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Study · Not a test of the peptide alone · 2016

4 results

A take-home placebo treatment can reduce stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression in a non-patient population.

Darragh M, Yow B, Kieser A, Booth RJ, Kydd RR, Consedine NS

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry16 Dec 2015Cited by 16 (Europe PMC)

PMID26681262 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1177/0004867415621390 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-26681262
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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 study4

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone4

In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

  1. 01HumanNot a test of Oxytocin aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In a non-patient population, a take-home placebo spray labelled oxytocin reduced symptoms of depression compared with a wait-list control.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, a placebo spray labelled oxytocin reduced symptoms of depression compared with no treatment. It contained no oxytocin.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseSymptoms of depression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Wait-list control
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Both the 'serotonin' and 'oxytocin' treatment sprays were effective in reducing symptoms of depression; however, only those in the 'oxytocin' group reported less stress and anxiety as compared with controls.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    A sample of 77 participants was randomized to either the 'oxytocin' treatment group (n = 22), the 'serotonin' treatment group (n = 22) or the wait-list control group (n = 33).
    Summary · context
    The two treatment groups were given an 'anti-stress treatment spray' (placebo) to self-administer for 3 days, and completed online measures of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), anxiety (Cognitive Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire) and symptoms of depression (Centre for Epidemiological Studie…

    In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

  2. 02HumanNot a test of Oxytocin aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In a non-patient population, a take-home placebo spray labelled oxytocin reduced perceived stress compared with a wait-list control.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, a placebo spray labelled oxytocin reduced stress compared with no treatment. It contained no oxytocin.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreasePerceived stress
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Wait-list control
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Both the 'serotonin' and 'oxytocin' treatment sprays were effective in reducing symptoms of depression; however, only those in the 'oxytocin' group reported less stress and anxiety as compared with controls.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    A sample of 77 participants was randomized to either the 'oxytocin' treatment group (n = 22), the 'serotonin' treatment group (n = 22) or the wait-list control group (n = 33).
    Summary · context
    The two treatment groups were given an 'anti-stress treatment spray' (placebo) to self-administer for 3 days, and completed online measures of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), anxiety (Cognitive Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire) and symptoms of depression (Centre for Epidemiological Studie…

    In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

  3. 03HumanNot a test of Oxytocin aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In a non-patient population, a take-home placebo spray labelled oxytocin reduced anxiety compared with a wait-list control.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, a placebo spray labelled oxytocin reduced anxiety compared with no treatment. It contained no oxytocin.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseAnxiety
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Wait-list control
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Both the 'serotonin' and 'oxytocin' treatment sprays were effective in reducing symptoms of depression; however, only those in the 'oxytocin' group reported less stress and anxiety as compared with controls.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    A sample of 77 participants was randomized to either the 'oxytocin' treatment group (n = 22), the 'serotonin' treatment group (n = 22) or the wait-list control group (n = 33).
    Summary · context
    The two treatment groups were given an 'anti-stress treatment spray' (placebo) to self-administer for 3 days, and completed online measures of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), anxiety (Cognitive Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire) and symptoms of depression (Centre for Epidemiological Studie…

    In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

  4. 04HumanNot a test of Oxytocin aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In a non-patient population, the placebo spray labelled oxytocin was perceived as more effective than the placebo spray labelled serotonin.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, a placebo spray labelled oxytocin was seen as more effective than one labelled serotonin. Neither contained the active substance.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreasePerceived effectiveness of the treatment spray
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo spray labelled serotonin
    Outcome group
    Patient-reported outcomes · Mental health and mood

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Overall, the 'oxytocin' was perceived as more effective.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    A sample of 77 participants was randomized to either the 'oxytocin' treatment group (n = 22), the 'serotonin' treatment group (n = 22) or the wait-list control group (n = 33).
    Summary · context
    The two treatment groups were given an 'anti-stress treatment spray' (placebo) to self-administer for 3 days, and completed online measures of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), anxiety (Cognitive Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire) and symptoms of depression (Centre for Epidemiological Studie…

    In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

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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