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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 43 · 2016

3 results

The effect of oxytocin on attention to angry and happy faces in chronic depression.

Domes G, Normann C, Heinrichs M

BMC psychiatry6 Apr 2016Cited by 51 (Europe PMC)

PMID27048333 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC4822232 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1186/s12888-016-0794-9 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-27048333
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Summary

BackgroundChronic depression is characterized by a high degree of early life trauma, psychosocial impairment, and deficits in social cognition. Undisturbed recognition and processing of facial emotions are basic prerequisites for smooth social interactions. Intranasal application of the neuropeptide oxytocin has been reported to enhance emotion recognition in neuropsychiatric disorders and healthy individuals. We therefore investigated whether oxytocin modulates attention to emotional faces in patients with chronic depression.MethodsIn this double-blind, randomized, controlled study, 43 patients received a single dose of oxytocin or placebo nasal spray and were tested while fulfilling a facial dot probe task. We assessed reaction times to neutral probes presented at the location of one of two faces depicting happy, angry, or neutral expressions as a prime.ResultsWhen comparing reaction times to the congruent (prime and probe at the same location) with incongruent presentation of facial emotions, neither the placebo nor oxytocin group showed an attentional preference for emotional facial expressions in terms of a threat bias. However, oxytocin treatment did reveal two specific effects: it generally reduced the allocation of attention towards angry facial expressions, and it increased sustained attention towards happy faces, specifically under conditions of heightened awareness, i.e. trials with longer primes.ConclusionsWe investigated a heterogeneous group of medicated male and female patients. We conclude that oxytocin does modulate basic factors of facial emotion processing in chronic depression. Our findings encourage further investigations assessing the therapeutic potential of oxytocin in chronic depression.Trial registrationEUDRA-CT 2010-020956-69 . Date registered: 23 February 2011.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In patients with chronic depression, neither the oxytocin group nor the placebo group showed an attentional preference for emotional facial expressions in terms of a threat bias.

    In plain wordsIn people with chronic depression, neither the oxytocin group nor the placebo group showed a bias toward threatening faces.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeAttentional preference for emotional faces (threat bias)
    Study

    n = 43

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    When comparing reaction times to the congruent (prime and probe at the same location) with incongruent presentation of facial emotions, neither the placebo nor oxytocin group showed an attentional preference for emotional facial expressions in terms of a threat bias.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In this double-blind, randomized, controlled study, 43 patients received a single dose of oxytocin or placebo nasal spray and were tested while fulfilling a facial dot probe task.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In patients with chronic depression, oxytocin reduced the allocation of attention towards angry facial expressions compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people with chronic depression, oxytocin reduced attention to angry faces compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseAttention allocated to angry facial expressions
    Study

    n = 43

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    it generally reduced the allocation of attention towards angry facial expressions
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In this double-blind, randomized, controlled study, 43 patients received a single dose of oxytocin or placebo nasal spray and were tested while fulfilling a facial dot probe task.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In patients with chronic depression, oxytocin increased sustained attention towards happy faces under heightened awareness (longer primes) compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people with chronic depression, oxytocin increased lasting attention to happy faces in some trials, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseSustained attention towards happy faces
    Study

    n = 43

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    it increased sustained attention towards happy faces, specifically under conditions of heightened awareness, i.e. trials with longer primes.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In this double-blind, randomized, controlled study, 43 patients received a single dose of oxytocin or placebo nasal spray and were tested while fulfilling a facial dot probe task.

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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