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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 93 · 2020

4 results

Victory is its own reward: oxytocin increases costly competitive behavior in schizophrenia.

Bradley ER, Brustkern J, De Coster L, van den Bos W, McClure SM, Seitz A, Woolley JD

Psychological medicine4 Apr 2019Cited by 13 (Europe PMC)

PMID30944045 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1017/s0033291719000552 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-30944045
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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 study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In men with schizophrenia and healthy controls, oxytocin was associated with sustained overbidding across trials versus placebo, particularly in patients.

    In plain wordsIn men with schizophrenia and healthy men, oxytocin was linked to more overbidding in a competitive game than placebo, mostly in patients.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseOverbidding across trials in the Auction Game
    Study

    n = 93

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oxytocin administration was associated with sustained overbidding across trials, particularly in patients.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We used a competitive economic game and computational modeling to examine behavioral dynamics and oxytocin effects on sensitivity to social reward among 39 men with schizophrenia and 54 matched healthy controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomized, double-blind study, participants received one dose of oxytocin (40 IU) or placebo and completed a 35-trial Auction Game that quantifies preferences for monetary v. social reward.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    Oxytocin increased the preference for winning the auction regardless of monetary consequences, which drove the overbidding.

    In plain wordsOxytocin raised the wish to win the game even when winning cost money, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreasePreference for winning the auction
    Study

    n = 93

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    This drug effect was driven by a stronger preference for winning the auction, regardless of monetary consequences.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We used a competitive economic game and computational modeling to examine behavioral dynamics and oxytocin effects on sensitivity to social reward among 39 men with schizophrenia and 54 matched healthy controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomized, double-blind study, participants received one dose of oxytocin (40 IU) or placebo and completed a 35-trial Auction Game that quantifies preferences for monetary v. social reward.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    Learning rate did not differ between oxytocin and placebo conditions.

    In plain wordsOxytocin did not change how fast people learned in the game, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeLearning rate
    Study

    n = 93

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Learning rate and response variability did not differ between groups or drug condition, suggesting that differences in bidding derive primarily from differences in the subjective value of social rewards.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We used a competitive economic game and computational modeling to examine behavioral dynamics and oxytocin effects on sensitivity to social reward among 39 men with schizophrenia and 54 matched healthy controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomized, double-blind study, participants received one dose of oxytocin (40 IU) or placebo and completed a 35-trial Auction Game that quantifies preferences for monetary v. social reward.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    Response variability did not differ between oxytocin and placebo conditions.

    In plain wordsOxytocin did not change how variable people's answers were, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeResponse variability
    Study

    n = 93

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Learning rate and response variability did not differ between groups or drug condition, suggesting that differences in bidding derive primarily from differences in the subjective value of social rewards.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We used a competitive economic game and computational modeling to examine behavioral dynamics and oxytocin effects on sensitivity to social reward among 39 men with schizophrenia and 54 matched healthy controls.
    Summary · context
    In a randomized, double-blind study, participants received one dose of oxytocin (40 IU) or placebo and completed a 35-trial Auction Game that quantifies preferences for monetary v. social reward.

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, 00:50 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:48 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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