Effects of Oxytocin on Socio-Cognitive Processes: New Insights from Spatio-Temporal EEG Analyses

Effects of Oxytocin on Socio-Cognitive Processes: New Insights from Spatio-Temporal EEG Analyses - OT_EEG

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00017150

Enrollment

200

Registered

2019-09-17

Start date

2019-09-15

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-04-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Healthy subjects.

Interventions

Group 1: Treatment group: one-time intranasal application of 24 IU oxytocin (syntocinon) Group 2: Control group: one-time intranasal application of 24 24 IU placebo substance (saline)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 35 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: - Caucasian - Single - interested in the opposite sex - no mental or physical illness

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: - consumption of drugs as well as heavy alcohol drinkers and smokers - body mass index >=30 - left handed people - psychology and economics students and graduates - not being fluent in German - nasal spray allergies for women: - pregnancy - hormone contraceptives

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Behavior: Trusting decisions, modulated by the within-subjects factors "threat" (high vs. low) and "attractiveness" (high vs. low) and the between-subjects factor "gender". Trust is quantified by the number of decisions in which points were transferred to the interaction partner in the trust game (dichotomous decision: keep points vs. transfer points). There are 84 decisions, 21 in each condition (e.g. high threat, high attractiveness). Brain: Using electroencephalography to determine ERPs (e.g., P100, LPP) during trusting decisions modulated by the factors "threat", "attractiveness", and "gender". ERPs are quantified by amplitude values (uV) at specific time points.	—

Measure

Time frame

Behavior: Trusting decisions, modulated by the within-subjects factors "threat" (high vs. low) and "attractiveness" (high vs. low) and the between-subjects factor "gender". Trust is quantified by the number of decisions in which points were transferred to the interaction partner in the trust game (dichotomous decision: keep points vs. transfer points). There are 84 decisions, 21 in each condition (e.g. high threat, high attractiveness). Brain: Using electroencephalography to determine ERPs (e.g., P100, LPP) during trusting decisions modulated by the factors "threat", "attractiveness", and "gender". ERPs are quantified by amplitude values (uV) at specific time points.

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
We will collect self-report measures on dispositional social reward sensitivity (Social Reward Questionnaire), social anxiety (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale), interpersonal trust (Interpersonal Trust Scale) socio-communicative skills (Autism-spectrum quotient), and pre- and post-experimental mood ratings (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). We will check whether values in the self-report scale moderate oxytocin effects.	—

Measure

Time frame

We will collect self-report measures on dispositional social reward sensitivity (Social Reward Questionnaire), social anxiety (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale), interpersonal trust (Interpersonal Trust Scale) socio-communicative skills (Autism-spectrum quotient), and pre- and post-experimental mood ratings (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). We will check whether values in the self-report scale moderate oxytocin effects.

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Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactBastian Schiller

Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institut für Psychologie, Biologische und Differentielle Psychologie

schiller@psychologie.uni-freiburg.de004976120397741

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026