Oxytocin's Effects on Real Time-fMRI Neurofeedback Training of Anterior Insula Activity

What Was Tested

This registered not phased trial tested Oxytocin.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate whether intranasal oxytocin can modulate the real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback training effects by facilitating the use of an interoceptive strategy.

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

The registry classes the interventions as drug.

More on the Plan

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

Both groups receive continuous real-time neurofeedback from the left anterior insula.

Comparisons between the two groups are conducted to determine whether OT facilitates the neurofeedback effects.

The neurofeedback training task consists of 4 training sessions with real-time feedback and 1 transfer session without feedback.

Who Took Part

80 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; contraindication to mri scanning (e.g., metal implants, claustrophobia or other --conditions that make them inappropriate for mri scanning).

How the Study Was Run

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

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Oxytocin and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Groups ran in parallel: each of the participants stayed in one arm throughout.

Blinding on both sides kept the participants and researchers unaware of who received Oxytocin.

Those kept unaware of assignments: participant and investigator.

It started in 2026-04-26 with completion listed for 2026-09-27.

It ran at 1 site in China.

Its stated primary purpose is basic science.

What Was Measured

The main thing measured (primary outcome): Neural activity of the anterior insula based on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal (time frame: 1 hour).

It also tracked 4 secondary outcomes, for example Pain empathy rating scores, Confidence rating scores of interoceptive sensitivity, Interoceptive accuracy and Functional connectivity of the anterior insula.

What This Means in Plain Language

Put simply, this is a not phased, randomized trial of Oxytocin in 80 people.

It is still recruiting; no results are posted to the registry yet, so nothing here describes outcomes.

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