The Effects of Oxytocin on Social Touch

What Was Tested

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

It had two arms (groups): Oxytocin then placebo (experimental) and Placebo then oxytocin (experimental).

The registry classes the interventions as drug.

More on the Plan

A double-blind, within-subject, placebo controlled design is employed in this study.

After each condition the subjects will be asked to rate pleasantness, likability, and arousal.

Simultaneously functional brain activity will be acquired via fMRI.

Blood samples will be taken before and after the intervention to assess oxytocin levels.

Who Took Part

50 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 subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders.

The full record lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria; among the exclusions: history of brain injury; medical or mental illness.

How the Study Was Run

It was run as a randomized, crossover and triple-blind study.

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.

In the crossover set-up each of the participants took both Oxytocin and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.

As a double-blind Oxytocin study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

Those kept unaware of assignments: participant, investigator and outcomes assessor.

It started in 2017-08-28 with completion listed for 2019-08.

It ran at 1 site in China.

Its stated primary purpose is basic science.

What Was Measured

The main thing measured (primary outcome): Neural indices: fMRI-based measures of interoceptive and reward processing (time frame: 45-90 minutes after treatment administration).

It also tracked 3 secondary outcomes, for example Behavioral index: pleasantness experience, Behavioral index: likability experience and Behavioral index: arousal experience.

What This Means in Plain Language

Put simply, this is a not phased, randomized trial of Oxytocin in 50 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.