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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 18 · 2014

5 results

Oxytocin enhances attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces independent of the dopamine reward system.

Striepens N, Matusch A, Kendrick KM, Mihov Y, Elmenhorst D, Becker B, Lang M, Coenen HH, Maier W, Hurlemann R, Bauer A

Psychoneuroendocrinology5 Oct 2013Cited by 57 (Europe PMC)

PMID24275006 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.09.026 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-24275006
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: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study5

5 results from studies that gave the peptide. 5 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In 18 adult men, intranasal oxytocin increased the rated attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn 18 men, oxytocin made unfamiliar female faces look more attractive than placebo did.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreasePerceived attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces
    Study

    n = 18

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    subjects rated unfamiliar female faces as more attractive following OXT treatment
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled within-subjects trial on 18 adult male volunteers we combined [11C]raclopride PET and a facial attractiveness rating task to establish whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) increased both the perceived attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces and striatal DA…
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In 18 adult men, intranasal oxytocin was followed by an increased perfusion rate in the striatum, which correlated with higher attractiveness ratings.

    In plain wordsIn 18 men, oxytocin raised blood flow in a brain reward region, and this was linked to higher attractiveness ratings.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseStriatal perfusion rate
    Study

    n = 18

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    this correlated with an increased perfusion rate in the striatum
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled within-subjects trial on 18 adult male volunteers we combined [11C]raclopride PET and a facial attractiveness rating task to establish whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) increased both the perceived attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces and striatal DA…
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In 18 adult men, intranasal oxytocin did not change [11C]raclopride binding in the striatum or pallidum compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn 18 men, oxytocin did not change dopamine-related brain scan binding in reward regions compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeStriatal and pallidal [11C]raclopride binding (dopamine release)
    Study

    n = 18

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    there was no evidence for altered [11C]raclopride binding in the striatum or pallidum
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled within-subjects trial on 18 adult male volunteers we combined [11C]raclopride PET and a facial attractiveness rating task to establish whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) increased both the perceived attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces and striatal DA…
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In 18 adult men, oxytocin increased [11C]raclopride binding in subregions of the right dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus and superior parietal gyrus compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn 18 men, oxytocin raised brain scan binding in some prefrontal and parietal areas compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Increase[11C]raclopride binding in right dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus and superior parietal gyrus
    Study

    n = 18

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Instead under OXT we rather observed an increased [11C]raclopride binding and reduced perfusion rate in subregions of the right dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus and superior parietal gyrus.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled within-subjects trial on 18 adult male volunteers we combined [11C]raclopride PET and a facial attractiveness rating task to establish whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) increased both the perceived attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces and striatal DA…
  5. 05HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In 18 adult men, oxytocin reduced the perfusion rate in subregions of the right dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus and superior parietal gyrus compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn 18 men, oxytocin lowered blood flow in some prefrontal and parietal areas compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreasePerfusion rate in right dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus and superior parietal gyrus
    Study

    n = 18

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Instead under OXT we rather observed an increased [11C]raclopride binding and reduced perfusion rate in subregions of the right dorsomedial prefrontal gyrus and superior parietal gyrus.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled within-subjects trial on 18 adult male volunteers we combined [11C]raclopride PET and a facial attractiveness rating task to establish whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) increased both the perceived attractiveness of unfamiliar female faces and striatal DA…

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, 02:50 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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