Neural Correlates of the Empathogenic and Affiliative Actions of Oxytocin
Overview
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Intervention
- Oxytocin
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Sponsor
- University Hospital, Bonn
- Enrollment
- 23
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Empathy ratings and their neural correlates
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 11 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Mounting evidence indicates that the intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin has prosocial effects. However, the neural substrates of these effects are still unclear. The investigators hypothesized that a single dose administration of oxytocin should increase empathogenic and affiliative responses and that these effects are mediated by an increased insula activity.
Investigators
Rene Hurlemann
MSc MD PhD
University Hospital, Bonn
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Healthy male volunteers
- •In a heterosexual relationship
Exclusion Criteria
- •Current or past psychiatric disease
- •Current or past physical illness
- •Psychoactive medication
- •Tobacco smokers
Arms & Interventions
Oxytocin
24 IU Oxytocin, intranasal application 45 min prior to the experiment
Intervention: Oxytocin
Placebo
Intranasal application, sodium chloride solution, 3 puffs per nostril
Intervention: Placebo
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Empathy ratings and their neural correlates
Time Frame: About one hour after the intranasal administration of oxytocin
All subjects are scanned while they view emotional and neutral faces and rate their empathy for these stimuli.
Secondary Outcomes
- Neural correlates of pair-bonding(About one hour after the intranasal administration of oxytocin)