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Effects of Intranasal Oxytocin on Emotion Regulation

Early Phase 1
Conditions
Healthy
Interventions
Drug: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT03055546
Lead Sponsor
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Brief Summary

The aim is to examine whether intranasal oxytocin will influence the individuals' emotion regulation ability and related neural mechanisms.

Detailed Description

In the present study, the investigators plan to conduct a between-subject, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment to investigate the effects of oxytocin on neural, physiological and behavior activity related to emotion regulation. The emotion regulation ability will be assessed by emotional go-nogo task and cognitive reappraisal task. The neural activity will be explored by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). And the investigators will record participants' heart rate during fMRI to investigate the effects of oxytocin on heart rate variability in emotion regulation process.

All subjects completed a range of questionnaires measuring personality and affective traits and levels of anxiety before self-administration, including Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) , State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) , Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Cheek and Buss shyness Scale (CBSS), Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ), Empathy Quotient (EQ), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), Action Control Scale (ACS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Berkley Expressivity Questionnaire (BEQ), and so on.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
80
Inclusion Criteria
  • healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders
Exclusion Criteria
  • history of head injury;
  • claustrophobia;
  • medical or psychiatric illness.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboPlacebointranasal administration of placebo
OxytocinOxytocinintranasal administration of oxytocin
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Oxytocin effects on neural activity during emotion regulation taskBetween 45-110 minutes after the intranasal administration of oxytocin

Neural activity will be measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Differences in activity of prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala will be compared between oxytocin and placebo groups during emotional go-nogo task and cognitive reappraisal task.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Oxytocin effects on behavior response during emotion regulation taskBetween 45-110 minutes after the intranasal administration of oxytocin

The effects of oxytocin will be assessed by determining changes in reaction time and accuracy during emotional go-nogo task and negative affect ratings during cognitive reappraisal task between oxytocin and placebo groups.

Oxytocin effects on neural activity during resting-stateBetween 35-45 minutes after the intranasal administration of oxytocin

The effects of oxytocin will be assessed by determining changes in neural activity between oxytocin and placebo groups during resting-state.

Oxytocin effects on heart rate variability during emotion regulation taskBetween 45-110 minutes after the intranasal administration of oxytocin

The heart rate will be recorded during the fMRI. The effects of oxytocin will be assessed by determining changes in heart rate variability between oxytocin and placebo groups during emotional go-nogo task and cognitive reappraisal task.

Oxytocin effects on heart rate variability during resting-stateBetween 35-45 minutes after the intranasal administration of oxytocin

The heart rate will be recorded during the resting-state. The effects of oxytocin will be assessed by determining changes in heart rate variability between oxytocin and placebo groups during resting-state.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology

🇨🇳

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

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