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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 10 · 2014

4 results

Intranasal inhalation of oxytocin improves face processing in developmental prosopagnosia.

Bate S, Cook SJ, Duchaine B, Tree JJ, Burns EJ, Hodgson TL

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior27 Aug 2013Cited by 72 (Europe PMC)

PMID24074457 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.cortex.2013.08.006 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-24074457
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: CC BY-NC-ND. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with developmental prosopagnosia, oxytocin improved performance on the face memory test versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adults with face-recognition impairment, inhaled oxytocin improved scores on a face memory test compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseFace memory test in developmental prosopagnosia
    Study

    n = 10

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal inhalationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Participants then completed two face processing tests: one assessing memory for a set of newly encoded faces, and one measuring the ability to match simultaneously presented faces according to identity.
    3 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Statistical comparisons revealed an improvement for DP but not control participants on both tests in the oxytocin condition
    Summary · context
    Ten adults with DP and 10 matched controls were tested using a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind within-subject experimental design (AB-BA).
    Summary · context
    In each session, participants inhaled 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo spray, followed by a 45 min resting period to allow central oxytocin levels to plateau.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with developmental prosopagnosia, oxytocin improved performance on the face matching test versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adults with face-recognition impairment, inhaled oxytocin improved scores on a face matching test compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseFace matching test in developmental prosopagnosia
    Study

    n = 10

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal inhalationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Participants then completed two face processing tests: one assessing memory for a set of newly encoded faces, and one measuring the ability to match simultaneously presented faces according to identity.
    3 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Statistical comparisons revealed an improvement for DP but not control participants on both tests in the oxytocin condition
    Summary · context
    Ten adults with DP and 10 matched controls were tested using a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind within-subject experimental design (AB-BA).
    Summary · context
    In each session, participants inhaled 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo spray, followed by a 45 min resting period to allow central oxytocin levels to plateau.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In matched control participants, oxytocin did not improve performance on the face memory or face matching tests.

    In plain wordsIn people without face-recognition impairment, inhaled oxytocin did not improve the face tests compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeFace processing tests in matched controls
    Study

    n = 10

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal inhalationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Statistical comparisons revealed an improvement for DP but not control participants on both tests in the oxytocin condition
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Ten adults with DP and 10 matched controls were tested using a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind within-subject experimental design (AB-BA).
    Summary · context
    In each session, participants inhaled 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo spray, followed by a 45 min resting period to allow central oxytocin levels to plateau.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    Multidimensional Mood Questionnaire scores indicated that the face processing improvement with oxytocin cannot be attributed to changes in mood, attention or wakefulness.

    In plain wordsMood, attention and wakefulness changes did not explain the face-test improvement with oxytocin.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeMood, attention and wakefulness (MMQ)
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal inhalationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    analysis of scores on the MMQ indicated that the effect cannot be attributed to changes in mood, attention or wakefulness.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Ten adults with DP and 10 matched controls were tested using a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind within-subject experimental design (AB-BA).
    Summary · context
    In each session, participants inhaled 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo spray, followed by a 45 min resting period to allow central oxytocin levels to plateau.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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