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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 145 · 2019

3 results

The role of oxytocin in the facial mimicry of affiliative vs. non-affiliative emotions.

Pavarini G, Sun R, Mahmoud M, Cross I, Schnall S, Fischer A, Deakin J, Ziauddeen H, Kogan A, Vuillier L

Psychoneuroendocrinology13 Jul 2019Cited by 12 (Europe PMC)

PMID31493677 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104377 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-31493677
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 adult Caucasian men, oxytocin increased mimicry of facial features of sadness (lips and chin) compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adult men, oxytocin nasal spray increased copying of sad facial expressions at the lips and chin, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseMimicry of sadness (lips and chin)
    Study

    n = 145

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · nasal sprayAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oxytocin increased mimicry of facial features of sadness (lips and chin, but not areas around the eyes), an affiliative reaction that facilitates social bonding.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a double-blind, randomized trial, adult Caucasian males (n = 145) received a nasal spray of either oxytocin or placebo before completing a facial mimicry task.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adult Caucasian men, oxytocin did not increase mimicry of sadness in areas around the eyes.

    In plain wordsIn adult men, oxytocin nasal spray did not increase copying of sad expressions around the eyes.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeMimicry of sadness (areas around the eyes)
    Study

    n = 145

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · nasal sprayAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oxytocin increased mimicry of facial features of sadness (lips and chin, but not areas around the eyes), an affiliative reaction that facilitates social bonding.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a double-blind, randomized trial, adult Caucasian males (n = 145) received a nasal spray of either oxytocin or placebo before completing a facial mimicry task.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adult Caucasian men, oxytocin increased mimicry of happiness, but only in individuals who expressed low levels of happiness in response to neutral faces.

    In plain wordsIn adult men, oxytocin nasal spray increased copying of happy expressions, but only in men who showed little happiness at neutral faces.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseMimicry of happiness
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · nasal sprayAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oxytocin also increased mimicry of happiness, but only for individuals who expressed low levels of happiness in response to neutral faces.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    In a double-blind, randomized trial, adult Caucasian males (n = 145) received a nasal spray of either oxytocin or placebo before completing a facial mimicry 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, 02:48 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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