Effects of oxytocin administration and conditioned oxytocin on brain activity: An fMRI study.

Skvortsova A, Veldhuijzen DS, de Rover M, Pacheco-Lopez G, Bakermans-Kranenburg M, van IJzendoorn M, Chavannes NH, van Middendorp H, Evers AWM

PloS one19 Mar 2020Cited by 12 (Europe PMC)

PMID32191722PMCIDPMC7082015DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0229692PepBankPUB-32191722

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Summary

It has been demonstrated that secretion of several hormones can be classically conditioned, however, the underlying brain responses of such conditioning have never been investigated before. In this study we aimed to investigate how oxytocin administration and classically conditioned oxytocin influence brain responses. In total, 88 females were allocated to one of three groups: oxytocin administration, conditioned oxytocin, or placebo, and underwent an experiment consisting of three acquisition and three evocation days. Participants in the conditioned group received 24 IU of oxytocin together with a conditioned stimulus (CS) during three acquisition days and placebo with the CS on three evocation days. The oxytocin administration group received 24 IU of oxytocin and the placebo group received placebo during all days. On the last evocation day, fMRI scanning was performed for all participants during three tasks previously shown to be affected by oxytocin: presentation of emotional faces, crying baby sounds and heat pain. Region of interest analysis revealed that there was significantly lower activation in the right amygdala and in two clusters in the left superior temporal gyrus in the oxytocin administration group compared to the placebo group in response to observing fearful faces. The activation in the conditioned oxytocin group was in between the other two groups for these clusters but did not significantly differ from either group. No group differences were found in the other tasks. Preliminary evidence was found for brain activation of a conditioned oxytocin response; however, despite this trend in the expected direction, the conditioned group did not significantly differ from other groups. Future research should, therefore, investigate the optimal timing of conditioned endocrine responses and study whether the findings generalize to other hormones as well.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study5

5 results from studies that gave the peptide. 5 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In females, activation after conditioned oxytocin lay between the other two groups and did not differ significantly from either group.
In plain wordsIn women, brain activity after conditioned oxytocin fell between the other two groups and did not differ significantly from either.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBrain activation to fearful faces, conditioned oxytocin group
Study
n = 88
Comparator
Placebo and oxytocin administration groups
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IUAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
The activation in the conditioned oxytocin group was in between the other two groups for these clusters but did not significantly differ from either group.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In total, 88 females were allocated to one of three groups: oxytocin administration, conditioned oxytocin, or placebo, and underwent an experiment consisting of three acquisition and three evocation days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3219172203
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In females, oxytocin administration and conditioned oxytocin did not change brain activation during crying baby sounds versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn women, oxytocin did not change brain activity during crying baby sounds compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBrain activation during crying baby sounds
Study
n = 88
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IUAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
No group differences were found in the other tasks.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In total, 88 females were allocated to one of three groups: oxytocin administration, conditioned oxytocin, or placebo, and underwent an experiment consisting of three acquisition and three evocation days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3219172204
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In females, oxytocin administration and conditioned oxytocin did not change brain activation during heat pain versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn women, oxytocin did not change brain activity during heat pain compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBrain activation during heat pain
Study
n = 88
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Pain · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IUAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
No group differences were found in the other tasks.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In total, 88 females were allocated to one of three groups: oxytocin administration, conditioned oxytocin, or placebo, and underwent an experiment consisting of three acquisition and three evocation days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3219172205
04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In females, oxytocin administration lowered right amygdala activation versus placebo when they observed fearful faces.
In plain wordsIn women, oxytocin lowered activity in a brain region called the amygdala when viewing fearful faces, compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseRight amygdala activation to fearful faces
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IUAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Region of interest analysis revealed that there was significantly lower activation in the right amygdala and in two clusters in the left superior temporal gyrus in the oxytocin administration group compared to the placebo group in response to observing fearful faces.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In total, 88 females were allocated to one of three groups: oxytocin administration, conditioned oxytocin, or placebo, and underwent an experiment consisting of three acquisition and three evocation days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3219172201
05HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In females, oxytocin administration lowered activation in two left superior temporal gyrus clusters versus placebo when they observed fearful faces.
In plain wordsIn women, oxytocin lowered activity in parts of the left temporal brain region when viewing fearful faces, compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseLeft superior temporal gyrus activation to fearful faces
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IUAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Region of interest analysis revealed that there was significantly lower activation in the right amygdala and in two clusters in the left superior temporal gyrus in the oxytocin administration group compared to the placebo group in response to observing fearful faces.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In total, 88 females were allocated to one of three groups: oxytocin administration, conditioned oxytocin, or placebo, and underwent an experiment consisting of three acquisition and three evocation days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3219172202

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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.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 00:50 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:48 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

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