Effects of intranasal oxytocin on thermal pain in healthy men: a randomized functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Zunhammer M, Geis S, Busch V, Greenlee MW, Eichhammer P

Psychosomatic medicine1 Feb 2015Cited by 33 (Europe PMC)

PMID25647754DOI10.1097/psy.0000000000000142PepBankPUB-25647754

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

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.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In healthy men, intranasal oxytocin had no significant effect on thermal pain thresholds versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin through the nose did not change the heat levels at which pain began, compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeThermal thresholds
Study
n = 30
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Pain · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Intranasal oxytocin had no significant effect on thermal thresholds
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception and processing of noxious experimental heat in 36 healthy male volunteers.
Report a problemFND-2564775401
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In healthy men, intranasal oxytocin significantly reduced heat intensity ratings during functional magnetic resonance imaging versus placebo, by a small amount.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin through the nose slightly lowered how intense heat felt during brain scanning, compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseHeat intensity ratings during fMRI
Study
n = 30
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Pain · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Difference in heat intensity rating
−3.46 points on a 100-point visual analog scale
oxytocin vs placebo
Source sentences
Summary
Intranasal oxytocin had no significant effect on thermal thresholds, but significantly (t = -2.06, p = .046) reduced heat intensity ratings during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The effect on intensity ratings was small (-3.46 points on a 100-point visual analog scale [95% confidence interva…
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception and processing of noxious experimental heat in 36 healthy male volunteers.
Report a problemFND-2564775402
03HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism
In healthy men, intranasal oxytocin had no effect on stimulus- or temperature-related processing at the whole-brain level at a robust threshold.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin through the nose did not change whole-brain responses to heat at a strict statistical threshold.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeWhole-brain response to heat stimuli
Study
n = 30
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
No effects of oxytocin on stimulus- or temperature-related processing were found at the whole-brain level at a robust statistical threshold.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception and processing of noxious experimental heat in 36 healthy male volunteers.
Report a problemFND-2564775403
04HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism
In healthy men, intranasal oxytocin caused a small but significant decrease in left amygdala activity across all temperatures versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin through the nose slightly lowered activity in the left amygdala during heat, compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseLeft amygdala activity
Study
n = 30
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Left amygdala activity change
−0.045%
oxytocin vs placebo
Source sentences
Summary
A region of interest analysis indicated that oxytocin caused small but significant decreases in left (-0.045%, 95% CI = -0.087 to -0.003, t = -2.19, p = .037) and right (-0.051%, 95% CI = -0.088 to -0.014], t = -2.82, p = .008) amygdala activity across all temperatures.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception and processing of noxious experimental heat in 36 healthy male volunteers.
Report a problemFND-2564775404
05HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism
In healthy men, intranasal oxytocin caused a small but significant decrease in right amygdala activity across all temperatures versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin through the nose slightly lowered activity in the right amygdala during heat, compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseRight amygdala activity
Study
n = 30
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Right amygdala activity change
−0.051%
oxytocin vs placebo
Source sentences
Summary
A region of interest analysis indicated that oxytocin caused small but significant decreases in left (-0.045%, 95% CI = -0.087 to -0.003, t = -2.19, p = .037) and right (-0.051%, 95% CI = -0.088 to -0.014], t = -2.82, p = .008) amygdala activity across all temperatures.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception and processing of noxious experimental heat in 36 healthy male volunteers.
Report a problemFND-2564775405

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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.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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