None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study tests whether oxytocin facilitates the processing of human faces by enhancing memory and attractiveness towards exposed faces. Participants are assigned to Oxytocin or Placebo and then given a presentation of facial expressions. Participants must rate the attractiveness of each face. The next day, participants return to be assessed for their memory of faces and their attractiveness toward each face. THe hypothesis is that participants who were exposed to facial expressions with oxytocin will demonstrate better memory and greater attractiveness rating for these faces the next day than participants assigned to placebo. All participants, assessors, and research staff handling data are blind to condition.
Interventions
Participants are given 24 IU Oxytocin or Placebo (Both Nasal Sprays) and exposed to pictures of human faces. Participants must make attraction and critical ratings of faces. They then return the next day while we assess their memory for the faces and, again, their attaction to faces that were presented the day before and new faces.
Sponsors
University of New South Wales
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
University students.
Exclusion criteria
Pregnancy, epilepsy, substance abuse/ dependence, psychotic symptoms, suicidal thoughts. Participants are also instructed not to drink alcohol, caffeine or take any illegal drugs on the day of OT administration, and to abstain from fluids and food, except water, two hours before OT administration.
Outcome results
None listed