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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 29 · 2017

3 results

A functional MRI study on how oxytocin affects decision making in social dilemmas: Cooperate as long as it pays off, aggress only when you think you can win.

Lambert B, Declerck CH, Boone C, Parizel PM

Hormones and behavior29 Jul 2017Cited by 19 (Europe PMC)

PMID28676252 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.06.011 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-28676252
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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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 study3

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

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults playing economic games in the scanner, oxytocin increased nucleus accumbens activation during an assurance game compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adults playing a cooperation game, oxytocin increased activity in a brain reward area more than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseNucleus accumbens activation in assurance game
    Study

    n = 29

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    compared to placebo, OT significantly increases the activation of the nucleus accumbens during an assurance (coordination) game that rewards mutual cooperation.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Participants (N=29) played two economic games with different incentive structures in the fMRI scanner after receiving OT or placebo (following a double blind, within-subject design).
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults playing economic games in the scanner, oxytocin significantly attenuated amygdala activation, reducing the orienting response to social cues.

    In plain wordsIn adults playing games in a scanner, oxytocin reduced amygdala activity and the response to social cues.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseAmygdala activation and orienting to social cues
    Study

    n = 29

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    OT also significantly attenuates the amygdala, thereby reducing the orienting response to social cues.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Participants (N=29) played two economic games with different incentive structures in the fMRI scanner after receiving OT or placebo (following a double blind, within-subject design).
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults playing the chicken game, oxytocin steered decisions by the facial cue: aggress when the face was neutral and retreat when it was angry.

    In plain wordsIn adults playing a conflict game, oxytocin shifted choices to match the other player's face: aggress after a neutral face, retreat after an angry one.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    MixedDecisions in the chicken game by facial cue
    Study

    n = 29

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Because of this ambiguity, decision making can be improved by additional information, and OT steers decisions in the chicken game in accordance with the valence of the facial cue: aggress when face is neutral; retreat when it is angry.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Participants (N=29) played two economic games with different incentive structures in the fMRI scanner after receiving OT or placebo (following a double blind, within-subject design).

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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