Oxytocin increases the pleasantness of affective touch and orbitofrontal cortex activity independent of valence.

Chen Y, Becker B, Zhang Y, Cui H, Du J, Wernicke J, Montag C, Kendrick KM, Yao S

European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology26 Aug 2020Cited by 31 (Europe PMC)

PMID32861545DOI10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.08.003PepBankPUB-32861545

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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 study5

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

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In men, intranasal oxytocin increased the perceived pleasantness of touch independent of touch valence compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn men, nasal oxytocin made touch feel more pleasant than placebo, whatever the type of touch.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePerceived pleasantness of touch
Study
n = 40
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Results showed that oxytocin significantly increased both the perceived pleasantness of touch and activation of the orbitofrontal cortex independent of touch valence.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a functional MRI experiment using a randomized placebo-controlled, within-subject design in 40 male subjects we investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24IU) on behavioral and neural responses to positive, neutral and negative valence touch administered to the arm via different types of…
Report a problemFND-3286154501
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In men, intranasal oxytocin increased orbitofrontal cortex activation in response to touch independent of touch valence compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn men, nasal oxytocin increased brain activity in the orbitofrontal cortex during touch compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseOrbitofrontal cortex activation during touch
Study
n = 40
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Results showed that oxytocin significantly increased both the perceived pleasantness of touch and activation of the orbitofrontal cortex independent of touch valence.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a functional MRI experiment using a randomized placebo-controlled, within-subject design in 40 male subjects we investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24IU) on behavioral and neural responses to positive, neutral and negative valence touch administered to the arm via different types of…
Report a problemFND-3286154502
03HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism
In men, the effect of intranasal oxytocin on touch-evoked orbitofrontal activation was positively associated with basal oxytocin concentrations in blood.
In plain wordsIn men, the brain response to nasal oxytocin during touch was linked to how much oxytocin people had in their blood at baseline.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Not applicableAssociation of oxytocin effect on orbitofrontal activation with basal blood oxytocin
Study
n = 40
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
The effects of OT on touch-evoked orbitofrontal activation were also positively associated with basal oxytocin concentrations in blood.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a functional MRI experiment using a randomized placebo-controlled, within-subject design in 40 male subjects we investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24IU) on behavioral and neural responses to positive, neutral and negative valence touch administered to the arm via different types of…
Report a problemFND-3286154503
04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In men, intranasal oxytocin enhanced anterior insula activity only in response to negative valence touch.
In plain wordsIn men, nasal oxytocin increased brain activity in the anterior insula only during unpleasant touch.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseAnterior insula activity during negative valence touch
Study
n = 40
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Additionally, anterior insula activity and the functional connectivity between the amygdala and right anterior insula were enhanced only in response to negative valence touch.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a functional MRI experiment using a randomized placebo-controlled, within-subject design in 40 male subjects we investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24IU) on behavioral and neural responses to positive, neutral and negative valence touch administered to the arm via different types of…
Report a problemFND-3286154504
05HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In men, intranasal oxytocin enhanced functional connectivity between the amygdala and right anterior insula only in response to negative valence touch.
In plain wordsIn men, nasal oxytocin increased the link between two brain areas, the amygdala and right anterior insula, only during unpleasant touch.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseAmygdala to right anterior insula functional connectivity during negative valence touch
Study
n = 40
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Additionally, anterior insula activity and the functional connectivity between the amygdala and right anterior insula were enhanced only in response to negative valence touch.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a functional MRI experiment using a randomized placebo-controlled, within-subject design in 40 male subjects we investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24IU) on behavioral and neural responses to positive, neutral and negative valence touch administered to the arm via different types of…
Report a problemFND-3286154505

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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, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:48 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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