Clinical trial NCT02228031: Oxytocin, Emotions and Mirror Neurons
Official title: The Influence of Oxytocin on the Mirror Neuron System: Developing Brain Imaging Paradigms for Future Therapeutic Interventions
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: EARLY_PHASE1
Conditions: Social Cognition
Expressed Emotion
Keywords: Mirror neurons
Imitation
Oxytocin
Lead sponsor: University of Maryland, Baltimore
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Maryland, College Park
First posted: 2014-08-28
Enrollment: 44
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 30
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: The purpose of this project is to investigate the possible effect of intranasally administered Oxytocin (OT) on specific mirror neuron areas in human brain. The mirror neuron system (MNS) is thought to be involved in action perception and understanding, and may also underlie more complex cognitive processes such as imitation. We will use electroencephalographic (EEG) investigations to examine brain activity while participants complete two different tasks, consisting of the observation and imitation of emotional facial expressions (video presented) and the observation and execution of simple grasping actions (live presented), respectively. In addition, before the beginning of the EEG recording session, subjects will be randomly assigned to two different groups (Oxytocin or Placebo group) and will receive a dose of either intranasal Oxytocin or Placebo solution. Oxytocin is a polypeptide hormone that plays a critical role in social behavior. We will identify mu and beta rhythm from the ongoing EEG and examine suppression as a function of emotion and goal directed action perception and imitation/execution.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Right-hand dominant
* Sufficient spoken English so as to be able to complete testing validly and give informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Currently taking any psychotropic or cognition enhancing medication
* History of schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder, including Bipolar Disorder
* Family history of psychosis
* Neurological disease or clinically significant head injury
* Physical disability that substantially impairs motor function
* Current diagnosis of polydypsic-induced hyponatremia
* Substance dependence or abuse in the past 6 months

Primary outcomes:
measure: EEG mu rhythm suppression
timeFrame: Before oxytocin/placebo administration and 45 minutes after
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: College Park
country: United States
facility: Child Development Lab, University of Maryland
state: Maryland
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park
name: Robert W Buchanan, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park
name: Nathan Fox, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References:
citation: Carr L, Iacoboni M, Dubeau MC, Mazziotta JC, Lenzi GL. Neural mechanisms of empathy in humans: a relay from neural systems for imitation to limbic areas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Apr 29;100(9):5497-502. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0935845100. Epub 2003 Apr 7.