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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 30 · 2016

4 results

Pain modulation by intranasal oxytocin and emotional picture viewing - a randomized double-blind fMRI study.

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

Scientific reports22 Aug 2016Cited by 30 (Europe PMC)

PMID27546446 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC4992880 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/srep31606 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-27546446
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Summary

The hormone oxytocin has been hypothesized to influence the emotional dimension of pain. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers. After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied. Simultaneously, scenes from the International Affective Pictures System (IAPS) with positive, neutral, and negative emotional valence were shown. Heat intensity and unpleasantness ratings were obtained. The activity of whole-brain correlates of heat processing was quantified via multi-voxel pattern analysis. We observed no appreciable main effects of oxytocin on ratings or neural pain correlates. Effects of emotional picture valence on ratings were smaller than reported in previous studies. Nevertheless, oxytocin was found to significantly enhance the influence of picture valence on unpleasantness ratings at noxious heat levels. No corresponding changes in whole-brain correlates of heat intensity processing were found. Our study provides evidence that intranasal oxytocin increases the effects of emotional context on the subjective unpleasantness of experimental heat pain. Future studies are needed to determine whether this effect can be utilized in clinical settings.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy male volunteers, intranasal oxytocin had no appreciable main effect on heat pain ratings versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, nasal oxytocin had no clear overall effect on ratings of heat pain compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeHeat pain ratings, main effect of oxytocin
    Study

    n = 30

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    We observed no appreciable main effects of oxytocin on ratings
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers.
    Summary · context
    After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy male volunteers, intranasal oxytocin had no appreciable main effect on neural correlates of pain versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, nasal oxytocin had no clear overall effect on brain signals linked to pain compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeNeural pain correlates, main effect of oxytocin
    Study

    n = 30

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    We observed no appreciable main effects of oxytocin on ratings or neural pain correlates.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers.
    Summary · context
    After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy male volunteers, intranasal oxytocin significantly enhanced the influence of emotional picture valence on unpleasantness ratings at noxious heat levels versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, nasal oxytocin made emotional pictures change how unpleasant painful heat felt more than placebo did.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseInfluence of picture valence on unpleasantness ratings at noxious heat
    Study

    n = 30

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Nevertheless, oxytocin was found to significantly enhance the influence of picture valence on unpleasantness ratings at noxious heat levels.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers.
    Summary · context
    After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy male volunteers, intranasal oxytocin caused no corresponding changes in whole-brain correlates of heat intensity processing.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, nasal oxytocin caused no matching changes in brain signals for heat intensity compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeWhole-brain correlates of heat intensity processing
    Study

    n = 30

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    No corresponding changes in whole-brain correlates of heat intensity processing were found.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers.
    Summary · context
    After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied.

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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