The effect of intranasal oxytocin on visual processing and salience of human faces.

Hovey D, Martens L, Laeng B, Leknes S, Westberg L

Translational psychiatry19 Sept 2020Cited by 16 (Europe PMC)

PMID32951002PMCIDPMC7502073DOI10.1038/s41398-020-00991-3PepBankPUB-32951002

Summary

The mechanisms underlying the role of oxytocin (OT) as a regulator of social behavior in mammals are only partly understood. Recently, it has been proposed that OT increases the salience of social stimuli. We carried out a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study of the effects of OT on binocular rivalry, a visual phenomenon underpinned by the interplay of excitation and inhibition in the cortex. A final sample of 45 participants viewed images of social stimuli (faces with different emotional expressions) and non-social stimuli (houses and Gabor patches). We demonstrate a robust effect that intranasal OT increases the salience of human faces in binocular rivalry, such that dominance durations of faces are longer-this effect is not modulated by the facial expression. We tentatively show that OT treatment increases dominance durations for non-social stimuli. Our results lend support to the social salience hypothesis of OT, and in addition offer provisional support for the role of OT in influencing excitation-inhibition balance in the brain.

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.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In participants in a cross-over study, intranasal oxytocin increased the salience of human faces, with longer dominance durations of faces in binocular rivalry.
In plain wordsIn a cross-over study, nasal oxytocin made faces win visual competition for longer.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseDominance duration of faces in binocular rivalry
Study
n = 45
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
We demonstrate a robust effect that intranasal OT increases the salience of human faces in binocular rivalry, such that dominance durations of faces are longer-this effect is not modulated by the facial expression.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We carried out a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study of the effects of OT on binocular rivalry, a visual phenomenon underpinned by the interplay of excitation and inhibition in the cortex.
Summary · context
A final sample of 45 participants viewed images of social stimuli (faces with different emotional expressions) and non-social stimuli (houses and Gabor patches).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3295100201
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In participants in a cross-over study, the oxytocin effect on face dominance durations in binocular rivalry was not modulated by facial expression.
In plain wordsIn a cross-over study, the effect of nasal oxytocin on how long faces won visual competition did not depend on the facial expression.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeModulation of face dominance effect by facial expression
Study
n = 45
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
this effect is not modulated by the facial expression.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We carried out a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study of the effects of OT on binocular rivalry, a visual phenomenon underpinned by the interplay of excitation and inhibition in the cortex.
Summary · context
A final sample of 45 participants viewed images of social stimuli (faces with different emotional expressions) and non-social stimuli (houses and Gabor patches).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3295100202
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In participants in a cross-over study, intranasal oxytocin tentatively increased dominance durations for non-social stimuli in binocular rivalry.
In plain wordsIn a cross-over study, nasal oxytocin tentatively made non-face images win visual competition for longer.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseDominance duration of non-social stimuli in binocular rivalry
Study
n = 45
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
We tentatively show that OT treatment increases dominance durations for non-social stimuli.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We carried out a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study of the effects of OT on binocular rivalry, a visual phenomenon underpinned by the interplay of excitation and inhibition in the cortex.
Summary · context
A final sample of 45 participants viewed images of social stimuli (faces with different emotional expressions) and non-social stimuli (houses and Gabor patches).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3295100203

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.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

Publication types

MeSH terms

PepBank is a research reference. Talk to a doctor before you use any peptide.