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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 30 · 2017

4 results

Effects of Intranasal Oxytocin on the Interpretation and Expression of Emotions in Anorexia Nervosa.

Leppanen J, Cardi V, Ng KW, Paloyelis Y, Stein D, Tchanturia K, Treasure J

Journal of neuroendocrinology1 Mar 2017Cited by 29 (Europe PMC)

PMID28140486 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC5363234 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1111/jne.12458 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-28140486
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Summary

Altered social-emotional functioning is considered to play an important role in the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa (AN). Recently, there has been increasing interest in investigating the role of intranasal oxytocin in social-emotional processing. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin on the interpretation and expression of emotions among people with AN. Thirty women with AN and 29 age-matched healthy women took part in the present study, which used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. The participants received a single dose of 40 IU of intranasal oxytocin in one session and a placebo spray in the other. Fifteen minutes after administration, the participants completed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test to assess the interpretation of complex emotions and mental states followed by a video task, which assessed expressions of facial affect when they were viewing humorous and sad film clips. The intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression or interpretation of emotions in the AN or healthy comparison groups. The AN group expressed significantly less positive emotion, spent more time looking away and reported experiencing a significantly more negative affect in response to the film clips. The finding that intranasal oxytocin had little to no effect on the interpretation or expression of emotions in either group supports the notion that the effects of oxytocin on social-emotional processing are not straightforward and may depend on individual and environmental differences, as well as the emotion being processed. Replication of these findings is necessary to explore the effect of timing on the effects of oxytocin before firm conclusions can be drawn. Nonetheless, these findings add to the steady accumulation of evidence that people with AN have reduced emotional expression and avoidance of emotionally provoking stimuli.
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 women with anorexia nervosa, a single dose of intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression of emotions.

    In plain wordsIn women with anorexia nervosa, one dose of nasal oxytocin did not change emotional expression compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeExpression of emotions in anorexia nervosa
    Study

    n = 30

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    40 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression or interpretation of emotions in the AN or healthy comparison groups.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The participants received a single dose of 40 IU of intranasal oxytocin in one session and a placebo spray in the other.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In women with anorexia nervosa, a single dose of intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the interpretation of emotions.

    In plain wordsIn women with anorexia nervosa, one dose of nasal oxytocin did not change reading of emotions compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeInterpretation of emotions in anorexia nervosa
    Study

    n = 30

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    40 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression or interpretation of emotions in the AN or healthy comparison groups.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The participants received a single dose of 40 IU of intranasal oxytocin in one session and a placebo spray in the other.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy women, a single dose of intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression of emotions.

    In plain wordsIn healthy women, one dose of nasal oxytocin did not change emotional expression compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeExpression of emotions in healthy women
    Study

    n = 29

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    40 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression or interpretation of emotions in the AN or healthy comparison groups.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The participants received a single dose of 40 IU of intranasal oxytocin in one session and a placebo spray in the other.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy women, a single dose of intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the interpretation of emotions.

    In plain wordsIn healthy women, one dose of nasal oxytocin did not change reading of emotions compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeInterpretation of emotions in healthy women
    Study

    n = 29

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    40 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The intranasal oxytocin did not significantly influence the expression or interpretation of emotions in the AN or healthy comparison groups.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The participants received a single dose of 40 IU of intranasal oxytocin in one session and a placebo spray in the other.

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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