Oxytocin Modulates Eye Gaze Behavior During Social Processing and Associations With Trait Autism
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- intranasal oxytocin
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Sponsor
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Enrollment
- 40
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Global eye gaze characteristic: differences between oxytocin and placebo treatment
- Last Updated
- 7 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The main aim of the study is to examine whether the effects of intranasal oxytocin on eye-gaze behavior towards social stimuli are modulated via individual differences in trait autism
Detailed Description
In this double-blind, within subject, placebo controlled design a total of n = 40 healthy male subjects will receive either 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo (interval between administration \> two weeks). 45 minutes after treatment subjects will undergo a total of 7 eye-tracking paradigms examining eye-gaze behavior during social processing: (1) dynamic social-nonsocial visual preference task during which movies of dynamic geometric images (DGI) and dynamic social images (DSI) will be presented; (2) non-biological versus biological motion task; (3) social attention and motivation of sharing enjoyment; (4) preference for emotional faces versus schematic faces (emoticons); (5) shared social attention - shared gaze direction with an actor shifting his attention to different objects; (6) preferred visual scanning of face regions in emotional faces; and, (7) eye gaze in response to empathy eliciting visual stimuli. Autistic and associated traits will be assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ), Social Responsibilities Scale (SRS) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Within-subject differences in the effects of oxytocin on social eye gazing behaviour will be related to individual differences in autistic traits.
Investigators
Keith Kendrick
Professor
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders
Exclusion Criteria
- •History of brain injury
- •Visual impairments
- •Use of medication
- •Contraindications for oxytocin administration
Arms & Interventions
Order of administration: oxytocin - placebo
Participants first receive oxytocin (24 IU). After a washout period of 2 weeks, they receive placebo nasal spray
Intervention: intranasal oxytocin
Order of administration: oxytocin - placebo
Participants first receive oxytocin (24 IU). After a washout period of 2 weeks, they receive placebo nasal spray
Intervention: intranasal placebo
Order of administration: placebo - oxytocin
Participants first received placebo nasal spray. After a washout period of 2 weeks, they then receive oxytocin (24 IU).
Intervention: intranasal oxytocin
Order of administration: placebo - oxytocin
Participants first received placebo nasal spray. After a washout period of 2 weeks, they then receive oxytocin (24 IU).
Intervention: intranasal placebo
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Global eye gaze characteristic: differences between oxytocin and placebo treatment
Time Frame: 45-90 minutes after treatment administration
Global eye-gaze patterns will be compared between the administration of oxytocin and placebo
Feature-specific eye gaze characteristics: differences between oxytocin and placebo treatment
Time Frame: 45-90 minutes after treatment administration
Localized feature-specific eye gaze patterns will be compared between oxytocin and placebo treatment
Secondary Outcomes
- Global eye gaze characteristic - associations with autism traits(45-90 minutes after treatment administration)
- Feature-specific eye gaze characteristics - associations with trait autism(45-90 minutes after treatment administration)