Plasma oxytocin levels in response to glucagon in patients with arginine vasopressin deficiency (central diabetes insipidus) and healthy controls.

Purpose: We recently demonstrated an additional oxytocin (OT) deficiency in patients with arginine vasopressin (AVP) deficiency (central diabetes insipidus) by using 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) as a novel provocation test. However, the implication of the MDMA provocation test in clinical practice might be challenging. Glucagon effectively stimulates vasopressinergic neurons with a strong increase in plasma copeptin.

Oxytocin in response to MDMA provocation test in patients with arginine vasopressin deficiency (central diabetes insipidus): a single-centre, case-control study with nested, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.

Background: Disruptions of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis can cause an arginine vasopressin deficiency, also known as central diabetes insipidus. Patients with this condition are at high risk of additional oxytocin deficiency owing to the close anatomical proximity of oxytocin-producing neurons; however, no conclusive evidence for such a deficiency has been reported. We aimed to use 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, also known as ecstasy), a strong activator of the central oxytocinergic system, as a biochemical and psychoactive provocation test to investigate oxytocin deficiency in patients with arginine vasopressin deficiency (central diabetes insipidus).