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Study · Systematic review · 2022

5 results

Heterogeneity in response to repeated intranasal oxytocin in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis of variance.

Martins D, Paduraru M, Paloyelis Y

British journal of pharmacology6 May 2021Cited by 38 (Europe PMC)

PMID33739447 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1111/bph.15451 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-33739447
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Summary

Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has been suggested as a putative adjunctive treatment for patients with schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Here, we examine available evidence from trials investigating the effects of repeated administrations of intranasal OT on the core symptoms of patients with schizophrenia and ASD, focusing on its therapeutic efficacy and heterogeneity of response (meta-ANOVA). Repeated administration of intranasal OT does not improve most of the core symptoms of schizophrenia and ASD, beyond a small tentative effect on schizophrenia general symptoms. However, we found significant moderator effects for dose in schizophrenia total psychopathology and positive symptoms, and percentage of included men and duration of treatment in schizophrenia general symptoms. We found evidence of heterogeneity (increased variance) in the response of schizophrenia negative symptoms to intranasal OT compared with placebo, suggesting that subgroups of responsive and non-responsive patients might coexist. For other core symptoms of schizophrenia, or any of the core symptom dimensions in ASD, the response to repeated treatment with intranasal OT did not show evidence of heterogeneity. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Building Bridges in Neuropharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.8/issuetoc.
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.

  1. 01HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with schizophrenia or ASD, repeated intranasal oxytocin did not improve most core symptoms.

    In plain wordsIn people with schizophrenia or autism, repeated nasal oxytocin did not improve most core symptoms.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeCore symptoms of schizophrenia and ASD (most)
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Repeated administration of intranasal OT does not improve most of the core symptoms of schizophrenia and ASD, beyond a small tentative effect on schizophrenia general symptoms.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine available evidence from trials investigating the effects of repeated administrations of intranasal OT on the core symptoms of patients with schizophrenia and ASD, focusing on its therapeutic efficacy and heterogeneity of response (meta-ANOVA).
  2. 02HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with schizophrenia, repeated intranasal oxytocin had a small tentative effect on general symptoms.

    In plain wordsIn people with schizophrenia, repeated nasal oxytocin had a small, tentative effect on general symptoms.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Direction not reportedSchizophrenia general symptoms
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    beyond a small tentative effect on schizophrenia general symptoms.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine available evidence from trials investigating the effects of repeated administrations of intranasal OT on the core symptoms of patients with schizophrenia and ASD, focusing on its therapeutic efficacy and heterogeneity of response (meta-ANOVA).
  3. 03HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    Dose moderated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on total psychopathology and positive symptoms in schizophrenia; proportion of men and treatment duration moderated the effect on general symptoms.

    In plain wordsIn schizophrenia, the effect of nasal oxytocin depended on dose, on the share of men and on treatment length, depending on the symptom.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Not applicableModerators of oxytocin effect in schizophrenia
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    However, we found significant moderator effects for dose in schizophrenia total psychopathology and positive symptoms, and percentage of included men and duration of treatment in schizophrenia general symptoms.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine available evidence from trials investigating the effects of repeated administrations of intranasal OT on the core symptoms of patients with schizophrenia and ASD, focusing on its therapeutic efficacy and heterogeneity of response (meta-ANOVA).
  4. 04HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In schizophrenia, variance in the response of negative symptoms was increased with intranasal oxytocin compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn schizophrenia, people's response of negative symptoms to nasal oxytocin varied more than with placebo, so some may respond and some may not.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseHeterogeneity of response in schizophrenia negative symptoms
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    We found evidence of heterogeneity (increased variance) in the response of schizophrenia negative symptoms to intranasal OT compared with placebo, suggesting that subgroups of responsive and non-responsive patients might coexist.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine available evidence from trials investigating the effects of repeated administrations of intranasal OT on the core symptoms of patients with schizophrenia and ASD, focusing on its therapeutic efficacy and heterogeneity of response (meta-ANOVA).
  5. 05HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    For other core symptoms of schizophrenia and for all core symptom dimensions in ASD, response to repeated intranasal oxytocin showed no evidence of heterogeneity.

    In plain wordsFor other core symptoms of schizophrenia and for autism symptoms, nasal oxytocin response did not vary more between people than expected.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeHeterogeneity of response in other schizophrenia and ASD symptoms
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    For other core symptoms of schizophrenia, or any of the core symptom dimensions in ASD, the response to repeated treatment with intranasal OT did not show evidence of heterogeneity.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, we examine available evidence from trials investigating the effects of repeated administrations of intranasal OT on the core symptoms of patients with schizophrenia and ASD, focusing on its therapeutic efficacy and heterogeneity of response (meta-ANOVA).

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

    9 Oct 2026, 18:17 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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