A double-blind randomized controlled trial of oxytocin nasal spray in Prader Willi syndrome

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Oxytocin in this randomized controlled trial publication.

A number of animal studies and observations of humans show that lesions in this region can produce PWS-like symptoms.

Given the evidence for potential oxytocin deficiency, the researchers tested the effects of a course of intranasal oxytocin on PWS symptoms.

Who Took Part

The study group was 11 participants.

The age groups tagged for this paper are children, teenagers, young adults and adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover study.

The participants were allocated by chance, so the Oxytocin group and the comparison group should start out alike.

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

Some participants received a placebo instead of Oxytocin, giving a reference point.

Each person switched between Oxytocin and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

What Was Measured

Given the evidence for potential oxytocin deficiency, the researchers tested the effects of a course of intranasal oxytocin on PWS symptoms.

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Behavior, Demography, Nasal Sprays, Oxytocin and Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Author keywords: PWS, intervention, temper outbursts and vasopressin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Oxytocin in 11 participants.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2014 (American journal of medical genetics. Part A), a journal based in United States.

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