Monitoring the effect of oxytocin on the neural sensitivity to emotional faces via frequency-tagging EEG: A double-blind, cross-over study.

Van der Donck S, Moerkerke M, Dlhosova T, Vettori S, Dzhelyova M, Alaerts K, Boets B

Psychophysiology12 Feb 2022Cited by 7 (Europe PMC)

PMID35150446DOI10.1111/psyp.14026PepBankPUB-35150446

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 study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In healthy adult men, a single dose of oxytocin 24 IU did not change the neural response to emotional faces versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, one dose of oxytocin did not change brain responses to emotional faces compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeNeural sensitivity to emotional faces (frequency-tagging EEG)
Study
n = 31
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · single doseAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Contrary to our expectations, we did not find an effect of OXT on facial emotion processing, neither at the neural, nor at the behavioral level.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
To overcome difficulties encountered with classic event-related potential studies assessing stimulus-saliency, we applied frequency-tagging EEG to implicitly assess the effect of a single dose of OXT (24 IU) on the neural sensitivity for positive and negative facial emotions.
Summary · context
The study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with 31 healthy adult men.
Report a problemFND-3515044601
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In healthy adult men, a single dose of oxytocin 24 IU did not change behavioral facial emotion processing versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, one dose of oxytocin did not change behavior on emotional face tasks compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBehavioral sensitivity to emotional faces
Study
n = 31
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · single doseAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Contrary to our expectations, we did not find an effect of OXT on facial emotion processing, neither at the neural, nor at the behavioral level.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
To overcome difficulties encountered with classic event-related potential studies assessing stimulus-saliency, we applied frequency-tagging EEG to implicitly assess the effect of a single dose of OXT (24 IU) on the neural sensitivity for positive and negative facial emotions.
Summary · context
The study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with 31 healthy adult men.
Report a problemFND-3515044602
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In healthy adult men, a single dose of oxytocin did not evoke general social enhancement versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, one dose of oxytocin did not produce a general social boost compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeGeneral social enhancement
Study
n = 31
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · single doseAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
A single dose of OXT did not evoke social enhancement in general
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
To overcome difficulties encountered with classic event-related potential studies assessing stimulus-saliency, we applied frequency-tagging EEG to implicitly assess the effect of a single dose of OXT (24 IU) on the neural sensitivity for positive and negative facial emotions.
Summary · context
The study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with 31 healthy adult men.
Report a problemFND-3515044603
04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In healthy adult men, a single dose of oxytocin did not affect social approach-avoidance tendencies versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn healthy men, one dose of oxytocin did not change approach or avoidance of social cues compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeSocial approach-avoidance tendencies
Study
n = 31
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
Studied dose
24 IU · single doseAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
nor did it affect social approach-avoidance tendencies.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
To overcome difficulties encountered with classic event-related potential studies assessing stimulus-saliency, we applied frequency-tagging EEG to implicitly assess the effect of a single dose of OXT (24 IU) on the neural sensitivity for positive and negative facial emotions.
Summary · context
The study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with 31 healthy adult men.
Report a problemFND-3515044604

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.

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