Restoring effects of oxytocin on the attentional preference for faces in autism.

Kanat M, Spenthof I, Riedel A, van Elst LT, Heinrichs M, Domes G

Translational psychiatry18 Apr 2017Cited by 54 (Europe PMC)

PMID28418399PMCIDPMC5416705DOI10.1038/tp.2017.67PepBankPUB-28418399

Summary

Reduced attentional preference for faces and symptoms of social anxiety are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The neuropeptide oxytocin triggers anxiolytic functions and enhances eye gaze, facial emotion recognition and neural correlates of face processing in ASD. Here we investigated whether a single dose of oxytocin increases attention to faces in ASD. As a secondary question, we explored the influence of social anxiety on these effects. We tested for oxytocin's effects on attention to neutral faces as compared to houses in a sample of 29 autistic individuals and 30 control participants using a dot-probe paradigm with two different presentation times (100 or 500 ms). A single dose of 24 IU oxytocin was administered in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Under placebo, ASD individuals paid less attention to faces presented for 500 ms than did controls. Oxytocin administration increased the allocation of attention toward faces in ASD to a level observed in controls. Secondary analyses revealed that these oxytocin effects primarily occurred in ASD individuals with high levels of social anxiety who were characterized by attentional avoidance of faces under placebo. Our results confirm a positive influence of intranasal oxytocin on social attention processes in ASD. Further, they suggest that oxytocin may in particular restore the attentional preference for facial information in ASD individuals with high social anxiety. We conclude that oxytocin's anxiolytic properties may partially account for its positive effects on socio-cognitive functioning in ASD, such as enhanced eye gaze and facial emotion recognition.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study2

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. 2 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In autistic individuals, oxytocin effects on attention to faces occurred primarily in those with high social anxiety who avoided faces under placebo.
In plain wordsIn autistic people, oxytocin raised attention to faces mainly in those with high social anxiety.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseOxytocin effect on face attention by social anxiety
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Analysis
Secondary
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU single dose · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Secondary analyses revealed that these oxytocin effects primarily occurred in ASD individuals with high levels of social anxiety who were characterized by attentional avoidance of faces under placebo.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We tested for oxytocin's effects on attention to neutral faces as compared to houses in a sample of 29 autistic individuals and 30 control participants using a dot-probe paradigm with two different presentation times (100 or 500 ms).
Summary · context
A single dose of 24 IU oxytocin was administered in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over design.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2841839902
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In autistic individuals, a single dose of intranasal oxytocin increased the allocation of attention toward faces to a level observed in controls.
In plain wordsIn autistic people, one dose of oxytocin increased attention to faces, up to the level seen in controls.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseAttention allocation toward faces in autism
Study
n = 29
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU single dose · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Under placebo, ASD individuals paid less attention to faces presented for 500 ms than did controls.
3 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Oxytocin administration increased the allocation of attention toward faces in ASD to a level observed in controls.
Summary · context
We tested for oxytocin's effects on attention to neutral faces as compared to houses in a sample of 29 autistic individuals and 30 control participants using a dot-probe paradigm with two different presentation times (100 or 500 ms).
Summary · context
A single dose of 24 IU oxytocin was administered in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over design.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2841839901

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

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Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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