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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 73 · 2021

2 results

Eye-Tracking Reveals a Role of Oxytocin in Attention Allocation Towards Familiar Faces.

Marsh N, Scheele D, Postin D, Onken M, Hurlemann R

Frontiers in endocrinology17 May 2021Cited by 9 (Europe PMC)

PMID34079520 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC8165288 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3389/fendo.2021.629760 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-34079520
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Summary

Visual attention directed towards the eye-region of a face emerges rapidly, even before conscious awareness, and regulates social interactions in terms of approach versus avoidance. Current perspectives on the neuroendocrine substrates of this behavioral regulation highlight a role of the peptide hormone oxytocin (OXT), but it remains unclear whether the facilitating effects of OXT vary as a function of facial familiarity. Here, a total of 73 healthy participants was enrolled in an eye-tracking experiment specifically designed to test whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) augments gaze duration toward the eye-region across four different face categories: the participants' own face, the face of their romantic partner, the face of a familiar person (close friend) or an unfamiliar person (a stranger). We found that OXT treatment induced a tendency to spend more time looking into the eyes of familiar persons (partner and close friend) as compared to placebo. This effect was not evident in the self and unfamiliar conditions. Independent of treatment, volunteers scoring high on autistic-like traits (AQ-high) spent less time looking at the eyes of all faces except their partner. Collectively, our results show that the OXT system is involved in facilitating an attentional bias towards the eye region of familiar faces, which convey safety and support, especially in anxious contexts. In contrast, autistic-like traits were associated with reduced attention to the eye region of a face regardless of familiarity and OXT-treatment.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study2

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. 2 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy participants, intranasal oxytocin induced a tendency to spend more time looking into the eyes of familiar persons (partner and close friend) than placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy people, oxytocin led to a tendency to look longer at the eyes of partners and close friends than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseGaze time to the eyes of familiar persons
    Study

    n = 73

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    We found that OXT treatment induced a tendency to spend more time looking into the eyes of familiar persons (partner and close friend) as compared to placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, a total of 73 healthy participants was enrolled in an eye-tracking experiment specifically designed to test whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) augments gaze duration toward the eye-region across four different face categories: the participants' own face, the face of their romantic partner, the face of a familiar person (close friend) or an unfamiliar person (a stranger).
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy participants, the oxytocin effect on gaze time to the eye region was not evident for the own face and unfamiliar persons.

    In plain wordsIn healthy people, oxytocin did not change how long they looked at the eyes in their own face or a stranger's face.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeGaze time to the eyes of own face and unfamiliar persons
    Study

    n = 73

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    This effect was not evident in the self and unfamiliar conditions.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Here, a total of 73 healthy participants was enrolled in an eye-tracking experiment specifically designed to test whether intranasal OXT (24 IU) augments gaze duration toward the eye-region across four different face categories: the participants' own face, the face of their romantic partner, the face of a familiar person (close friend) or an unfamiliar person (a stranger).

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

    11 Oct 2026, 00:50 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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