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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 78 · 2017

4 results

Does oxytocin lead to emotional interference during a working memory paradigm?

Tollenaar MS, Ruissen M, Elzinga BM, de Bruijn ERA

Psychopharmacology14 Sept 2017Cited by 4 (Europe PMC)

PMID28913643 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC5691090 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1007/s00213-017-4737-z (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-28913643
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Summary

BackgroundOxytocin administration may increase attention to emotional information. We hypothesized that this augmented emotional processing might in turn lead to interference on concurrent cognitive tasks. To test this hypothesis, we examined whether oxytocin administration would lead to heightened emotional interference during a working memory paradigm. Additionally, moderating effects of childhood maltreatment were explored.MethodsSeventy-eight healthy males received 24 IU of intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind between-subjects study. A working memory task was performed during which neutral, positive, and negative distractors were presented.ResultsThe main outcome observed was that oxytocin did not enhance interference by emotional information during the working memory task. There was a non-significant trend for oxytocin to slow down performance irrespective of distractor valence, while accuracy was unaffected. Exploratory analyses showed that childhood maltreatment was related to lower overall accuracy, but in the placebo condition only. However, the maltreated group sample size was very small precluding any conclusions on its moderating effect.ConclusionsDespite oxytocin's previously proposed role in enhanced emotional processing, no proof was found that this would lead to reduced performance on a concurrent cognitive task. The routes by which oxytocin exerts its effects on cognitive and social-emotional processes remain to be fully elucidated.
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 men, intranasal oxytocin did not enhance interference by emotional information during the working memory task, versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin did not make emotional distractions disturb a memory task more than placebo did.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeEmotional interference during a working memory task
    Study

    n = 78

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Analysis
    Primary
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The main outcome observed was that oxytocin did not enhance interference by emotional information during the working memory task.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-eight healthy males received 24 IU of intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind between-subjects study.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In exploratory analyses, childhood maltreatment was related to lower overall accuracy in the placebo condition only, not under oxytocin.

    In plain wordsIn an exploratory check, childhood maltreatment was linked to lower accuracy in the placebo group only, in a very small sample.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Not applicableChildhood maltreatment and overall accuracy by treatment
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Analysis
    Exploratory
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Exploratory analyses showed that childhood maltreatment was related to lower overall accuracy, but in the placebo condition only.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-eight healthy males received 24 IU of intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind between-subjects study.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy men, a non-significant trend for oxytocin to slow performance irrespective of distractor valence was found, versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin showed only a non-significant trend toward slower memory-task performance than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeWorking memory task speed
    Study

    n = 78

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was a non-significant trend for oxytocin to slow down performance irrespective of distractor valence
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-eight healthy males received 24 IU of intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind between-subjects study.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy men, accuracy on the working memory task was unaffected by oxytocin versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, oxytocin did not change accuracy on a memory task compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeWorking memory task accuracy
    Study

    n = 78

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    while accuracy was unaffected.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-eight healthy males received 24 IU of intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind between-subjects study.

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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