Effects of Oxytocin on Emotion Recognition and Response Inhibition
Overview
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Intervention
- Oxytocin
- Conditions
- The Impact of Oxytocin on Social Cognition
- Sponsor
- RWTH Aachen University
- Enrollment
- 40
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- BOLD response during emotion recognition in contrast with a corresponding control condition.
- Last Updated
- 11 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to shed light on the basic neurobiological mechanisms which underlie social information processing in healthy men. More specifically, we intend to examine whether a person's social competence level is related to the patterns of neural activity and his visual search strategies during evaluation of social scenes. Furthermore, it will be assessed whether an oxytocin-driven increase in activity in brain areas relevant to the task will facilitate social information processing and thus enhance task performance. Additionally it will be examined whether oxytocin can facilitate response inhibition in an emotional context.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •MRI- eligibility
- •Subject's ability to fully grasp the type, scope and individual consequences of the study
- •Willingness to participate in and comply with the study procedures as indicated by signing the dated informed consent form
Exclusion Criteria
- •Left-handedness
- •Regular intake of medication
- •Hypersensitivity towards oxytocin or a chemically similar substance
- •Current or previous neurological or psychiatric disorder
- •Nose surgery or chronic sinus infection
- •Any somatic disorder that may interfere with the experimental procedures, affect the outcome measures or pose a risk for the participant during performance of the experiment
Arms & Interventions
Cross over Oxytocin and Placebo
fMRI measurement and blood examinations following 26 IU Oxytocin (Syntocinon) on day 1 and following placebo on day 14
Intervention: Oxytocin
Cross over Oxytocin and Placebo
fMRI measurement and blood examinations following 26 IU Oxytocin (Syntocinon) on day 1 and following placebo on day 14
Intervention: Placebo
Cross over Placebo and Oxytocin
fMRI measurement and blood examinations following placebo on day 1 and following 26 IU Oxytocin (Syntocinon) on day 14
Intervention: Oxytocin
Cross over Placebo and Oxytocin
fMRI measurement and blood examinations following placebo on day 1 and following 26 IU Oxytocin (Syntocinon) on day 14
Intervention: Placebo
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
BOLD response during emotion recognition in contrast with a corresponding control condition.
Time Frame: (Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced])
In the Social Detection Task, subjects' brain activity when viewing social scenes will be compared to corresponding control scenes in which no people are shown. In the GoNoGo Task several emotional conditions will be compared to a neutral control condition.
BOLD response during response inhibition (Emotional Go/ Nogo) in contrast with a corresponding control condition.
Time Frame: (Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced])
Brain activation during NoGo trials will be compared to brain activation during Go trials from the same emotional condition.
Secondary Outcomes
- Total length of fixations on areas of interest (AOIs) assessed via eye-tracking((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))
- Percentage of correct responses in an emotion recognition paradigm (Social Detection Task) and a response inhibition task (Emotional Go/Nogo).((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))
- Serum levels of Oxytocin((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))
- Serum levels of Cortisol((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))
- Response time in an emotion recognition paradigm (Social Detection Task) and a response inhibition task (Emotional Go/Nogo).((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))
- Serum levels of Prolaktin((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))
- Number of fixations on areas of interest (AOIs) assessed via eye-tracking((Day 1: oxytocin, Day: 14:placebo, or vice versa [counterbalanced]))