Healthy
Conditions
Keywords
oxytocin, fMRI, empathy
Brief summary
The main focus of this study is to examine oxytocin effects on behavioral and neural indices of empathy processing.
Detailed description
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) has been demonstrated to modulate empathy in previous behavioural studies. The present study aims at replicating previous findings on OXT on empathy as well as to determine the neural basis of these effects. In a between-subject, randomized double-blind design, subjects will be either administered intranasal OXT or placebo nasal spray (40 IU). 45 minutes after administration subjects will undergo (fMRI) tasks of empathic processing. During the tasks subjects will be shown empathy inducing stimuli, and the behavioral and neural response in terms of cognitive, emotional and indirect emotional empathy will be assessed. Before the administration of treatment, validated questionnaires assessing potential confounding variables, such as depression (Becks Depression Inventory (BDI)) or mood (Positive And Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)) will be administered to the subjects.
Interventions
DRUGOxytocin
40 international units
DRUGPlacebo
40 international units
Sponsors
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders * no smoking at least 12 hours before experiment * no alcohol, coffee or other stimulant drinking at least 12 hours before experiment
Exclusion criteria
* mental implants * pregnancy * uterine cavity operations * use of medication * acute physical disorder
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Neural processing of empathy as assessed using fMRI | 45-115 minutes after single dose administration | Main effects of treatment and interaction between treatment effects and sex will be assessed on brain activity and connectivity in core regions of the empathy networks during processing of empathy inducing pictures |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioral ratings of subjective experienced empathy processing | 45-115 minutes after single dose administration | Main effects of treatment and interaction between treatment effects and sex will be assessed on subjective feelings of empathy (ratings on a Likert scale in response to empathy inducing pictures). |
Countries
China
Outcome results
None listed