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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 320 · 2016

8 results

Distinct oxytocin effects on belief updating in response to desirable and undesirable feedback.

Ma Y, Li S, Wang C, Liu Y, Li W, Yan X, Chen Q, Han S

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America1 Aug 2016Cited by 33 (Europe PMC)

PMID27482087 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC4995949 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1073/pnas.1604285113 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-27482087
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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 study8

8 results from studies that gave the peptide. 8 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants, intranasal oxytocin augmented optimistic belief updating versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people, nasal oxytocin increased optimistic updating of beliefs compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseOptimistic belief updating
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    intranasally administered OT (IN-OT) augments optimistic belief updating
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants, intranasal oxytocin facilitated belief updates after desirable feedback versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people, nasal oxytocin made updating of beliefs after good news stronger than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseBelief updating after desirable feedback
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled between-subjects design, we show that intranasally administered OT (IN-OT) augments optimistic belief updating by facilitating updates of desirable feedback but impairing updates of undesirable feedback.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants, intranasal oxytocin impaired belief updates after undesirable feedback versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people, nasal oxytocin weakened updating of beliefs after bad news compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseBelief updating after undesirable feedback
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled between-subjects design, we show that intranasally administered OT (IN-OT) augments optimistic belief updating by facilitating updates of desirable feedback but impairing updates of undesirable feedback.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants, intranasal oxytocin selectively enhanced the learning rate for desirable feedback.

    In plain wordsIn people, nasal oxytocin increased how strongly they learned from good news, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseLearning rate for desirable feedback
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    IN-OT selectively enhances learning rate (the strength of association between estimation error and subsequent update) of desirable feedback.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  5. 05HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants, intranasal oxytocin increased confidence in estimates after desirable feedback.

    In plain wordsIn people, nasal oxytocin raised confidence in their estimates after good news, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseConfidence in estimates after desirable feedback
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    IN-OT also increases participants' confidence in their estimates after receiving desirable but not undesirable feedback
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  6. 06HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants, intranasal oxytocin did not increase confidence in estimates after undesirable feedback.

    In plain wordsIn people, nasal oxytocin did not raise confidence in their estimates after bad news.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeConfidence in estimates after undesirable feedback
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    IN-OT also increases participants' confidence in their estimates after receiving desirable but not undesirable feedback
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  7. 07HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    The oxytocin effect on confidence updating after desirable feedback mediated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on optimistic belief updating.

    In plain wordsThe way oxytocin changed confidence after good news helped explain its effect on optimistic updating of beliefs.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Not applicableMediation of optimistic updating by confidence updating
    Study

    n = 320

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    the OT effect on confidence updating upon desirable feedback mediates the effect of IN-OT on optimistic belief updating.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).
  8. 08HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    The oxytocin-induced impairment in belief updating after undesirable feedback was more salient in individuals with high depression or anxiety traits than with low traits.

    In plain wordsThe weaker updating after bad news with nasal oxytocin was stronger in people with high depression or anxiety traits.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseBelief updating after undesirable feedback by depression or anxiety trait
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The IN-OT-induced impairment in belief updating upon undesirable feedback is more salient in individuals with high, rather than with low, depression or anxiety traits.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine the role of oxytocin (OT)-an evolutionary ancient neuropeptide pivotal for social adaptation-in belief updating upon desirable and undesirable feedback in three studies (n = 320).

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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