Neural Correlates of Empathogenic and Affiliative Actions of Oxytocin

Early Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy
• Interventions: Drug: Oxytocin; Drug: Placebo

• Registration Number: NCT01701180
• Lead Sponsor: University Hospital, Bonn

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-08
• Study First Submitted: 2012-10-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-10-03
• Study First Posted: 2012-10-04
• Primary Completion: 2013-08
• Study Completion: 2013-08
• Status Verified: 2014-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-12-02
• Last Update Posted: 2014-12-03

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 23

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Oxytocin	Oxytocin	24 IU Oxytocin, intranasal application 45 min prior to the experiment
Placebo	Placebo	Intranasal application, sodium chloride solution, 3 puffs per nostril

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Empathy ratings and their neural correlates	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 Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neural correlates of pair-bonding	About one hour after the intranasal administration of oxytocin	All subjects are scanned while they view a picture of their mate and and an unknown female.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn; 🇩🇪 Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany