Changes in endogenous oxytocin levels after intranasal oxytocin treatment in adult men with autism: An exploratory study with long-term follow-up

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Oxytocin, published as a randomized controlled trial.

However, the impact of repeated, long-term OT use on endogenous salivary OT levels is unknown.

Salivary OT samples were obtained before and after the treatment period as well as at two follow-up sessions, four weeks and one year after cessation of the treatment.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 34 men were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults, men only.

How the Study Was Run

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

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

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Oxytocin could be set against what happens without it.

What Was Measured

However, the impact of repeated, long-term OT use on endogenous salivary OT levels is unknown.

PubMed files the paper under topics including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Autistic Disorder and Oxytocin.

The authors tagged it with the keywords Endogenous salivary levels, Intranasal administration, Repetitive behavior and Social responsiveness.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Oxytocin in 34 men.

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 2021 (European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology), a journal based in Netherlands.

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