean age 26.2; 10 women in the follicular phase, 10 women in the luteal phase, 10 men) were collected to assess the peripheral oxytocin concentrations in two experimental conditions: (i) before and after self-touch, and (ii) before and after social-touch. In order to examine more natural and dynamic self- and social-touch as they occur in everyday life, different subtypes of touch (phasic, irregular, repetitive) were applied. The study examines factors previously reported to influence oxytocin release (gender, menstrual cycle, social-touch deprivation). RESULTS: Both, self-touch and social-touch significantly led to increased oxytocin concentrations. In both experimental conditions female participants in the luteal phase showed higher oxytocin concentrations than those in the follicular phase. DISCUSSION: Our findings demonstrate for the first time that a natural and dynamic self-touch intervention leads to elevated peripheral oxytocin concentrations. Therefore, these results suggest that self-touch may substitute pleasant social-touch, particularly in females during the luteal phase.

Source: Physiology & Behavior

DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115061

Authors: Sabrina von Au, Nina Marsh, Vanessa Jeske, Rene Hurlemann, Hedda Lausberg

Institutions: German Sport University Cologne, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

Language: English

Topic: Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,500