Oxytocin Effect on Attentional Bias Towards Emotional Expression Faces in Individuals With High and Low Autistic Traits: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
to investigate whether oxytocin alter attentional bias towards emotional expression faces in individuals with high and low autistic traits, and the brain mechanism of this effect

Detailed Description
-----------------
In the present study, investigator plan to use a double-blind, between-subject placebo controlled design.Firstly, all healthy male subjects' autistic trait levels will be assessed by the Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ) and only subjects with higher or lower ASQ score will be recruited in the next experiment and divided into high and low subgroup. Then, subjects are randomly assigned to receive either intranasal administration of oxytocin (24 IU) or placebo. 45 min later, subject need to complete an attentional bias task named rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task in fMRI scanner.

Conditions
-----------------
Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: screen low autistic subjects
* Behavioral: screen high autistic subjects
* Drug: oxytocin
* Drug: placebo


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders Exclusion Criteria: history of head injury; claustrophobia; medical or psychiatric illness.

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 30 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: high autistic and oxytocin group<br>subject with high ASQ scores will receive oxytocin treatment | Behavioral: screen high autistic subjects<br>* screen subjects with high ASQ score<br>Drug: oxytocin<br>* intranasal administration of oxytocin (24 IU)<br>|
| Experimental: low autistic and oxytocin group<br>subject with low ASQ scores will receive oxytocin treatment | Behavioral: screen low autistic subjects<br>* screen subjects with low ASQ score<br>Drug: oxytocin<br>* intranasal administration of oxytocin (24 IU)<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: high autistic and placebo group<br>subject with high ASQ scores will receive placebo treatment | Behavioral: screen high autistic subjects<br>* screen subjects with high ASQ score<br>Drug: placebo<br>* intranasal administration of placebo (24 IU)<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: low autistic and placebo group<br>subject with low ASQ scores will receive placebo treatment | Behavioral: screen low autistic subjects<br>* screen subjects with low ASQ score<br>Drug: placebo<br>* intranasal administration of placebo (24 IU)<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| attentional bias toward emotional expression faces | attentional bias was measured by the accuracy of each emotional faces in the RSVP task | 1 hour | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| brain activity during RSVP task | brain activity was measured by the fMRI scanner | 1 hour | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
oxytocin, attentional bias, Autism