Oxytocin increases physiological linkage during group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Thorson KR, McKernan SM, West TV, Woolley JD, Mendes WB, Stauffer CS

Scientific reports25 Oct 2021Cited by 10 (Europe PMC)

PMID34697392PMCIDPMC8546069DOI10.1038/s41598-021-99957-8PepBankPUB-34697392

Summary

Patients and psychotherapists often exhibit behavioral, psychological, and physiological similarity. Here, we test whether oxytocin-a neuropeptide that can enhance expressivity and social perception-influences time-lagged "linkage" of autonomic nervous system responses among participants and facilitators during group therapy. Physiological linkage estimates (n = 949) were created from ten cohorts, each with two facilitators (n = 5) and four to six participants (n = 48), over six weekly sessions of group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder. All participants of a cohort received oxytocin or placebo intranasally in a randomized double-blind procedure before each session. Cardiac interbeat intervals (IBI) were measured continuously during sessions to estimate physiological linkage, operationalized as one cohort-mate's IBI reactivity during one minute predicting another cohort-mate's IBI reactivity during the following minute. In oxytocin cohorts, participants and facilitators experienced significant physiological linkage to their cohort-mates (i.e., their physiological responses were predicted by the prior responses of their cohort-mates) and significantly more linkage than people in placebo cohorts. Both effects occurred during the first and second sessions but not later sessions. Results suggest that oxytocin may enhance psychosocial processes often associated with linkage-such as social engagement-in groups and highlight oxytocin's potential to improve group cohesion during group therapy.Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02881177, First published on 26/08/2016.

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 group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder, participants and facilitators in oxytocin cohorts showed significant physiological linkage to their cohort-mates.
In plain wordsIn group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder, heart-rate responses of group members and facilitators who got oxytocin followed each other.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePhysiological linkage (IBI) within oxytocin cohorts
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasal · six weekly sessionsAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
In oxytocin cohorts, participants and facilitators experienced significant physiological linkage to their cohort-mates (i.e., their physiological responses were predicted by the prior responses of their cohort-mates) and significantly more linkage than people in placebo cohorts.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Physiological linkage estimates (n = 949) were created from ten cohorts, each with two facilitators (n = 5) and four to six participants (n = 48), over six weekly sessions of group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder.
Summary · context
All participants of a cohort received oxytocin or placebo intranasally in a randomized double-blind procedure before each session.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3469739201
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder, oxytocin cohorts showed significantly more physiological linkage than placebo cohorts.
In plain wordsIn group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder, groups given oxytocin showed more heart-rate linkage than groups given placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePhysiological linkage (IBI) versus placebo cohorts
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasal · six weekly sessionsAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
In oxytocin cohorts, participants and facilitators experienced significant physiological linkage to their cohort-mates (i.e., their physiological responses were predicted by the prior responses of their cohort-mates) and significantly more linkage than people in placebo cohorts.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Physiological linkage estimates (n = 949) were created from ten cohorts, each with two facilitators (n = 5) and four to six participants (n = 48), over six weekly sessions of group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder.
Summary · context
All participants of a cohort received oxytocin or placebo intranasally in a randomized double-blind procedure before each session.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3469739202
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder, the linkage effects of oxytocin occurred in the first and second sessions but not in later sessions.
In plain wordsIn group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder, the oxytocin effect on linkage appeared in the first two sessions and not in later ones.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
MixedSession timing of the linkage effects
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intranasal · six weekly sessionsAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Both effects occurred during the first and second sessions but not later sessions.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Physiological linkage estimates (n = 949) were created from ten cohorts, each with two facilitators (n = 5) and four to six participants (n = 48), over six weekly sessions of group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder.
Summary · context
All participants of a cohort received oxytocin or placebo intranasally in a randomized double-blind procedure before each session.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3469739203

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Registered trials1

Trials this study reports on, or that list this study as a reference. Registry data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

1 trial · 1 completed · source ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

CompletedPhase 1NCT02881177

Oxytocin HIV Meth Study

University of California, San Franciscon = 48Jan 2017 to Jul 2018

Amphetamine Use Disorders

Trial page ClinicalTrials.govUpdated 5 Mar 2019

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

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