Associations between oxytocin and empathy in humans: A systematic literature review.

Barchi-Ferreira AM, Osório FL

Psychoneuroendocrinology13 May 2021Cited by 43 (Europe PMC)

PMID34023733DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105268PepBankPUB-34023733

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

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

1 result from studies that gave the peptide. 1 result from people.

01HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome
In a systematic review of human studies, most studies of exogenous OXT tested a single 24 IU dose and found positive effects mainly on the affective domain of empathy.
In plain wordsA review of human studies found that most single-dose oxytocin trials showed positive effects mainly on the emotional side of empathy.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseExogenous OXT and empathy (affective domain)
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU (single dose)As given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Most studies on the exogenous administration of OXT tested a single dose (24 IU) with positive effects mainly on the affective domain of empathy.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT).
Summary · context
Forty-four studies were reviewed.
Report a problemFND-3402373304

Natural levels measured2

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

02HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewMechanism
In a systematic review of human studies, scarce findings pointed to a lack of association between baseline endogenous OXT levels and empathy traits.
In plain wordsA review of human studies found few signs that the body's own baseline oxytocin level is linked to empathy traits.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBaseline endogenous OXT and empathy traits
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
Scarce findings point to a lack of association between baseline endogenous OXT levels and empathy traits
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT).
Summary · context
Forty-four studies were reviewed.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-3402373301
03HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewMechanism
In a systematic review of human studies, findings showed a trend towards a direct relationship between oxytocinergic reactivity and empathic functioning.
In plain wordsA review of human studies found a trend linking the body's own oxytocin reactivity to empathic functioning.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseOxytocinergic reactivity and empathic functioning
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
for a trend towards a direct relationship between oxytocinergic reactivity and empathic functioning.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT).
Summary · context
Forty-four studies were reviewed.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-3402373302

Studies that did not test the peptide alone2

In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

04HumanNot a test of Oxytocin aloneSystematic reviewMechanism
In a systematic review of human studies, variations in empathy were related to polymorphisms in the OXT receptor gene, especially rs53576.
In plain wordsA review of human studies linked differences in empathy to variants of the oxytocin receptor gene, especially rs53576.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Not applicableOXT receptor gene polymorphisms and empathy variation
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
The results showed that variations in empathy were related to polymorphisms in the OXT receptor gene, especially in rs53576
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT).
Summary · context
Forty-four studies were reviewed.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402373303
05HumanNot a test of Oxytocin aloneSystematic reviewMechanism
In a systematic review of human studies, findings on OXT and empathy at the neural level were inconsistent.
In plain wordsA review of human studies found inconsistent results on oxytocin and empathy at the level of brain activity.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
MixedNeural-level findings on OXT and empathy
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
At the neural level, findings were inconsistent.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This is a systematic review about the association between empathic behavior and oxytocin (OXT).
Summary · context
Forty-four studies were reviewed.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402373305

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

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

Publication types

MeSH terms

Keywords

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