Oxytocin Modulates Eye Gaze Behavior During Social Processing

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The main aim of the study is to examine whether the effects of intranasal oxytocin on eye-gaze behavior towards social stimuli are modulated via individual differences in trait autism

Detailed Description
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In this double-blind, within subject, placebo controlled design a total of n = 40 healthy male subjects will receive either 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo (interval between administration > two weeks). 45 minutes after treatment subjects will undergo a total of 7 eye-tracking paradigms examining eye-gaze behavior during social processing: (1) dynamic social-nonsocial visual preference task during which movies of dynamic geometric images (DGI) and dynamic social images (DSI) will be presented; (2) non-biological versus biological motion task; (3) social attention and motivation of sharing enjoyment; (4) preference for emotional faces versus schematic faces (emoticons); (5) shared social attention - shared gaze direction with an actor shifting his attention to different objects; (6) preferred visual scanning of face regions in emotional faces; and, (7) eye gaze in response to empathy eliciting visual stimuli. Autistic and associated traits will be assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ), Social Responsibilities Scale (SRS) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Within-subject differences in the effects of oxytocin on social eye gazing behaviour will be related to individual differences in autistic traits.

Official Title
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Oxytocin Modulates Eye Gaze Behavior During Social Processing and Associations With Trait Autism

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: intranasal oxytocin
* Drug: intranasal placebo


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders Exclusion Criteria: History of brain injury Visual impairments Use of medication Contraindications for oxytocin administration

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

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Randomized placebo-controlled double-blind within-subject design
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Order of administration: oxytocin - placebo<br>Participants first receive oxytocin (24 IU). After a washout period of 2 weeks, they receive placebo nasal spray | Drug: intranasal oxytocin<br>* 24 IU of oxytocin nasal spray will be applied to each subject.<br>Drug: intranasal placebo<br>* 24 IU of of placebo nasal spray will be applied to each subject.<br>|
| Experimental: Order of administration: placebo - oxytocin<br>Participants first received placebo nasal spray. After a washout period of 2 weeks, they then receive oxytocin (24 IU). | Drug: intranasal oxytocin<br>* 24 IU of oxytocin nasal spray will be applied to each subject.<br>Drug: intranasal placebo<br>* 24 IU of of placebo nasal spray will be applied to each subject.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Global eye gaze characteristic: differences between oxytocin and placebo treatment | Global eye-gaze patterns will be compared between the administration of oxytocin and placebo | 45-90 minutes after treatment administration | 
| Feature-specific eye gaze characteristics: differences between oxytocin and placebo treatment | Localized feature-specific eye gaze patterns will be compared between oxytocin and placebo treatment | 45-90 minutes after treatment administration | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Global eye gaze characteristic - associations with autism traits | Within-subject differences in global eye gaze characteristics between the oxytocin and placebo administration will be examined for associations with individual differences in autism traits | 45-90 minutes after treatment administration | 
| Feature-specific eye gaze characteristics - associations with trait autism | Within-subject differences in localized feature-specific eye gaze characteristics between the oxytocin and placebo administration will be examined for associations with individual differences in autism traits | 45-90 minutes after treatment administration | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Oxytocin, Eye tracking, Autistic trait