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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 48 · 2018

3 results

Intranasal oxytocin reduces heart rate variability during a mental arithmetic task: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study.

Tracy LM, Gibson SJ, Labuschagne I, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Giummarra MJ

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry24 Aug 2017Cited by 19 (Europe PMC)

PMID28844717 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.08.016 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-28844717
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 with chronic neck and shoulder pain and in pain-free controls, intranasal oxytocin did not change resting heart rate variability.

    In plain wordsIn adults with and without chronic neck and shoulder pain, intranasal oxytocin did not change resting heart rate variability compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeResting heart rate variability
    Study

    n = 48

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Heart function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Intranasal oxytocin did not influence HRV at rest.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Participants included 24 individuals with chronic neck and shoulder pain lasting >12months and 24 age- and sex-matched pain-free controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, participants self-administered intranasal oxytocin (24IU) in one session, and placebo in another, before HRV was recorded at rest and during a mental arithmetic task.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with chronic neck and shoulder pain and in pain-free controls, intranasal oxytocin produced small decreases in low-frequency HRV during a mental arithmetic task compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adults with and without chronic neck and shoulder pain, intranasal oxytocin slightly lowered one heart rate variability measure during mental arithmetic compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseLow-frequency HRV during mental arithmetic
    Study

    n = 48

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Heart function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    However, compared to placebo, intranasal oxytocin elicited small decreases in low-frequency and high-frequency HRV in both groups during the mental arithmetic task.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Participants included 24 individuals with chronic neck and shoulder pain lasting >12months and 24 age- and sex-matched pain-free controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, participants self-administered intranasal oxytocin (24IU) in one session, and placebo in another, before HRV was recorded at rest and during a mental arithmetic task.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with chronic neck and shoulder pain and in pain-free controls, intranasal oxytocin produced small decreases in high-frequency HRV during a mental arithmetic task compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adults with and without chronic neck and shoulder pain, intranasal oxytocin slightly lowered another heart rate variability measure during mental arithmetic compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseHigh-frequency HRV during mental arithmetic
    Study

    n = 48

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Heart function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    However, compared to placebo, intranasal oxytocin elicited small decreases in low-frequency and high-frequency HRV in both groups during the mental arithmetic task.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Participants included 24 individuals with chronic neck and shoulder pain lasting >12months and 24 age- and sex-matched pain-free controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, participants self-administered intranasal oxytocin (24IU) in one session, and placebo in another, before HRV was recorded at rest and during a mental arithmetic task.

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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