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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 102 · 2019

3 results

Effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on empathy and approach motivation in women with borderline personality disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Domes G, Ower N, von Dawans B, Spengler FB, Dziobek I, Bohus M, Matthies S, Philipsen A, Heinrichs M

Translational psychiatry4 Dec 2019Cited by 37 (Europe PMC)

PMID31801937 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC6892895 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/s41398-019-0658-4 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-31801937
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Summary

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by severe interpersonal dysfunction with problems in social cognition, empathy and social approach. Although the neuropeptide oxytocin is known to regulate complex social cognition and behavior in healthy individuals and clinical populations, there is still a lack of evidence for a potential beneficial effect of oxytocin administration on social cognition and social approach in BPD. Fifty-one women with BPD and 51 matched healthy controls were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject experimental trial. We administered a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or placebo intranasally prior to a standardized task measuring affective and cognitive empathy and approach motivation. All participants were free of hormonal contraception and tested in the mid-luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. In the placebo condition, patients with BPD showed reduced cognitive and affective empathy, and less approach behavior motivation than healthy controls. Intranasal oxytocin significantly increased affective empathy and approach motivation in both BPD patients and healthy controls compared to placebo. More importantly, oxytocin administration led to similar scores between BPD and healthy controls. These findings provide the first evidence for a beneficial effect of oxytocin on deficits in affective empathy and approach motivation of BPD. Our results indicate a beneficial effect of a single dose of oxytocin on affective empathy and approach motivation in women with BPD adapting their level of social functioning to healthy controls. Future clinical trials will need to investigate the long-term effects and effectiveness of oxytocin as an add-on treatment for social impairments in BPD.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

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

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In women with borderline personality disorder and in healthy controls, a single 24 IU intranasal oxytocin dose increased affective empathy versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn women with borderline personality disorder and in healthy women, one dose of oxytocin raised affective empathy compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseAffective empathy
    Study

    n = 102

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Intranasal oxytocin significantly increased affective empathy and approach motivation in both BPD patients and healthy controls compared to placebo.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-one women with BPD and 51 matched healthy controls were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject experimental trial.
    Summary · context
    We administered a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or placebo intranasally prior to a standardized task measuring affective and cognitive empathy and approach motivation.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In women with borderline personality disorder and in healthy controls, a single 24 IU intranasal oxytocin dose increased approach motivation versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn women with borderline personality disorder and in healthy women, one dose of oxytocin raised social approach motivation compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseApproach motivation
    Study

    n = 102

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Intranasal oxytocin significantly increased affective empathy and approach motivation in both BPD patients and healthy controls compared to placebo.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-one women with BPD and 51 matched healthy controls were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject experimental trial.
    Summary · context
    We administered a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or placebo intranasally prior to a standardized task measuring affective and cognitive empathy and approach motivation.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    After oxytocin, scores of women with borderline personality disorder were similar to those of healthy controls.

    In plain wordsAfter oxytocin, women with borderline personality disorder scored similarly to healthy women on empathy and approach tasks.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeEmpathy and approach scores of BPD patients relative to healthy controls after oxytocin
    Study

    n = 102

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    More importantly, oxytocin administration led to similar scores between BPD and healthy controls.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-one women with BPD and 51 matched healthy controls were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject experimental trial.
    Summary · context
    We administered a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or placebo intranasally prior to a standardized task measuring affective and cognitive empathy and approach motivation.

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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