Oxytocin and the Social Brain: Beware the Complexity

Bartels, Andreas

doi:10.1038/npp.2012.71

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…[42] Indeed, while eventually showing improved extinction performance, studies by Acheson et al [15] and Eckstein et al [16] showed that OT acutely increased fear responding in the early stages of extinction learning. [42] Indeed, while eventually showing improved extinction performance, studies by Acheson et al [15] and Eckstein et al [16] showed that OT acutely increased fear responding in the early stages of extinction learning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intranasal Oxytocin Administration Prior to Exposure Therapy for Arachnophobia Impedes Treatment Response

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intranasal Oxytocin Administration Prior to Exposure Therapy for Arachnophobia Impedes Treatment Response

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Inhibition during initial extinction training in this study is somewhat surprising given the evidence for acute reductions in amygdala activation and anxiolytic effects after IN OT treatment in humans (Petrovic et al, 2008; de Oliveira et al 2012; Labuschagne et al 2010; Domes et al, 2007; Kirsch et al, 2005). However, as recently described by Bartels (2012), the “amygdala-dampening” interpretation of IN OT effects on limbic circuitry may be overly simplistic based on recent finding suggesting that OT modulation of circuit activation as well as behavior are stimulus/context specific (e.g. presence of social cues) with increased amygdala activation and anxiety/mistrust behaviors reported after IN OT in some studies (for review see Meyer-Lidenberg et al 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of intranasal oxytocin treatment on conditioned fear extinction and recall in a healthy human sample

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rationale To improve outcomes for patients undergoing extinction-based therapies (e.g. exposure therapy) for anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, there has been interest in identifying pharmaceutical compounds which might facilitate fear extinction learning and recall. Oxytocin (OT) is a mammalian neuropeptide that modulates activation of fear extinction-based neural circuits and fear responses. Little is known however about the effects of OT treatment on conditioned fear responding and extinction in humans. Objectives The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of OT in a fear-potentiated startle task of fear conditioning and extinction. Methods A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 44 healthy human participants was conducted. Participants underwent a conditioned fear acquisition procedure, after which they were randomized to treatment group and delivered OT (24 IU) or placebo via intranasal spray. Forty-five min after treatment, participants underwent extinction training. Twenty-four hrs later subjects were tested for extinction recall. Results Relative to placebo, the OT group showed increased fear potentiated startle responding during the earliest stage of extinction training relative to placebo, however all treatment groups showed the same level of reduced responding by the end of extinction training. Twenty-four hours later the OT group showed significantly higher recall of extinction relative to placebo. Conclusions The current study provides preliminary evidence that OT may facilitate fear extinction recall in humans. These results support further study of OT as a potential adjunctive treatment for extinction-based therapies in fear-related disorders.

show abstract

“…However, recent literature suggests that individual and contextual differences may impact the effects of intranasal oxytocin on social stress reactivity (Bartels, 2012; Bertsch et al, 2012; Campbell and Hausmann, 2013; DeWall et al, 2014). For example, in a study of non-human primates, oxytocin increased social contact in subordinate males but not in dominant males (Winslow and Insel, 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of adverse childhood experiences on the association between intranasal oxytocin and social stress reactivity among individuals with cocaine dependence

Flanagan

Baker

McRae‐Clark

et al. 2015

Psychiatry Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Drug dependence and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are commonly reflected by dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Accumulating research indicates that the neuropeptide oxytocin may regulate HPA function, resulting in reductions in neuroendocrine reactivity to social stress among individuals with drug dependence. However, emerging literature suggests that individual differences may differentially impact intranasal oxytocin’s effects on human social behaviors. Methods This study employed a double-blind, placebo-controlled design to examine the extent to which ACE influenced the effects of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU) on neuroendocrine reactivity to a laboratory social stress paradigm in a sample of 31 cocaine-dependent individuals. Results ACE scores modified the relationship between intranasal oxytocin and cortisol reactivity. While ACE modified the relationship between intranasal oxytocin and DHEA response in a similar direction to what was seen in cortisol, it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Findings are congruent with the emerging hypothesis that intranasal oxytocin may differentially attenuate social stress reactivity among individuals with specific vulnerabilities. Future research examining the nuances of intranasal oxytocin’s therapeutic potential is necessary.

show abstract

Oxytocin and the Social Brain: Beware the Complexity

Cited by 18 publications

References 8 publications

Intranasal Oxytocin Administration Prior to Exposure Therapy for Arachnophobia Impedes Treatment Response

Intranasal Oxytocin Administration Prior to Exposure Therapy for Arachnophobia Impedes Treatment Response

The effect of intranasal oxytocin treatment on conditioned fear extinction and recall in a healthy human sample

Effects of adverse childhood experiences on the association between intranasal oxytocin and social stress reactivity among individuals with cocaine dependence

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About