The Role of Oxytocin in the Perception of Faces

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The main objective of this project is to study whether intranasal oxytocin (OT) affects how young adults perceive and attend to infant and adult faces. Based on existing research the investigators predict that oxytocin will facilitate the allocation of attentional resources on infant faces (compared to adult faces). The investigators also predict that oxytocin will enhance the activity of reward neural-networks associated with the perception of infant faces. The behavioral effects of OT (visual attention and face recognition) will be measured with eye-tracking while participants look at photographs of adult and infant faces. Neurological effects (the activity of emotion and reward networks) will be measured with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) while participants look at infant faces on a computer screen.

Official Title
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The Role of Oxytocin in the Perception of Infant Faces

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Syntocinon (synthetic oxytocin)
* Other: Placebo


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Healthy Volunteers Norma or corrected to norma vision Participants are non parents Able to provide written informed consent and to comply with all study procedures Exclusion Criteria: Dementia or severe cognitive disorders Endocrine disease or malignancy Nasal obstruction or upper-respiratory tract infection Current or previous psychiatric disorder Current or previous use of psychoactive drugs Alcoholism or substance abuse History of seizures Neurological Disorder Previous head trauma Hypertension Cardiovascular Disease Claustrophobia ferrous metal in any part of the body

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 25 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: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intranasal oxytocin group<br>Participants will self-administer a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin (Syntocinon, Novartis; three puffs per nostril, each with 4 IU oxytocin, 6 puffs total). | Drug: Syntocinon (synthetic oxytocin)<br>* Dosage and details described in arm.<br>* Other names: OT;|
| Placebo Comparator: Placebo group<br>The placebo is identical to the oxytocin formulation with the exception of the active compound. Participants will self-administer three puffs per nostril of placebo (6 puffs total). | Other: Placebo<br>* Dosage and details described in arm.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Data | The effect of OT will be assessed by determining changes in brain activation between treatment and placebo groups. | 45 minutes after OT manipulation | 
| Eye movements data | The effect of OT will be assessed by determining changes in eye movements between treatment and placebo groups. | 45 minutes after OT manipulation | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Implicit Attitudes toward infants | Implicit attitudes toward infants as measured by the Implicit Association Test | 45 minutes after OT manipulation | 
| Theory of mind | Theory of mind as measured by the Reading the mind in the eyes test | 45 minutes after OT manipulation |