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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 47 · 2022

3 results

Effects of oxytocin administration on fear-potentiated acoustic startle in co-occurring PTSD and alcohol use disorder: A randomized clinical trial.

Stauffer CS, Morrison TE, Meinzer NK, Leung D, Buffington J, Sheh EG, Neylan TC, O'Donovan A, Woolley JD

Psychiatry research12 Dec 2021Cited by 8 (Europe PMC)

PMID34983010 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC9074818 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114340 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-34983010
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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 study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants with PTSD and alcohol use disorder, oxytocin 20 IU had no effect on startle reactivity versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people with PTSD and alcohol use disorder, a 20 IU oxytocin dose did not change startle reactions compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeFear-potentiated startle reactivity
    Study

    n = 47

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    20 IU · intranasal · single administrationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Contrary to our hypothesis, for the PTSD-AUD group, oxytocin 20 IU had no effect on startle reactivity, while oxytocin 40 IU increased measures of startle reactivity.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This study addresses a gap in the literature by investigating effects of intranasal oxytocin on startle reactivity, an important potential marker of both PTSD and AUD symptomatology.
    Summary · context
    This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within- and between-participant, crossover, dose-ranging study examining the effects of a single administration of oxytocin 20 IU versus 40 IU versus placebo
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In participants with PTSD and alcohol use disorder, oxytocin 40 IU increased measures of startle reactivity versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people with PTSD and alcohol use disorder, a 40 IU oxytocin dose increased startle reactions compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseFear-potentiated startle reactivity
    Study

    n = 47

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    40 IU · intranasal · single administrationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Contrary to our hypothesis, for the PTSD-AUD group, oxytocin 20 IU had no effect on startle reactivity, while oxytocin 40 IU increased measures of startle reactivity.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This study addresses a gap in the literature by investigating effects of intranasal oxytocin on startle reactivity, an important potential marker of both PTSD and AUD symptomatology.
    Summary · context
    This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within- and between-participant, crossover, dose-ranging study examining the effects of a single administration of oxytocin 20 IU versus 40 IU versus placebo
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In control participants without PTSD-AUD, oxytocin 20 IU was associated with reduced startle reactivity versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn people without PTSD or alcohol use disorder (controls), a 20 IU oxytocin dose was linked to smaller startle reactions than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseFear-potentiated startle reactivity
    Study

    n = 37

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    20 IU · intranasal · single administrationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    For controls only, oxytocin 20 IU versus placebo was associated with reduced startle reactivity.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This study addresses a gap in the literature by investigating effects of intranasal oxytocin on startle reactivity, an important potential marker of both PTSD and AUD symptomatology.
    Summary · context
    This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within- and between-participant, crossover, dose-ranging study examining the effects of a single administration of oxytocin 20 IU versus 40 IU versus placebo

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, 02:48 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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