In Investigating the Role of Oxytocin as an Antistress Hormone

Multiple Choice

In investigating the role of oxytocin as an antistress hormone, researchers sought to explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and oxytocin levels. One study measured the level of oxytocin (pg/mL) in people who had and had not experienced childhood maltreatment and who did and did not have PTSD. The results, averaged over many subjects, are these:
Levels of oxytocin (pg/mL) in people who had and had not experienced childhood maltreatment and who did and did not have PTSD

$\begin{array} { l c l } & \text { PTSD } & \text { No PTSD } \\\text { Childhood maltreatment } & 983 & 669 \\\text { No childhood maltreatment } & 388 & 752\end{array}$
-Did this study lend support to the idea that people with PTSD combat stress with higher levels of oxytocin?

A) Yes, because the people with the highest oxytocin levels were those who had PTSD, whether they had experienced childhood maltreatment or not.
B) Yes, because childhood maltreatment and PTSD interact to create the greatest stress.
C) No, because all the subjects who had PTSD had low oxytocin levels.
D) No, because subjects who had not experienced childhood maltreatment had lower oxytocin levels even if they had PTSD.