Oxytocin's Effect on Social Pain Empathy

What Was Tested

In this not phased trial, researchers set out to test Oxytocin.

The aim of the present experiment is to examine oxytocin's behavioral and neural effects on social pain empathy.

It had two arms (groups): oxytocin group (experimental) and placebo group (placebo comparator).

Male participants with oxytocin treatment.

Male participants with placebo treatment.

The registry classes the interventions as drug.

More on the Plan

In the current study, the investigators plan to examine whether oxytocin modulates behavior and neural activity during observing another person being excluded in an online ball-tossing game (a modified cyberball paradigm).

Who Took Part

The registry lists 60 planned participants were the target.

It was open to men only aged from 18 years up to 30 years.

Healthy volunteers could join, not only people with the condition.

Examples of who could join: Healthy participants without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders.

The full record lists 1 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria; among the exclusions: history of head injury; medical or psychiatric illness; smoking or drinking 24 hours before experiment.

How the Study Was Run

Design: randomized, parallel-group and double-blind.

Because people in this Oxytocin study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

The Oxytocin group and the comparison group ran side by side rather than switching.

Neither the participants nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Oxytocin, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Those kept unaware of assignments: participant and investigator.

It started in 2017-01-10 with completion listed for 2018-10-30.

It ran at 1 site in China.

Its stated primary purpose is basic science.

What This Means in Plain Language

Put simply, this is a not phased, randomized trial of Oxytocin in 60 people.

Its status is unknown; no results are posted to the registry yet, so nothing here describes outcomes.

More context: the Oxytocin compound page, all human trials.