الفهرس 
Oxytocin level in relation to craving and social attachment among male patients with heroin dependency
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Abstract
Background: There has been an explosion of research on thepotential benefits of the social neuropeptide oxytocin for a number of mental disorders including substance use disorders. Oxytocin (OXT) is known for its effects in mediating reward, social affiliation/bonding and stress, as well as learning and memory. There is now strong evidence that oxytocin is a possible candidate for the treatment of drug addiction, management of craving, improving social bonding and depression-addiction co-morbidities. Aim: To compare the level of oxytocin in a group of active users and abstinent heroin users. Also to measure craving and social attachment in both groups. Then to investigate if there is a relation between level of oxytocin and level of craving and social attachment.Methodology: Serum oxytocin level was measured with immunosorbent assay techniques in 88 subjects of both groups (45 active heroin users and 43 abstinent heroin users more than 1 year). The patients were recruited fromPsychiatry and Addiction Hospital Kasr Al Ainy from the outpatient clinic, daycare group therapy and hotline related addiction halfways. Ninety subjects were subjected to the addiction severity index to assess the severity of the addiction, brief drug craving scale to detect severity of craving and adult attachment scale to detect the type of attachment they have in their relationships.Results: The level of oxytocin was significantly higher in abstinent heroin users than active users. It was significantly negatively correlated with the level of craving