Abstract details
| Abstract-ID: | 1941 |
| Title of the paper: | Oxytocin as a Potential Mediator between Aerobic Fitness and Social Functioning in Schizophrenia |
| Authors: | Cheng, M., Goh, K., Chen, C., Wang, C., Yang, C. |
| Institution: | National Cheng Kung University |
| Department: | Department of Psychology |
| Country: | Taiwan |
| Abstract text | INTRODUCTION: Although the positive effects of aerobic fitness on social functioning in individuals with schizophrenia have been extensively studied, the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. Specifically, it is unclear whether oxytocin plays a critical role in this relationship. To address this research gap, we investigated whether plasma oxytocin levels mediate the relationship between aerobic fitness and social functioning. METHODS: The study recruited a cohort of 72 individuals with schizophrenia. Aerobic fitness was assessed using the six-minute walk test, and social functioning was evaluated with the Social Functioning Scale. To determine whether oxytocin mediates the relationship between aerobic fitness and social functioning, a mediation analysis was conducted using the bootstrapping method of Process SPSS macro. RESULTS: In patients with schizophrenia, aerobic fitness was positively correlated with the oxytocin levels (r = .25, p = .04) and SFS scores (r = .30, p = .01). A mediation model was constructed to explore these association. Results showed significant regression coefficient between aerobic fitness and plasma oxytocin levels (p = .04) and between plasma oxytocin levels and social functioning (p = .007). The bootstrapped unstandardized indirect effect was also significant (ß = .21, SE = .28, 95% CI [.0022, .47]) after controlled gender. These results indicated that plasma oxytocin levels partially mediate the effect of aerobic fitness on social functioning. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that plasma oxytocin partially mediates the relationship between aerobic fitness and social functioning, suggesting that individuals with higher physical fitness may experience elevated oxytocin levels, which would, in turn, enhance social functioning in schizophrenia. These results provide novel insights into the interplay between physical fitness and neurophysiological processes, highlighting oxytocin as a key biological mechanism linking physical health to social behavior. Such insights provide important significant potential for interventions aimed at improving social functioning in schizophrenia. |
| Topic: | Sociology |
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