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Schiller B, Sperl MFJ, Kleinert T, Nash K, Gianotti LRR. EEG Microstates in Social and Affective Neuroscience. Brain Topogr 2024; 37:479-495. [PMID: 37523005 PMCID: PMC11199304 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-00987-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions require both the rapid processing of multifaceted socio-affective signals (e.g., eye gaze, facial expressions, gestures) and their integration with evaluations, social knowledge, and expectations. Researchers interested in understanding complex social cognition and behavior face a "black box" problem: What are the underlying mental processes rapidly occurring between perception and action and why are there such vast individual differences? In this review, we promote electroencephalography (EEG) microstates as a powerful tool for both examining socio-affective states (e.g., processing whether someone is in need in a given situation) and identifying the sources of heterogeneity in socio-affective traits (e.g., general willingness to help others). EEG microstates are identified by analyzing scalp field maps (i.e., the distribution of the electrical field on the scalp) over time. This data-driven, reference-independent approach allows for identifying, timing, sequencing, and quantifying the activation of large-scale brain networks relevant to our socio-affective mind. In light of these benefits, EEG microstates should become an indispensable part of the methodological toolkit of laboratories working in the field of social and affective neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Schiller
- Laboratory for Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Matthias F J Sperl
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and Giessen (Research Campus Central Hessen), Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kleinert
- Laboratory for Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Ergonomics, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany
| | - Kyle Nash
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
| | - Lorena R R Gianotti
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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2
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Yin H, Jiang M, Han T, Xu X. Intranasal oxytocin as a treatment for anxiety and autism: From subclinical to clinical applications. Peptides 2024; 176:171211. [PMID: 38579916 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Animal and human studies have demonstrated that intranasal oxytocin (OT) can penetrate the brain and induce cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes, particularly in social functioning. Consequently, numerous investigations have explored the potential of OT as a treatment for anxiety and autism, conditions characterized by social deficits. Although both subclinical and clinical studies provide converging evidence of the therapeutic effects of OT in reducing anxiety levels and improving social symptoms in autism, results are not always consistent. Additionally, the pharmacological mechanism of OT requires further elucidation for its effective clinical application. Therefore, this review aims to examine the contentious findings concerning the effects of OT on anxiety and autism, offer interpretations of the inconsistent results from the perspectives of individual differences and varying approaches to OT administration, and shed light on the underlying mechanisms of OT. Ultimately, standardization of dosage, frequency of administration, formulation characteristics, and nasal spray devices is proposed as essential for future human studies and clinical applications of OT treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailian Yin
- School of psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Meiyun Jiang
- School of psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Tao Han
- Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250000, China.
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- School of psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China.
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3
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Davies C, Martins D, Dipasquale O, McCutcheon RA, De Micheli A, Ramella-Cravaro V, Provenzani U, Rutigliano G, Cappucciati M, Oliver D, Williams S, Zelaya F, Allen P, Murguia S, Taylor D, Shergill S, Morrison P, McGuire P, Paloyelis Y, Fusar-Poli P. Connectome dysfunction in patients at clinical high risk for psychosis and modulation by oxytocin. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1241-1252. [PMID: 38243074 PMCID: PMC11189815 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02406-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Abnormalities in functional brain networks (functional connectome) are increasingly implicated in people at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P). Intranasal oxytocin, a potential novel treatment for the CHR-P state, modulates network topology in healthy individuals. However, its connectomic effects in people at CHR-P remain unknown. Forty-seven men (30 CHR-P and 17 healthy controls) received acute challenges of both intranasal oxytocin 40 IU and placebo in two parallel randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over studies which had similar but not identical designs. Multi-echo resting-state fMRI data was acquired at approximately 1 h post-dosing. Using a graph theoretical approach, the effects of group (CHR-P vs healthy control), treatment (oxytocin vs placebo) and respective interactions were tested on graph metrics describing the topology of the functional connectome. Group effects were observed in 12 regions (all pFDR < 0.05) most localised to the frontoparietal network. Treatment effects were found in 7 regions (all pFDR < 0.05) predominantly within the ventral attention network. Our major finding was that many effects of oxytocin on network topology differ across CHR-P and healthy individuals, with significant interaction effects observed in numerous subcortical regions strongly implicated in psychosis onset, such as the thalamus, pallidum and nucleus accumbens, and cortical regions which localised primarily to the default mode network (12 regions, all pFDR < 0.05). Collectively, our findings provide new insights on aberrant functional brain network organisation associated with psychosis risk and demonstrate, for the first time, that oxytocin modulates network topology in brain regions implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis in a clinical status (CHR-P vs healthy control) specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy Davies
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Daniel Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea De Micheli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Outreach And Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Valentina Ramella-Cravaro
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Umberto Provenzani
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Grazia Rutigliano
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marco Cappucciati
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dominic Oliver
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Steve Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Fernando Zelaya
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Allen
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Silvia Murguia
- Tower Hamlets Early Detection Service, East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David Taylor
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sukhi Shergill
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Kent and Medway Medical School, Canterbury, UK
| | - Paul Morrison
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Outreach And Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Carriedo N, Rodríguez-Villagra OA, Moguilner S, Morales-Sepulveda JP, Huepe-Artigas D, Soto V, Franco-O’Byrne D, Ibáñez A, Bekinschtein TA, Huepe D. Cognitive, emotional, and social factors promoting psychosocial adaptation: a study of latent profiles in people living in socially vulnerable contexts. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1321242. [PMID: 38680276 PMCID: PMC11050042 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1321242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social adaptation is a multifaceted process that encompasses cognitive, social, and affective factors. Previous research often focused on isolated variables, overlooking their interactions, especially in challenging environments. Our study addresses this by investigating how cognitive (working memory, verbal intelligence, self-regulation), social (affective empathy, family networks, loneliness), and psychological (locus of control, self-esteem, perceived stress) factors interact to influence social adaptation. Methods We analyzed data from 254 adults (55% female) aged 18 to 46 in economically vulnerable households in Santiago, Chile. We used Latent profile analysis (LPA) and machine learning to uncover distinct patters of socioadaptive features and identify the most discriminating features. Results LPA showed two distinct psychosocial adaptation profiles: one characterized by effective psychosocial adaptation and another by poor psychosocial adaptation. The adaptive profile featured individuals with strong emotional, cognitive, and behavioral self-regulation, an internal locus of control, high self-esteem, lower stress levels, reduced affective empathy, robust family support, and decreased loneliness. Conversely, the poorly adapted profile exhibited the opposite traits. Machine learning pinpointed six key differentiating factors in various adaptation pathways within the same vulnerable context: high self-esteem, cognitive and behavioral self-regulation, low stress levels, higher education, and increased social support. Discussion This research carries significant policy implications, highlighting the need to reinforce protective factors and psychological resources, such as self-esteem, self-regulation, and education, to foster effective adaptation in adversity. Additionally, we identified critical risk factors impacting social adaptation in vulnerable populations, advancing our understanding of this intricate phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Carriedo
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Odir A. Rodríguez-Villagra
- Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Sabanilla, San José, Costa Rica
- Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Sebastián Moguilner
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Latin American Brain Health, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Pablo Morales-Sepulveda
- University of Sydney Business School, Darlington, NSW, Australia
- Facultad de Educación Psicología y Familia, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Huepe-Artigas
- Facultad de Educación Psicología y Familia, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vicente Soto
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Franco-O’Byrne
- Latin American Brain Health, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Latin American Brain Health, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tristan A. Bekinschtein
- Cambridge Consciousness and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
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Santiago AF, Kosilo M, Cogoni C, Diogo V, Jerónimo R, Prata D. Oxytocin modulates neural activity during early perceptual salience attribution. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 161:106950. [PMID: 38194846 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Leading hypotheses of oxytocin's (OT) role in human cognition posit that it enhances salience attribution. However, whether OT exerts its effects predominantly in social (vs non-social) contexts remains debatable, and the time-course of intranasal OT's effects' on salience attribution processing is still unknown. We used the social Salience Attribution Task modified (sSAT) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled intranasal OT (inOT) administration, between-subjects design, with 54 male participants, to test existing theories of OT's role in cognition. Namely, we aimed to test whether inOT would differently affect salience attribution processing of social stimuli (expressing fearfulness) and non-social stimuli (fruits) made relevant via monetary reinforcement, and its neural processing time-course. During electroencephalography (EEG) recording, participants made speeded responses to emotional social (fearful faces) and non-emotional non-social (fruits) stimuli - which were matched for task-relevant motivational salience through their (color-dependent) probability of monetary reinforcement. InOT affected early (rather than late, P3b and LPP) EEG components, increasing N170 amplitude (p = .041) and P2b latency (p .001; albeit not of P1), regardless of stimuli's (emotional) socialness or reinforcement probability. Fear-related socialness affected salience attribution processing EEG (p .05) across time (N170, P2b and P3b), being later modulated by reinforcement probability (LPP). Our data suggest that OT's effects on neural activity during early perception, may exist irrespective of fear-related social- or reward-contexts. This partially supports the tri-phasic model of OT (which posits OT enhances salience attribution in an early perception stage regardless of socialness), and not the social salience nor the general approach-withdrawal hypotheses of OT, for early salience processing event-related potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia F Santiago
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; William James Center for Research, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maciej Kosilo
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlotta Cogoni
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vasco Diogo
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), CIS_Iscte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Jerónimo
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), CIS_Iscte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diana Prata
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
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6
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Zhou M, Zhu S, Xu T, Wang J, Zhuang Q, Zhang Y, Becker B, Kendrick KM, Yao S. Neural and behavioral evidence for oxytocin's facilitatory effects on learning in volatile and stable environments. Commun Biol 2024; 7:109. [PMID: 38242969 PMCID: PMC10799007 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05792-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Outcomes of past decisions profoundly shape our behavior. However, choice-outcome associations can become volatile and adaption to such changes is of importance. The present study combines pharmaco-electroencephalography with computational modeling to examine whether intranasal oxytocin can modulate reinforcement learning under a volatile vs. a stable association. Results show that oxytocin increases choice accuracy independent of learning context, which is paralleled by a larger N2pc and a smaller P300. Model-based analyses reveal that while oxytocin promotes learning by accelerating value update of outcomes in the volatile context, in the stable context it does so by improving choice consistency. These findings suggest that oxytocin's facilitatory effects on learning may be exerted via improving early attentional selection and late neural processing efficiency, although at the computational level oxytocin's actions are highly adaptive between learning contexts. Our findings provide proof of concept for oxytocin's therapeutic potential in mental disorders with adaptive learning dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghan Zhou
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyu Zhu
- School of Sport Training, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Xu
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Zhuang
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuxia Yao
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China.
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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7
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Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Tibermont L, Tang T, Evenepoel M, Van der Donck S, Debbaut E, Prinsen J, Chubar V, Claes S, Vanaudenaerde B, Willems L, Steyaert J, Boets B, Alaerts K. Chronic oxytocin administration stimulates the oxytocinergic system in children with autism. Nat Commun 2024; 15:58. [PMID: 38167302 PMCID: PMC10762037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44334-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Clinical efficacy of intranasal administration of oxytocin is increasingly explored in autism spectrum disorder, but to date, the biological effects of chronic administration regimes on endogenous oxytocinergic function are largely unknown. Here exploratory biological assessments from a completed randomized, placebo-controlled trial showed that children with autism (n = 79, 16 females) receiving intranasal oxytocin for four weeks (12 IU, twice daily) displayed significantly higher salivary oxytocin levels 24 hours after the last oxytocin nasal spray administration, but no longer at a four-week follow up session. Regarding salivary oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) epigenetics (DNA-methylation), oxytocin-induced reductions in OXTR DNA-methylation were observed, suggesting a facilitation of oxytocin receptor expression in the oxytocin compared to the placebo group. Notably, heightened oxytocin levels post-treatment were significantly associated with reduced OXTR DNA-methylation and improved feelings of secure attachment. These findings indicate that four weeks of chronic oxytocin administration stimulated the endogenous oxytocinergic system in children with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthijs Moerkerke
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicky Daniels
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Tibermont
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tiffany Tang
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Margaux Evenepoel
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Edward Debbaut
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stephan Claes
- University Psychiatric Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Vanaudenaerde
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Chronic Illness and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lynn Willems
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Chronic Illness and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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8
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Zhang H, Chen K, Bao J, Wu H. Oxytocin enhances the triangular association among behavior, resting-state, and task-state functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:6074-6089. [PMID: 37771300 PMCID: PMC10619367 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Considerable advances in the role of oxytocin (OT) effect on behavior and the brain network have been made, but the effect of OT on the association between inter-individual differences in functional connectivity (FC) and behavior is elusive. Here, by using a face-perception task and multiple connectome-based predictive models, we aimed to (1) determine whether OT could enhance the association among behavioral performance, resting-state FC (rsFC), and task-state FC (tsFC) and (2) if so, explore the role of OT in enhancing this triangular association. We found that in the OT group, the prediction performance of using rsFC or tsFC to predict task behavior was higher than that of the PL group. Additionally, the correlation coefficient between rsFC and tsFC was substantially higher in the OT group than in the PL group. The strength of these associations could be partly explained by OT altering the brain's FCs related to social cognition and face perception in both the resting and task states, mainly in brain regions such as the limbic system, prefrontal cortex, temporal poles, and temporoparietal junction. Taken together, these results provide novel evidence and a corresponding mechanism for how neuropeptides cause increased associations among inter-individual differences across different levels (e.g., behavior and large-scale brain networks in both resting and task-state), and may inspire future research on the role of neuropeptides in the cross levels association of both clinical and nonclinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoming Zhang
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of PsychologyUniversity of MacauMacauChina
| | - Kun Chen
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of PsychologyUniversity of MacauMacauChina
| | - Jin Bao
- Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced TechnologyChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)ShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen‐Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science‐Shenzhen Fundamental Research InstitutionsShenzhenChina
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of PsychologyUniversity of MacauMacauChina
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9
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Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Van der Donck S, Tibermont L, Tang T, Debbaut E, Bamps A, Prinsen J, Steyaert J, Alaerts K, Boets B. Can repeated intranasal oxytocin administration affect reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in autism? A randomized controlled trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:1583-1595. [PMID: 37278339 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and interaction. Crucial for efficient social interaction is the ability to quickly and accurately extract information from a person's face. Frequency-tagging electroencephalography (EEG) is a novel tool to quantify face-processing sensitivity in a robust and implicit manner. In terms of intervention approaches, intranasal administration of oxytocin (OT) is increasingly considered as a potential pharmacological approach for improving socio-communicative difficulties in ASD, through enhancing social salience and/or reducing (social) stress and anxiety. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, mechanistic pharmaco-neuroimaging clinical trial, we implemented frequency-tagging EEG to conduct an exploratory investigation into the impact of repeated OT administration (4 weeks, 12 IU, twice daily) on neural sensitivity towards happy and fearful facial expressions in children with ASD (8-12 years old; OT: n = 29; placebo: n = 32). Neural effects were assessed at baseline, post-nasal spray (24 hr after the last nasal spray) and at a follow-up session, 4 weeks after the OT administration period. At baseline, neural assessments of children with ASD were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched cohort of neurotypical (NT) children (n = 39). RESULTS Children with ASD demonstrated reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces, as compared to NT children. Upon nasal spray administration, children with ASD displayed a significant increase in neural sensitivity at the post- and follow-up sessions, but only in the placebo group, likely reflecting an implicit learning effect. Strikingly, in the OT group, neural sensitivity remained unaffected from the baseline to the post-session, likely reflecting a dampening of an otherwise typically occurring implicit learning effect. CONCLUSIONS First, we validated the robustness of the frequency-tagging EEG approach to assess reduced neural sensitivity towards expressive faces in children with ASD. Furthermore, in contrast to social salience effects observed after single-dose administrations, repeated OT administration dampened typically occurring learning effects in neural sensitivity. In line with OT's social anxiolytic account, these observations possibly reflect a predominant (social) stress regulatory effect towards emotionally evocative faces after repeated OT administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthijs Moerkerke
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicky Daniels
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Tibermont
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tiffany Tang
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Edward Debbaut
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelies Bamps
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Pfundmair M. Better safe than sorry: Oxytocin shifts the regulatory focus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 157:106361. [PMID: 37566963 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is known to play a major role in social cognition and behavior. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether OT also affects the motivational system, specifically, the regulatory focus. Because OT weakens the self- and promotes the other-bias, we hypothesized that OT would decrease promotion focus and increase prevention focus. To test this, we conducted two experiments. In each, male participants intranasally administered OT or a placebo and assessed their regulatory focus using validated paradigms. Results revealed that OT led to an increase of prevention focus (Studies 1 and 2) and a slight but non-significant decrease of promotion focus (Study 2). Thus, participants under OT (vs. placebo) saw potential losses as more important, while they tended to devaluate potential gains. This was unrelated to the perceived likelihood of success. These findings indicate that OT might provide adaption to the social environment by pursuing a vigilant motivational strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Pfundmair
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802 München, Germany; Federal University of Administrative Sciences (current affiliation), Habersaathstr. 51, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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11
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Grossman-Giron A, Fisher H, Atzil-Slonim D, Maoz H, Nitzan U, Tzur Bitan D. The effect of Oxytocin administration on patient-therapist alliance congruence: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Psychother Res 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37856680 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2269300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The effects of oxytocin (OT) administration on psychotherapeutic processes have thus far been elusive. This study explored the effect of OT administration on patient-therapist congruence of the working alliance. METHOD Inpatients with mental disorders (N = 87) participating in a randomized controlled trial received OT (n = 44) or placebo (n = 43) intranasally twice a day, for four weeks. Patients and therapists rated the alliance after each session. RESULTS Oxytocin significantly moderated the level of agreement (b = -0.56, SE = 0.25, t = -2.30, p = 0.02), such that patients receiving OT demonstrated lower discrepancy (b = -0.73, p < 0.001) than did those receiving placebo (b = -1.30, p < 0.001). On the other hand, the mutual covariance of patient-therapist ratings across sessions was positive and significant for patients receiving placebo (b = 0.26, p = 0.01) but not for patients in the OT group (b = -0.06, p = .56). CONCLUSION Oxytocin can reduce discrepancies of patient-therapist perceptions of the alliance, although additional studies are needed to explore OT's effect on alliance development over time. As alliance congruence is associated with therapy outcomes, such intervention may lead to enhancement of therapeutic gains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariella Grossman-Giron
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hadar Fisher
- Department of Psychology, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Hagai Maoz
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Uri Nitzan
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dana Tzur Bitan
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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12
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Jansen M, Lockwood PL, Cutler J, de Bruijn ERA. l-DOPA and oxytocin influence the neurocomputational mechanisms of self-benefitting and prosocial reinforcement learning. Neuroimage 2023; 270:119983. [PMID: 36848972 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans learn through reinforcement, particularly when outcomes are unexpected. Recent research suggests similar mechanisms drive how we learn to benefit other people, that is, how we learn to be prosocial. Yet the neurochemical mechanisms underlying such prosocial computations remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether pharmacological manipulation of oxytocin and dopamine influence the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying self-benefitting and prosocial reinforcement learning. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, we administered intranasal oxytocin (24 IU), dopamine precursor l-DOPA (100 mg + 25 mg carbidopa), or placebo over three sessions. Participants performed a probabilistic reinforcement learning task with potential rewards for themselves, another participant, or no one, during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Computational models of reinforcement learning were used to calculate prediction errors (PEs) and learning rates. Participants behavior was best explained by a model with different learning rates for each recipient, but these were unaffected by either drug. On the neural level, however, both drugs blunted PE signaling in the ventral striatum and led to negative signaling of PEs in the anterior mid-cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, inferior parietal gyrus, and precentral gyrus, compared to placebo, and regardless of recipient. Oxytocin (versus placebo) administration was additionally associated with opposing tracking of self-benefitting versus prosocial PEs in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula and superior temporal gyrus. These findings suggest that both l-DOPA and oxytocin induce a context-independent shift from positive towards negative tracking of PEs during learning. Moreover, oxytocin may have opposing effects on PE signaling when learning to benefit oneself versus another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe Jansen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Patricia L Lockwood
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Jo Cutler
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Ellen R A de Bruijn
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, the Netherlands
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13
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Wang Y, Wang R, Wu H. The role of oxytocin in modulating self-other distinction in human brain: a pharmacological fMRI study. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:1708-1725. [PMID: 35483708 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-other distinction is crucial for human interaction. Although with conflicting results, studies have found that oxytocin (OT) sharpens the self-other perceptual boundary. However, little is known about the effect of OT on self-other perception, especially its neural basis. Moreover, it is unclear whether OT influences self-other discrimination when the other is a child or an adult. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effect of OT on self-face perception at the behavioral and neural levels. For the stimuli, we morphed participants' faces and child or adult strangers' faces, resulting in 4 conditions. After treatment with either OT or placebo, participants reported whether a stimulus resembled themselves while being scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Behavioral results showed that people judged adult-morphed faces better than child-morphed faces. Moreover, fMRI results showed that the OT group exhibited increased activity in visual areas and the inferior frontal gyrus for self-faces. This difference was more pronounced in the adult-face condition. In multivariate fMRI and region of interest analyses, better performance in the OT group indicated that OT increased self-other distinction, especially for adult faces and in the left hemisphere. Our study shows a significant effect of OT on self-referential processes, proving the potential effect of OT on a left hemisphere self-network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanchen Wang
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, N21 Research Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078 , China.,Department of Psychology, E21B Humanities and Social Sciences Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, 10 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ruien Wang
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, N21 Research Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078 , China.,Department of Psychology, E21B Humanities and Social Sciences Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, N21 Research Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078 , China.,Department of Psychology, E21B Humanities and Social Sciences Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
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14
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Tu Y, Zhang L, Kong J. Placebo and nocebo effects: from observation to harnessing and clinical application. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:524. [PMID: 36564374 PMCID: PMC9789123 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02293-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Placebo and nocebo effects are salubrious benefits and negative outcomes attributable to non-specific symbolic components. Leveraging advanced experimental and analytical approaches, recent studies have elucidated complicated neural mechanisms that may serve as a solid basis for harnessing the powerful self-healing and self-harming capacities and applying these findings to improve medical practice and minimize the unintended exacerbation of symptoms in medical practice. We review advances in employing psychosocial, pharmacological, and neuromodulation approaches to modulate/harness placebo and nocebo effects. While these approaches show promising potential, translating these research findings into clinical settings still requires careful methodological, technical, and ethical considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiheng Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Libo Zhang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Kong
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA USA
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15
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Rubin LH, Bhattacharya D, Fuchs J, Matthews A, Abdellah S, Veenhuis RT, Langenecker SA, Weber KM, Nazarloo HP, Keating SM, Carter CS, Maki PM. Early Life Trauma and Social Processing in HIV: The Role of Neuroendocrine Factors and Inflammation. Psychosom Med 2022; 84:874-884. [PMID: 36044606 PMCID: PMC9553269 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early life trauma (ELT) and HIV are associated with social processing deficits. In people with HIV (PWH), we examined whether facial emotion identification accuracy differs by ELT and whether neuroendocrine factors including cortisol, oxytocin (OT), and arginine vasopressin, and/or immune system measures play a role in the ELT-performance association. METHODS We used secondary data from the placebo condition of a pharmacologic challenge study in PWH. Presence of ELT was measured with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (at least moderate experiences of sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse). Social processing was measured with the Facial Emotion Perception Test (FEPT). Salivary immune system measures and cortisol were sampled across a 5-hour study session. Blood was collected at study session start (12 pm ) to measure OT and arginine vasopressin. We examined the association of ELT with FEPT and five biological moderators (from principal components analysis of 12 biomarkers) of ELT-FEPT associations. RESULTS Of 58 PWH (42 men; mean [standard deviation] age = 33.7 [8.9] years), 50% endorsed ELT. ELT-exposed PWH demonstrated lower identification accuracy across all emotional expressions (unstandardized β [ B ] = 0.13; standard error [SE] = 0.05; p = .021, d = 0.63) and had higher OT levels compared with ELT-unexposed PWH ( t(1,56) = 2.12, p = .039; d = 0.57). For total accuracy, an OT/C-reactive protein factor moderated the ELT-FEPT association ( B = 0.14; SE = 0.05; p = .014); accuracy was lower in ELT-exposed PWH versus ELT-unexposed PWH when the factor was low but not when high. Similar results were obtained for fearful, neutral, and happy faces ( p values < .05). Regardless of ELT, a myeloid migration (MCP-1/MMP-9) factor was associated with reduced accuracy ( p values < .05). CONCLUSIONS Our pilot findings suggest that ELT may alter social processing in PWH, and OT and C-reactive protein may be a target for improving social processing in ELT-exposed PWH, and myeloid migration markers may be a target in PWH more generally.
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16
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Alaerts K, Bernaerts S, Wenderoth N. Effects of single- and multiple-dose oxytocin treatment on amygdala low-frequency BOLD fluctuations and BOLD spectral dynamics in autism. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:393. [PMID: 36127337 PMCID: PMC9489696 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02158-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior neuroimaging clinical trials investigating the neural effects of intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin demonstrated a key role of the amygdala in oxytocin's neuromodulatory effects. These studies mostly demonstrated the acute effects of single-dose administrations, examining task-dependent effects of oxytocin on brain activity elicited during explicit experimental tasks or stimuli presentations. The increased consideration of oxytocin as a potential ameliorating treatment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires a better understanding of how multiple-dose oxytocin administration affects intrinsic, task-free, amygdala function. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with between-subject design, 38 adult men with ASD underwent resting-state fMRI scanning before and after oxytocin or placebo treatment. Effects were assessed either after a single-dose administration, consisting of 24 international units, or after multiple-dose treatment, consisting of 4 weeks of once-daily nasal spray administrations. Compared to placebo, oxytocin induced a decrease in intrinsic resting-state BOLD signal amplitudes of the bilateral amygdala (fractional amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuations) and modulated cross-frequency interactions between adjacent BOLD frequency components. The right amygdala showed a pattern of reduced cross-frequency harmonicity, while the left amygdala showed a relative increase in harmonic cross-frequency interactions after oxytocin treatment. Notably, the direction and magnitude of BOLD spectral changes induced after a single-dose were qualitatively similar to treatment effects induced after multiple-dose treatment. Furthermore, the identified spectral changes in amygdalar BOLD amplitude and cross-frequency harmonicity were associated with improved feelings of tension, reflecting oxytocin's anxiolytic, stress-reducing neuromodulatory role. The observed effects of oxytocin on amygdalar BOLD spectral characteristics and associated behaviors contribute to a deeper mechanistic understanding of the intrinsic, task-free neuromodulatory dynamics that underlie single- and multiple-dose oxytocin treatment in ASD. European Clinical Trial Registry (Eudract 2014-000586-45).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaat Alaerts
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, Neuromodulation Laboratory, Neurorehabilitation Research Group, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Sylvie Bernaerts
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, Neuromodulation Laboratory, Neurorehabilitation Research Group, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicole Wenderoth
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Neural Control of Movement Lab, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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17
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Qiao Z, Van der Donck S, Moerkerke M, Dlhosova T, Vettori S, Dzhelyova M, van Winkel R, Alaerts K, Boets B. Frequency-Tagging EEG of Superimposed Social and Non-Social Visual Stimulation Streams Provides No Support for Social Salience Enhancement after Intranasal Oxytocin Administration. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12091224. [PMID: 36138960 PMCID: PMC9496939 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The social salience hypothesis proposes that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) can impact human social behavior by modulating the salience of social cues. Here, frequency-tagging EEG was used to quantify the neural responses to social versus non-social stimuli while administering a single dose of OT (24 IU) versus placebo treatment. Specifically, two streams of faces and houses were superimposed on one another, with each stream of stimuli tagged with a particular presentation rate (i.e., 6 and 7.5 Hz or vice versa). These distinctive frequency tags allowed unambiguously disentangling and objectively quantifying the respective neural responses elicited by the different streams of stimuli. This study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with 31 healthy adult men. Based on four trials of 60 s, we detected robust frequency-tagged neural responses in each individual, with entrainment to faces being more pronounced in lateral occipito-temporal regions and entrainment to houses being focused in medial occipital regions. However, contrary to our expectation, a single dose of OT did not modulate these stimulus-driven neural responses, not in terms of enhanced social processing nor in terms of generally enhanced information salience. Bayesian analyses formally confirmed these null findings. Possibly, the baseline ceiling level performance of these neurotypical adult participants as well as the personal irrelevance of the applied stimulation streams might have hindered the observation of any OT effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiling Qiao
- Center for Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Correspondence:
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthijs Moerkerke
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tereza Dlhosova
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sofie Vettori
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon1, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Milena Dzhelyova
- Institute of Research in Psychological Sciences, Université de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Ruud van Winkel
- Center for Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- UPC, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6211 Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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18
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Wu Q, Xie Y, Liu X, Liu Y. Oxytocin Impairs the Recognition of Micro-Expressions of Surprise and Disgust. Front Psychol 2022; 13:947418. [PMID: 35846599 PMCID: PMC9277341 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.947418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As fleeting facial expressions which reveal the emotion that a person tries to conceal, micro-expressions have great application potentials for fields like security, national defense and medical treatment. However, the physiological basis for the recognition of these facial expressions is poorly understood. In the present research, we utilized a double-blind, placebo-controlled, mixed-model experimental design to investigate the effects of oxytocin on the recognition of micro-expressions in three behavioral studies. Specifically, in Studies 1 and 2, participants were asked to perform a laboratory-based standardized micro-expression recognition task after self-administration of a single dose of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU) or placebo (containing all ingredients except for the neuropeptide). In Study 3, we further examined the effects of oxytocin on the recognition of natural micro-expressions. The results showed that intranasal oxytocin decreased the recognition speed for standardized intense micro-expressions of surprise (Study 1) and decreased the recognition accuracy for standardized subtle micro-expressions of disgust (Study 2). The results of Study 3 further revealed that intranasal oxytocin administration significantly reduced the recognition accuracy for natural micro-expressions of surprise and disgust. The present research is the first to investigate the effects of oxytocin on micro-expression recognition. It suggests that the oxytocin mainly plays an inhibiting role in the recognition of micro-expressions and there are fundamental differences in the neurophysiological basis for the recognition of micro-expressions and macro-expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wu
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Qi Wu,
| | - Yanni Xie
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Xuanchen Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yulong Liu
- School of Finance and Management, Changsha Social Work College, Changsha, China
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19
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Cui F, Huang X, Jing Y, Luo YJ, Liu J, Gu R. How resource sharing resists scarcity: the role of cognitive empathy and its neurobiological mechanisms. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:5330-5342. [PMID: 35134875 PMCID: PMC9712734 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Resource scarcity challenges individuals' willingness to share limited resources with other people. Still, lots of field studies and laboratory experiments have shown that sharing behaviors do not disappear under scarcity. Rather, some individuals are willing to share their scarce resources with others in a similar way as when the resource is abundant, which is crucial for the maintenance and development of human society. Here, we designed a novel paradigm in which subjects decided whether (and how much) to share an amount of "relieving resources" for counteracting unpleasant noises, which mimics real-life situations that people cost their own resources to help others escape from adversity. Overall, the robustness of resource sharing under scarcity was positively correlated with individual level of the cognitive component of empathy across two independent experiments. Resource insufficiency modulated the activations of several brain regions (including the TPJ, mPFC, and PCC) as well as the functional connection (from the rTPJ to the mPFC) within the mentalizing brain network, but the modulatory effect decreased as a function of cognitive empathy. We also applied the administration of oxytocin and found significant effects on sharing behavior among individuals with a higher level of cognitive empathy, but not their low-level counterparts. These findings highlight the importance of empathy to resource sharing under scarcity and explain the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Cui
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China,Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Huang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yiming Jing
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yue-jia Luo
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China,Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Corresponding author: CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China. (RG); Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China. (JL)
| | - Ruolei Gu
- Corresponding author: CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China. (RG); Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China. (JL)
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20
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Pichugina YA, Maksimova IV, Berezovskaya MA, Afanaseva NA, Pichugin AB, Dmitrenko DV, Timechko EE, Salmina AB, Lopatina OL. Salivary oxytocin in autistic patients and in patients with intellectual disability. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:969674. [PMID: 36506430 PMCID: PMC9729552 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.969674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessing the role of oxytocin (OT) in the regulation of social interaction is a promising area that opens up new opportunities for studying the mechanisms of developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD). AIM To assess the correlation between the salivary OT level and age-related and psychopathological symptoms of children with intellectual disability (ID) and ASD. METHODS We used the clinical and psychopathological method to assess the signs of ASD based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), the severity of ASD was specified by the selected Russian type version "Childhood Autism Rating Scale" (CARS). Patients of both groups had an IQ score below 70 points. RESULTS The median and interquartile range of salivary OT levels in patients with ID and ASD were 23.897 [14.260-59.643] pg/mL, and in the group ID without ASD - Me = 50.896 [33.502-83.774] pg/mL (p = 0.001). The severity of ASD on the CARS scale Me = 51.5 [40.75-56.0] score in the group ID with ASD, and in the group ID without ASD-at the level of Me = 32 [27.0-38.0] points (p < 0.001). According to the results of correlation-regression analysis in the main group, a direct correlation was established between salivary OT level and a high degree of severity of ASD Rho = 0.435 (p = 0.005). There was no correlation between the salivary OT level and intellectual development in the group ID with ASD, Rho = 0.013 (p = 0.941) and we have found a relationship between oxytocin and intellectual development in the group ID without ASD, Rho = 0.297 (p = 0.005). There was no correlation between salivary OT and age, ASD and age. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate that patients in the group ID with ASD demonstrated a lower level of salivary OT concentration and a direct relationship between the maximum values of this indicator and the severity of autistic disorders, in contrast to patients in the group ID without ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia A Pichugina
- Department of Psychiatry and Narcology, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Irina V Maksimova
- Department of Psychiatry and Narcology, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Marina A Berezovskaya
- Department of Psychiatry and Narcology, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Natalya A Afanaseva
- Department of Psychiatry and Narcology, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Aleksey B Pichugin
- Social Neuroscience Laboratory, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Diana V Dmitrenko
- Department of Medical Genetics of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Postgraduate Education, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.,Medical Genetic Laboratory, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Elena E Timechko
- Medical Genetic Laboratory, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Alla B Salmina
- Laboratory of Experimental Brain Cytology, Department of Brain Studies, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia.,Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Olga L Lopatina
- Social Neuroscience Laboratory, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.,Department of Biochemistry, Medical, Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Chemistry, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
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21
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Ghazy AA, Soliman OA, Elbahnasi AI, Alawy AY, Mansour AM, Gowayed MA. Role of Oxytocin in Different Neuropsychiatric, Neurodegenerative, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 186:95-134. [PMID: 36416982 DOI: 10.1007/112_2022_72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin has recently gained significant attention because of its role in the pathophysiology and management of dominant neuropsychiatric disorders. Oxytocin, a peptide hormone synthesized in the hypothalamus, is released into different brain regions, acting as a neurotransmitter. Receptors for oxytocin are present in many areas of the brain, including the hypothalamus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens, which have been involved in the pathophysiology of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Animal studies have spotlighted the role of oxytocin in social, behavioral, pair bonding, and mother-infant bonding. Furthermore, oxytocin protects fetal neurons against injury during childbirth and affects various behaviors, assuming its possible neuroprotective characteristics. In this review, we discuss some of the concepts and mechanisms related to the role of oxytocin in the pathophysiology and management of some neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya A Ghazy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
| | - Omar A Soliman
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Aya I Elbahnasi
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Aya Y Alawy
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amira Ma Mansour
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mennatallah A Gowayed
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
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22
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Ishii D, Kageyama M, Umeda S. Cerebral and extracerebral distribution of radioactivity associated with oxytocin in rabbits after intranasal administration: Comparison of TTA-121, a newly developed oxytocin formulation, with Syntocinon. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0261451. [PMID: 34929003 PMCID: PMC8687547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with deficits in social interactions/communication. Despite the large number of ASD patients, there is no drug approved to treat its core symptoms. Recently, Syntocinon (oxytocin nasal spray) has been reported to have a therapeutic effect on ASD. However, the disadvantage of Syntocinon for ASD treatment is that 6 puffs/administration are required to achieve the effective pharmacological dose. Furthermore, there are no published reports evaluating the cerebral distribution profile of oxytocin after intranasal administration. TTA-121 is a newly developed intranasal oxytocin formulation with high bioavailability produced by optimizing the physicochemical properties. In this study, we prepared the same formula as Syntocinon as the control formulation (CF), and the cerebral and extracerebral distribution of oxytocin in rabbits after single intranasal administration of 3H-labeled oxytocin formulations—[3H]TTA-121 and [3H]CF were examined and compared. The area under the concentration-time curve to the time of the last quantifiable concentration (AUCt) in the whole brain was 3.6-fold higher in the [3H]TTA-121 group than in the [3H]CF group, indicating increased delivery of radioactivity to the brain by TTA-121 than by CF. Since the distribution profiles showed no notable differences in radioactivity between the olfactory bulb and trigeminal nerve, intranasally-administered oxytocin was probably transferred to the brain via both pathways. The results also showed an increase in radioactivity in the prefrontal area and the precuneus, which are probable sites of pharmacological action as shown in clinical studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), confirming that intranasally-administered oxytocin could reach these tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ishii
- DMPK Research Department, Teijin Pharma Limited, Hino, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Shin Umeda
- Business Development & Licensing Department, Teijin Pharma Limited, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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23
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Zheng S, Liang Z, Qu Y, Wu Q, Wu H, Liu Q. Kuramoto Model-Based Analysis Reveals Oxytocin Effects on Brain Network Dynamics. Int J Neural Syst 2021; 32:2250002. [PMID: 34860138 DOI: 10.1142/s0129065722500022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The oxytocin effects on large-scale brain networks such as Default Mode Network (DMN) and Frontoparietal Network (FPN) have been largely studied using fMRI data. However, these studies are mainly based on the statistical correlation or Bayesian causality inference, lacking interpretability at the physical and neuroscience level. Here, we propose a physics-based framework of the Kuramoto model to investigate oxytocin effects on the phase dynamic neural coupling in DMN and FPN. Testing on fMRI data of 59 participants administrated with either oxytocin or placebo, we demonstrate that oxytocin changes the topology of brain communities in DMN and FPN, leading to higher synchronization in the FPN and lower synchronization in the DMN, as well as a higher variance of the coupling strength within the DMN and more flexible coupling patterns at group level. These results together indicate that oxytocin may increase the ability to overcome the corresponding internal oscillation dispersion and support the flexibility in neural synchrony in various social contexts, providing new evidence for explaining the oxytocin modulated social behaviors. Our proposed Kuramoto model-based framework can be a potential tool in network neuroscience and offers physical and neural insights into phase dynamics of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhan Zheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
| | - Zhichao Liang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
| | - Youzhi Qu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
| | - Qingyuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive, Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern, Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Normal University, 100875 Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, and Department of Psychology, University, of Macau, Macau, P. R. China
| | - Quanying Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518005, P. R. China
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24
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Barraza JA, Hu X, Terris ET, Wang C, Zak PJ. Oxytocin increases perceived competence and social-emotional engagement with brands. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260589. [PMID: 34847200 PMCID: PMC8631632 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans express loyalty to consumer brands much like they do in human relationships. The neuroactive chemical oxytocin is an important biological substrate of human attachment and this study tested whether consumer-brand relationships can be influenced by oxytocin administration. We present a mathematical model of brand attachment that generates empirically-testable hypotheses. The model is tested by administering synthetic oxytocin or placebo to male and female participants (N = 77) who received information about brands and had an opportunity to purchase branded products. We focused on two brand personality dimensions: warmth and competence. Oxytocin increased perceptions of brand competence but not brand warmth relative to placebo. We also found that participants were willing to pay more for branded products through its effect on brand competence. When writing about one's favorite brands, oxytocin enhanced the use of positive emotional language as well as words related to family and friends. These findings provide preliminary evidence that consumers build relationships with brands using the biological mechanisms that evolved to form human attachments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A. Barraza
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United States of America
| | - Xinbo Hu
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth T. Terris
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United States of America
| | - Chuan Wang
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Zak
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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25
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Neely-Prado A, van Elk M, Navarrete G, Hola F, Huepe D. Social Adaptation in Context: The Differential Role of Religiosity and Self-Esteem in Vulnerable vs. Non-vulnerable Populations - A Registered Report Study. Front Psychol 2021; 12:519623. [PMID: 34899444 PMCID: PMC8652253 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.519623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that religiosity and self-esteem are positively related, while self-esteem and religiosity in turn predict successful social adaptation. Moreover, self-esteem has been shown to be directly related to social adaptation in vulnerable contexts. In this registered report study, we tested the hypothesis that religiosity has a positive influence on social adaptation for people living in vulnerable contexts and that self-esteem is a mediator of this relationship. Evidence from this study indicates that neither there is any effect of religiosity on social adaptation nor on self-esteem, independent of whether people live in vulnerable contexts or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Neely-Prado
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Michiel van Elk
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Gorka Navarrete
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernanda Hola
- Department of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
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26
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Abu Elheja R, Palgi Y, Feldman R, Zagoory-Sharon O, Keisari S, Shamay-Tsoory SG. The role of oxytocin in regulating loneliness in old age. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 133:105413. [PMID: 34563837 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness is prevalent in old age and is associated with reduced positive social interactions. Building on studies showing that oxytocin (OT) levels rise during social interactions, we hypothesized that following participation in positive social interaction involving synchronized movements, OT levels would increase, while state loneliness levels would diminish. A total of 63 older adults (aged M = 78.93, SD = 9.99; Range = 65-101) participated in the study. Participants completed emotional and social loneliness scales and provided saliva samples pre- and post-participation in the "mirror game", which requires movement synchronization and is known to promote connectedness and closeness. Results indicate a reduced state of loneliness following the mirror game. Importantly, the change in OT levels predicted the change in social loneliness, defined as the absence of social interactions with people in the social network. On the other hand, emotional loneliness, marked by deficient emotional contact, only decreased among participants who experienced high levels of closeness with their partner in the mirror game. Findings suggest that context-dependent change in endogenous OT may serve as biomarker for the social effects of oxytocin on loneliness in old age and can help in the development of targeted interventions for treating loneliness in old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Abu Elheja
- Department of Gerontology, University of Haifa, Israel.
| | - Y Palgi
- Department of Gerontology, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - R Feldman
- Center for Developmental, Social, and Relationship Neuroscience, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel
| | - O Zagoory-Sharon
- Center for Developmental, Social, and Relationship Neuroscience, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel
| | - S Keisari
- School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel
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27
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Mistakes that matter: An event-related potential study on obsessive-compulsive symptoms and social performance monitoring in different responsibility contexts. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 20:684-697. [PMID: 32372323 PMCID: PMC7394925 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00796-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Mistakes that affect others often are linked to increased feelings of responsibility and guilt. This especially holds for individuals high in obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), who are characterized by inflated feelings of responsibility and a fear of causing harm to others. This event-related potential study investigated individual differences in OCS in social performance monitoring with a focus on the role of responsibility for other’s harm and the error-related negativity (ERN). Healthy volunteers low (N = 27) or high (N = 24) in OCS performed a Flanker task in the presence of a gender-matched peer in three conditions. Mistakes could either have negative monetary consequences for 1) oneself, 2) the other, or 3) no one. Results showed enhanced ERNs for mistakes that harmed others instead of the self for individuals high in OCS, whereas individuals low in OCS showed decreased amplitudes specifically for mistakes affecting no one versus oneself. Amplitudes of the error positivity but not the ERN also were larger in the high OCS group. These findings indicate that high OCS are associated with enhanced performance monitoring in a social responsibility context, when mistakes harm others instead of the self, and demonstrate the importance of integrating the social context in performance monitoring research as a way to shed more light on obsessive-compulsive symptomatology.
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28
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Liu Y, Wang D, Li H. Oxytocin Modulates Neural Individuation/Categorization Processing of Faces in Early Face-Selective Areas. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:1159-1169. [PMID: 34427292 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is known as a neuropeptide that promotes social adaptation. Individuating racial in-group members and viewing racial out-groups in categories is an adaptive strategy that evolved to aid effective social interaction. Nevertheless, whether OT modulates the neural individuation/categorization processing of racial in-group and out-group faces remain unknown. After intranasal OT or placebo administration, 46 male participants (OT: 24, placebo: 22) were presented with face pairs with the same or different identities or races in rapid succession. The neural repetition suppression (RS) effects to identity and race were measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as indices of individuation/categorization face-processing. The results showed that while OT increased the RS effect to race, it decreased the RS effect to identity in the right fusiform face area. As for the left occipital face area, OT enlarged the differential RS effects to identities of in-group and out-group faces. Additionally, OT modulated the association of interdependence self-construal and the RS effects on identity and race. These findings bring to light preliminary evidence that OT can regulate neuronal specificity of identity and race in early face-selective regions and benefit adaptive individuation/categorization face-processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Ding Wang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Hong Li
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.,Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
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29
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Mei X, Wang L, Yang B, Li X. Sex differences in noradrenergic modulation of attention and impulsivity in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2167-2177. [PMID: 33834255 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05841-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Noradrenaline (NE) is closely related to attentive performance and impulsive control. However, the potential sex differences regarding attention and impulsivity under the noradrenergic modulation have been largely neglected. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate whether male and female rats exhibit differential responses to NE-related drugs during the five-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRT). METHODS Male and female rats were trained in 5CSRT and administered with different NE drugs after obtaining stable baseline performance: atipamezole, a highly selective α2 receptor antagonist; prazosin, an α1 receptor antagonist; and atomoxetine, a selective NE reuptake inhibitor. Later, prazosin was selected to co-administration with atomoxetine. RESULTS Male and female rats exhibited equal learning speed, and no significant baseline differences were found as measured by the 5CSRT. Atomoxetine decreased premature responses in both sexes, but the extent of this reduction was different, with the reduction greater in males. Besides, atomoxetine (1.8 mg/kg) increased the error of omissions in females. The high dose of prazosin (0.5 mg/kg) decreased the accuracy only in male rats, but this was ameliorated by the co-administration with atomoxetine. CONCLUSIONS Atomoxetine showed significant improvement in impulsivity, but atomoxetine had less beneficial effects on impulsive control in females than in males, and it even impaired attentional performance in female rats. The α1 receptors were mainly responsible for NE drug-related sex differences in attention rather than impulsivity. The results obtained in this study indicate that the sex differences exist in both attention and impulsivity by the modulation of noradrenaline and raise the concern to improve sex-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Mei
- College of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lutong Wang
- College of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Xinwang Li
- College of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
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30
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Terenzi D, Liu L, Bellucci G, Park SQ. Determinants and modulators of human social decisions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:383-393. [PMID: 34216653 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Social decision making is a highly complex process that involves diverse cognitive mechanisms, and it is driven by the precise processing of information from both the environment and from the internal state. On the one hand, successful social decisions require close monitoring of others' behavior, in order to track their intentions; this can guide not only decisions involving other people, but also one's own choices and preferences. On the other hand, internal states such as own reward or changes in hormonal and neurotransmitter states shape social decisions and their underlying neural function. Here, we review the current literature on modulators and determinants of human social decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Terenzi
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE), Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Neuroscience Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE), Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Neuroscience Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Gabriele Bellucci
- Department of Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics Tübingen, Germany
| | - Soyoung Q Park
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE), Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Neuroscience Research Center, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany
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Pfundmair M, Echterhoff G. Does oxytocin shield against negative effects of ostracism? A replication and extension. Biol Psychol 2021; 163:108128. [PMID: 34082039 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Evidence collected in recent years suggests that OT can alleviate negative consequences of ostracism. However, it is unclear whether this effect requires favorable dispositions. Moreover, research is needed to replicate previous findings. We thus investigated whether a combination of OT and potentially leveraging traits shields against negative effects of ostracism in a direct and conceptual replication of previous work. Seventy-seven males, who varied on potential moderating features, were administered OT or a placebo, and were ostracized or included in the Cyberball paradigm. Results showed that OT tended to attenuate the drop in social comfort in response to ostracism, and induced participants, particularly those high in horizontal collectivism, to toss the ball more often toward an approaching co-player who had ostracized them earlier. Attachment avoidance did not moderate these effects. Thus, the study replicated OT's relieving effects on ostracism, but provided only partial support for the leveraging influence of person factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Pfundmair
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802 München, Germany; Federal University of Administrative Sciences (current affiliation), Habersaathstr 51, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Gerald Echterhoff
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster, Fliednerstr. 21, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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Oxytocinergic Modulation of Threat-Specific Amygdala Sensitization in Humans Is Critically Mediated by Serotonergic Mechanisms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:1081-1089. [PMID: 33894423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overarching conceptualizations propose that the complex social-emotional effects of oxytocin (OXT) in humans are partly mediated by interactions with other neurotransmitter systems. Recent animal models suggest that the anxiolytic effects of OXT are critically mediated by the serotonin (5-HT) system, yet direct evidence in humans is lacking. METHODS To determine the role of 5-HT in OXT-induced attenuation of amygdala threat reactivity and sensitization/desensitization, we conducted a parallel-group, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment during which 121 healthy subjects underwent a transient decrease in 5-HT signaling via acute tryptophan depletion or the corresponding placebo-control protocol before the administration of intranasal OXT or placebo intranasal spray, respectively. Mean and repetition-dependent changes in threat-specific amygdala reactivity toward threatening stimuli (angry faces) as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging served as the primary outcome. RESULTS No main or interaction effects of treatment on amygdala threat reactivity were observed, yet OXT switched bilateral amygdala threat sensitization to desensitization, and this effect was significantly attenuated during decreased central 5-HT signaling via pretreatment with acute tryptophan depletion. CONCLUSIONS The present findings provide the first evidence for a role of OXT in threat-specific amygdala desensitization in humans and suggest that these effects are critically mediated by the 5-HT system. OXT may have a therapeutic potential to facilitate amygdala desensitization, and adjunct upregulation of 5-HT neurotransmission may facilitate OXT's anxiolytic potential.
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Chen J, Luo YLL, Xie Y, Yang Z, Cai H. Oxytocin intensifies the mortality salience effect: Novel evidence for the social salience model of oxytocin. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104920. [PMID: 33428924 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin plays an important role in human responses to threat processing. Few studies have directly examined the effects of oxytocin on our response to death-related stimuli. In the current study, 63 participants intranasally received either 32 IU of oxytocin or a placebo and thereafter completed a visual dot-probe task consisting of death-related and non-death related images. The results indicated that oxytocin enhanced participants' vigilance toward death-related images as well as increased their anxiety about and fear of death. Overall, oxytocin amplifies the defensive responses to a mortality threat, supporting the social salience model of oxytocin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu L L Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yiping Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ziyan Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Huajian Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Zheng S, Punia D, Wu H, Liu Q. Graph Theoretic Analysis Reveals Intranasal Oxytocin Induced Network Changes Over Frontal Regions. Neuroscience 2021; 459:153-165. [PMID: 33484821 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we aim to elucidate how intranasal oxytocin modulates brain network characteristics, especially over the frontal network. As an essential brain hub of social cognition and emotion regulation, we also explore the association between graphic properties of the frontal network and individual personality traits under oxytocin (OT) administration. Fifty-nine male participants administered intranasal OT or placebo were followed by resting-state fMRI scanning. The correlation-based network model was applied to study OT modulation effects. We performed community detection algorithms and conducted further network analyses, including clustering coefficient, average shortest path and eigenvector centrality. In addition, we conducted a correlation analysis between clustering coefficients and the self-assessed psychological scales. Modular organizations in the OT group reveal integrations of the frontoparietal network (FPN) and the default mode network (DMN) over frontal regions. Results show that frontal nodes within the FPN are characterized by lower clustering coefficients and higher average shortest path values compared to the placebo group. Notably, these modulation effects on frontal network property are associated with Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) fantasy value. Our results suggest that OT elevates integrations between FPN, DMN and limbic system as well as reduces small-worldness within the FPN. Our results support graph theoretic analysis as a potential tool to assess OT induced effects on the information integration in the frontal network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhan Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | | | - Haiyan Wu
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau.
| | - Quanying Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Zhuang Q, Zhu S, Yang X, Zhou X, Xu X, Chen Z, Lan C, Zhao W, Becker B, Yao S, Kendrick KM. Oxytocin-induced facilitation of learning in a probabilistic task is associated with reduced feedback- and error-related negativity potentials. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:40-49. [PMID: 33274683 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120972347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Feedback evaluation of actions and error response detection are critical for optimizing behavioral adaptation. Oxytocin can facilitate learning following social feedback but whether its effects vary as a function of feedback valence remains unclear. AIMS The present study aimed to investigate whether oxytocin would influence responses to positive and negative feedback differentially or equivalently. METHODS The present study employed a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled within-subject design to investigate whether intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) influenced behavioral and evoked electrophysiological potential responses to positive or negative feedback in a probabilistic learning task. RESULTS Results showed that oxytocin facilitated learning and this effect was maintained in the absence of feedback. Using novel stimulus pairings, we found that oxytocin abolished bias towards learning more from negative feedback under placebo by increasing accuracy for positively reinforced stimuli. Oxytocin also decreased the feedback-related negativity difference (negative minus positive feedback) during learning, further suggesting that it rendered the evaluation of positive and negative feedback more equivalent. Additionally, post-learning oxytocin attenuated error-related negativity amplitudes but increased the late error positivity, suggesting that it may lower conflict detection between actual errors and expected correct responses at an early stage of processing but at a later stage increase error awareness and motivation for avoiding them. CONCLUSIONS Oxytocin facilitates learning and subsequent performance by rendering the impact of positive relative to negative feedback more equivalent and also by reducing conflict detection and increasing error awareness, which may be beneficial for behavioral adaption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhuang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyu Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue Yang
- Institute of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunmei Lan
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuxia Yao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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36
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Arakawa H. Dynamic regulation of oxytocin neuronal circuits in the sequential processes of prosocial behavior in rodent models. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 2:100011. [PMID: 36246512 PMCID: PMC9559098 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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37
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Yue T, Xu Y, Xue L, Huang X. Oxytocin weakens self-other distinction in males during empathic responses to sadness: an event-related potentials study. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10384. [PMID: 33240676 PMCID: PMC7680622 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
By making use of event-related potential (ERP) technology, a randomized, double-blind, between-subject design study was performed in order to investigate whether OXT can weaken men’s self-other distinction during empathic responses to sad expressions. In the two experimental tasks, 39 male subjects were asked to either evaluate the emotional state shown in a facial stimulus (other-task) or to evaluate their own emotional responses (self-task). The results revealed that OXT reduced the differences in P2 (150–200 ms) amplitudes between sad and neutral expressions in the self-task but enhanced P2 to sad expressions in the other-task, indicating OXT’s role in integrating the self with others instead of separating them. In addition, OXT also reduced the LPC (400–600 ms) amplitudes between sad-neutral expressions in the self-task, implying that OXT’s weakening effects on the self-other distinction could occur at both the early and late cognitive control stages of the empathic response.
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38
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Ma Y, Ran G, Hu N, Hu Y, Long W, Chen X. Intranasal oxytocin attenuates insula activity in response to dynamic angry faces. Biol Psychol 2020; 157:107976. [PMID: 33157152 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The effects of intranasal oxytocin on amygdala activity during emotional perception are often mixed. Given that the brain is organized into networks of interconnected areas, functional connectivity might provide an effective way to further understand the oxytocin effect. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether oxytocin administration affects amygdala activity and its functional connectivity during dynamic facial expression perception. Using a between-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 55 participants were randomly assigned to groups receiving a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or a placebo via intranasal administration. An implicit emotional task was employed to investigate the effect of oxytocin on neural responses to dynamic angry, neutral, and happy facial expressions with fMRI. Participants were instructed to respond only when the inverted dynamic faces were presented. The results indicated that oxytocin attenuated activation of insula and emotional processing-related regions (e.g., ACC, thalamus, and MFG) during the viewing of dynamic angry faces. However, functional connectivity between the regions involved in the perception of dynamic angry faces was not changed following oxytocin administration. The present findings may contribute to our understanding of the anxiolytic effects of oxytocin and eventually facilitate human clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxiao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210024, China
| | - Guangming Ran
- Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637002, China
| | - Na Hu
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Yuting Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wenshuang Long
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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Oxytocin treatment attenuates amygdala activity in autism: a treatment-mechanism study with long-term follow-up. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:383. [PMID: 33159033 PMCID: PMC7648620 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01069-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin (IN-OT) is increasingly considered as a potential treatment for targeting the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the effects of continual use on neural substrates are fairly unexplored and long-term effects are unknown. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, we investigated the effects of single-dose and multiple-dose IN-OT treatment (4 weeks of daily (24 IU) administrations) on brain activity related to processing emotional states. Thirty-eight adult men with ASD (aged between 18 and 35 years) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging of the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTS) and amygdala regions while processing emotional states from point-light biological motion. In line with prior research, a single dose of IN-OT induced a reliable increase in pSTS brain activity during the processing of point-light biological motion, but no consistent long-term changes in pSTS activity were induced after the multiple-dose treatment. In terms of bilateral amygdala, the multiple-dose treatment induced a consistent attenuation in brain activity, which outlasted the period of actual administrations until four weeks and one year post-treatment. Critically, participants with stronger attenuations in amygdala-activity showed greater behavioral improvements, particularly in terms of self-reported feelings of avoidant attachment and social functioning. Together, these observations provide initial insights into the long-lasting neural consequences of chronic IN-OT use on amygdala functioning and provide first indications that the acute versus chronic effects of IN-OT administration may be qualitatively different. Larger studies are however warranted to further elucidate the long-term impact of IN-OT treatment on human neural substrates and its behavioral consequences.
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40
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Pfundmair M, Berthold V. Oxytocin makes inexperienced men more selective in their dating strategy. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2020; 4:100017. [PMID: 35755624 PMCID: PMC9216677 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2020.100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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41
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Feng C, Zhou X, Zhu X, Zhu R, Han S, Luo YJ. Effect of intranasal oxytocin administration on self-other distinction: Modulations by psychological distance and gender. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 120:104804. [PMID: 32721815 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Preliminary evidence indicates that intranasal oxytocin (OT) administration modulates one's ability to distinguish oneself from others (i.e., self-other distinction). However, previous findings on this topic are contradictory. The current study addressed this issue by (i) using a novel perceptual matching task examining self-other distinction compared to both close and distant others, and (ii) tentatively exploring potential modulations by gender. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized OT administration study, 100 participants (50 males and 50 females) were randomized to receive intranasal spray of 24 IU OT or placebo (PL). Afterwards, participants completed a geometry perceptual matching task in which different shapes were paired to the self, a friend, or a stranger. Participants were then asked to judge whether each pair of shapes and labels was correctly matched. The results revealed that compared to PL administration, OT facilitated distinction between the self and a friend in males but not in females. These findings provide insights for debates on the role of OT in self-other distinction by revealing modulations by psychological distance and gender, which have implications for the potential clinical applications of OT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China.
| | - Xingmei Zhou
- Center of Brain Disorder and Cognitive Sciences, College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiangru Zhu
- Institute of Cognition, Brain and Health, Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Ruida Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shangfeng Han
- Center of Brain Disorder and Cognitive Sciences, College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yue-Jia Luo
- Center of Brain Disorder and Cognitive Sciences, College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China.
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42
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Daniels N, Prinsen J, Soriano JR, Alaerts K. Oxytocin enhances the recovery of eye-contact induced autonomic arousal: A treatment mechanism study with placebo-controlled design. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 39:87-98. [PMID: 32868176 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is suggested to exert a pivotal role in a variety of complex human behaviors, including trust, attachment, social perception and fear regulation. Previous studies have demonstrated that intranasal administration of OT reduces subjective and neuroendocrine stress responses and dampens amygdala reactivity. OT has also been proposed to modulate activity of the autonomic nervous system. Here, a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study (with parallel design) was conducted with 56 healthy adult men to investigate whether a single-dose of OT (24 IU) modulates sympathetic autonomic arousal upon live dyadic gaze interactions. To do so, electrodermal recordings of skin conductance were performed during the engagement of eye contact with a live model in a two-person social context. In accordance to prior research, direct eye gaze elicited a significant enhancement in skin conductance responses, but OT did not specifically enhance or dampen the overall magnitude (amplitude) of the skin conductance response. Administration of OT did facilitate the recovery of skin conductance responses back to baseline (reduced recovery time), indicating a role of OT in restoring homeostatic balance. Notably, the treatment-effect on autonomic recovery was most prominent in participants with low self-reported social responsiveness, indicating that person-dependent factors play an important role in determining OT treatment-responses. Exploratory, it was shown that OT also significantly reduced self-reported feelings of tension and (at trend-level) worrying about how one presents oneself. Together, these observations add further evidence to a role of OT in modulating activity of the autonomic nervous system, primarily by facilitating a restoration of homeostatic balance after stimulus-induced increases in sympathetically-driven autonomic arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Daniels
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neuromotor Rehabilitation, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neuromotor Rehabilitation, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Javier R Soriano
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neuromotor Rehabilitation, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neuromotor Rehabilitation, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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43
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Wang D, Ma Y. Oxytocin facilitates valence-dependent valuation of social evaluation of the self. Commun Biol 2020; 3:433. [PMID: 32792516 PMCID: PMC7426917 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01168-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
People are eager to know the self in other’s eyes even with personal costs. However, what drives people costly to know evaluations remains unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis of placing subjective value on knowing social evaluations. To quantify the subjective value, we developed a pay-to-know choice task where individuals trade off profits against knowing social evaluations. Individuals computed independent unknown aversion towards positive and negative social evaluations and placed higher values on knowing social evaluation on positive than negative aspects. Such a valence-dependent valuation of social evaluation was facilitated by oxytocin, a neuropeptide linked to feedback learning and valuation processes, by decreasing values of negative social evaluation. Moreover, individuals scoring high in depression undervalued positive social evaluation, which was normalized by oxytocin. We reveal the psychological and computational processes underlying self-image formation/update and suggest a role of oxytocin in normalizing hypo-valuation of positive social evaluation in depression. Danyang Wang and Yina Ma measure the amount of money participants are willing to forgo for the opportunity to access social or non-social evaluations of the self. They show that subjective values on knowing social evaluation is valence-dependent whereas that on non-social evaluation is valence-insensitive. Moreover, oxytocin contributes to valence-dependent valuation on social evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yina Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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44
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Yamasue H, Okada T, Munesue T, Kuroda M, Fujioka T, Uno Y, Matsumoto K, Kuwabara H, Mori D, Okamoto Y, Yoshimura Y, Kawakubo Y, Arioka Y, Kojima M, Yuhi T, Owada K, Yassin W, Kushima I, Benner S, Ogawa N, Eriguchi Y, Kawano N, Uemura Y, Yamamoto M, Kano Y, Kasai K, Higashida H, Ozaki N, Kosaka H. Effect of intranasal oxytocin on the core social symptoms of autism spectrum disorder: a randomized clinical trial. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:1849-1858. [PMID: 29955161 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0097-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Although small-scale studies have described the effects of oxytocin on social deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no large-scale study has been conducted. In this randomized, parallel-group, multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in Japan, 106 ASD individuals (18-48 y.o.) were enrolled between Jan 2015 and March 2016. Participants were randomly assigned to a 6-week intranasal oxytocin (48IU/day, n = 53) or placebo (n = 53) group. One-hundred-three participants were analyzed. Since oxytocin reduced the primary endpoint, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) reciprocity, (from 8.5 to 7.7; P < .001) but placebo also reduced the score (8.3 to 7.2; P < .001), no between-group difference was found (effect size -0.08; 95% CI, -0.46 to 0.31; P = .69); however, plasma oxytocin was only elevated from baseline to endpoint in the oxytocin-group compared with the placebo-group (effect size -1.12; -1.53 to -0.70; P < .0001). Among the secondary endpoints, oxytocin reduced ADOS repetitive behavior (2.0 to 1.5; P < .0001) compared with placebo (2.0 to 1.8; P = .43) (effect size 0.44; 0.05 to 0.83; P = .026). In addition, the duration of gaze fixation on socially relevant regions, another secondary endpoint, was increased by oxytocin (41.2 to 52.3; P = .03) compared with placebo (45.7 to 40.4; P = .25) (effect size 0.55; 0.10 to 1.0; P = .018). No significant effects were observed for the other secondary endpoints. No significant difference in the prevalence of adverse events was observed between groups, although one participant experienced temporary gynecomastia during oxytocin administration. Based on the present findings, we cannot recommend continuous intranasal oxytocin treatment alone at the current dose and duration for treatment of the core social symptoms of high-functioning ASD in adult men, although this large-scale trial suggests oxytocin's possibility to treat ASD repetitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan. .,Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Takashi Okada
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Toshio Munesue
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Miho Kuroda
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Toru Fujioka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Yota Uno
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan.,Laboratory for Psychiatric and Molecular Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Kaori Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Psychology, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, 7-1 Ohgigaoka, Nonoichi, 921-8054, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.,Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development at Hamamatsu, Handayama 1 Higashiku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Daisuke Mori
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan.,Brain and Mind Research Center, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yuko Okamoto
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Yuko Yoshimura
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yuki Kawakubo
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan.,Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yuko Arioka
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Masaki Kojima
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Teruko Yuhi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Keiho Owada
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Walid Yassin
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Itaru Kushima
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Seico Benner
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Nanayo Ogawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yosuke Eriguchi
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Naoko Kawano
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yukari Uemura
- Biostatistics Division, Clinical Research Support Center, University of Tokyo Hospital, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Maeri Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kano
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Kosaka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
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45
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Trilla I, Drimalla H, Bajbouj M, Dziobek I. The Influence of Reward on Facial Mimicry: No Evidence for a Significant Effect of Oxytocin. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:88. [PMID: 32595461 PMCID: PMC7304412 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings suggest a role of oxytocin on the tendency to spontaneously mimic the emotional facial expressions of others. Oxytocin-related increases of facial mimicry, however, seem to be dependent on contextual factors. Given previous literature showing that people preferentially mimic emotional expressions of individuals associated with high (vs. low) rewards, we examined whether the reward value of the mimicked agent is one factor influencing the oxytocin effects on facial mimicry. To test this hypothesis, 60 male adults received 24 IU of either intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a double-blind, between-subject experiment. Next, the value of male neutral faces was manipulated using an associative learning task with monetary rewards. After the reward associations were learned, participants watched videos of the same faces displaying happy and angry expressions. Facial reactions to the emotional expressions were measured with electromyography. We found that participants judged as more pleasant the face identities associated with high reward values than with low reward values. However, happy expressions by low rewarding faces were more spontaneously mimicked than high rewarding faces. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find a significant direct effect of intranasal oxytocin on facial mimicry, nor on the reward-driven modulation of mimicry. Our results support the notion that mimicry is a complex process that depends on contextual factors, but failed to provide conclusive evidence of a role of oxytocin on the modulation of facial mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Trilla
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanna Drimalla
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Digital Health Center, Hasso Plattner Institute, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Malek Bajbouj
- Center for Affective Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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46
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Oxytocin induces long-lasting adaptations within amygdala circuitry in autism: a treatment-mechanism study with randomized placebo-controlled design. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1141-1149. [PMID: 32161366 PMCID: PMC7234999 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0653-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin (IN-OT) is increasingly explored as a potential treatment for targeting the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To date, however, the impact of multiple-dose IN-OT treatment on human neural circuitry is largely unknown, and also the possibility that long-term IN-OT use may induce long-lasting neural adaptations remains unexplored. Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, between-subject design (including 38 adult men with ASD), this treatment-mechanism study showed that 4 weeks of daily oxytocin administration (24 IU/day) significantly altered intrinsic (resting-state fMRI) functional connectivity of the amygdala to core regions of the "social brain" (particularly orbitofrontal cortex and superior temporal sulcus) up to 4 weeks and 1 year post treatment. The neural adaptations in functional coupling of the amygdala to the orbitofrontal cortex were associated with reduced feelings of avoidance toward others and-at the trend level-reduced repetitive behaviors. These observations contribute to a deeper mechanistic understanding of the neural substrates that underlie behavioral effects of multiple-dose IN-OT treatment, and provide initial insights into the long-lasting neural consequences of chronic IN-OT use on amygdala circuitry. Future studies are however warranted to further elucidate the long-term impact of IN-OT treatment on human neural circuitry and its behavioral consequences.
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47
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De Oliveira Sergio T, Frias AT, Vilela-Costa HH, De Oliveira DC, Zuardi AW, Zangrossi H. Serotonin mediates the panicolytic-like effect of oxytocin in the dorsal periaqueductal gray. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:383-390. [PMID: 32108540 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120907960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Oxytocin (OT) has been widely linked to positive social interactions, and there is great interest in OT as a therapy for a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions. Recent evidence also suggests that OT can play an important role in the mediation of anxiety-associated defensive responses, including a role for serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission in this action. However, it is presently unknown whether OT additionally regulates the expression of panic-related behaviors, such as escape, by acting in the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG), a key panic-regulating area. This study aimed to investigate the consequence of OT injection in the dPAG on escape expression and whether facilitation of 5-HT neurotransmission in this midbrain area is implicated in this action. METHODS Male Wistar rats were injected with OT in the dPAG and tested for escape expression in the elevated T-maze (ETM) and dPAG electrical stimulation tests. Using the latter test, OT's effect was also investigated after previous intra-dPAG injection of the OT receptor antagonist atosiban, the preferential antagonists of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors, WAY-100635 and ketanserin, respectively, or systemic pretreatment with the 5-HT synthesis inhibitor p-CPA. RESULTS OT impaired escape expression in the two tests used, suggesting a panicolytic-like effect. In the ETM, the peptide also facilitated inhibitory avoidance acquisition, indicating an anxiogenic effect. Previous administration of atosiban, WAY-100635, ketanserin, or p-CPA counteracted OT's anti-escape effect. CONCLUSIONS OT and 5-HT in the dPAG interact in the regulation of panic- and anxiety-related defensive responses. These findings open new perspectives for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thatiane De Oliveira Sergio
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alana Tercino Frias
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Heloisa Helena Vilela-Costa
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danielle Cg De Oliveira
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antônio W Zuardi
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hélio Zangrossi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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48
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Wu Q, Mao J, Li J. Oxytocin alters the effect of payoff but not base rate in emotion perception. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 114:104608. [PMID: 32070797 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Emotion perception, inferring the emotional state of another person, can be formalized as decision under uncertainty: another person's scowling face may indicate anger or concentration and the optimal inference is contingent on the decision consequences (payoff) and how likely real anger is encountered (base rate). Although emerging evidence suggests that the neuropeptide oxytocin influences human perception of emotional facial expressions, whether such effect relates to the alternated process of payoff or base rate still remains unclear. In addition, little is known about oxytocin's effect on metacognitive process involved in emotion perception. One hundred and twenty-two healthy male adults (sixty-two in Experiment 1 and sixty in Experiment 2, respectively) received 24 international units (IU) of intranasal oxytocin or placebo (between-subjects) in a randomized and double-blind study. We independently and systematically manipulated the payoff and base rate levels in an emotion categorization task and measured participants' response bias via categorization choice and metacognitive sensitivity via confidence report. Compared to the placebo group, oxytocin specifically induced a categorization bias under the payoff, but not base rate manipulation. In contrast, oxytocin had no effect on subjects' confidence rating, indicating that the metacognitive sensitivity can be dissociated from emotion perception. Our results pinpoint the specific role of oxytocin in payoff evaluation, but not target likelihood estimation and provide a potential theoretical framework to bridge oxytocin research in emotion perception, social cognition and value-based decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- School of Psychology and Beijing, Key Lab of Learning and Cognition, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jiang Mao
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing, Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing, Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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49
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Yang S, Xu Q, Li P. Oxytocin modulates responsibility attribution and hypothetical Resource allocation during cooperation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 114:104597. [PMID: 32044651 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Reasonable responsibility attribution and resource allocation in intragroup contexts benefit the evolution of group cooperation. Oxytocin (OT) has been shown to promote prosocial behavior; however, it remains unclear whether OT affects responsibility attribution and hypothetical resource allocation. In the present study, participants were intranasally administered OT or placebo (PLC) before a response task with a partner. The participant could win a certain amount of money depending on the group's performance, which was determined by the faster player. The contribution was manipulated to be similar in the first phase, while the participants could individually contribute more in the second phase. Our results show that both groups attributed more credit to the player who performed better in a trial. Moreover, reward magnitude only enhanced effort-based attribution in the OT group. Although both groups proposed to distribute money based on individual efforts, the PLC group increased their effort-based allocation when they contributed more, regardless of the fact that the money was eventually equally distributed. Our study demonstrates that OT modulates responsibility attribution and hypothetical resource allocation in different manners, suggesting that OT has different effects on a participant's perception of individual contribution and fairness when allocating a reward during social cooperation in a real effort task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyao Yang
- Brain Function and Psychological Science Research Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Brain Function and Psychological Science Research Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peng Li
- Brain Function and Psychological Science Research Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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50
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Han X, Gelfand MJ, Wu B, Zhang T, Li W, Gao T, Pang C, Wu T, Zhou Y, Zhou S, Wu X, Han S. A neurobiological association of revenge propensity during intergroup conflict. eLife 2020; 9:52014. [PMID: 32122462 PMCID: PMC7058385 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Revenge during intergroup conflict is a human universal, but its neurobiological underpinnings remain unclear. We address this by integrating functional MRI and measurements of endogenous oxytocin in participants who view an ingroup and an outgroup member's suffering that is caused mutually (Revenge group) or by a computer (Control group). We show that intergroup conflict encountered by the Revenge group is associated with an increased level of oxytocin in saliva compared to that in the Control group. Furthermore, the medial prefrontal activity in response to ingroup pain in the Revenge group but not in the Control group mediates the association between endogenous oxytocin and the propensity to give painful electric shocks to outgroup members, regardless of whether they were directly involved in the conflict. Our findings highlight an important neurobiological correlate of revenge propensity, which may be implicated in conflict contagion across individuals in the context of intergroup conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochun Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Michele J Gelfand
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, United States
| | - Bing Wu
- Department of Radiology, The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxin Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Gao
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenyu Pang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Taoyu Wu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Zhou
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xinhuai Wu
- Department of Radiology, The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shihui Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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