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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 20 · 2023

2 results

Temporal profile of intranasal oxytocin in the human autonomic nervous system at rest: An electrocardiography and pupillometry study.

Cosme G, Arriaga P, Rosa PJ, Mehta MA, Prata D

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)9 Mar 2023

PMID36891949 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC10291383 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1177/02698811231158233 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-36891949
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Summary

BackgroundHuman social behavior is modulated by oxytocin (OT). Intranasal administration of OT (IN-OT) is a noninvasive route shown to elicit changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity; however, IN-OT's effect on the temporal profile of ANS activity at rest is yet to be described.AimsWe aimed to describe the temporal profile of IN-OT at six 10-min time windows from 15- to 100-min post-administration in 20 male participants at rest while continuously recording their pupillary in an eyes-open condition and cardiac activity in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.MethodsWe used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design study where we extracted two proxies of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity: high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) and pupillary unrest index (PUI); and a proxy of sympathetic nervous system activity: sample entropy of the pupillary unrest.ResultsIn the eyes-open condition, we found an effect of IN-OT on the proxies of PNS activity: decreased PUI in the three-time windows post-administration spanning 65-100 min, and as an exploratory finding, an increased HF-HRV in the 80-85 min time window.ConclusionsWe suggest there is a role of OT in PNS regulation that may be consistent with OT's currently theorized role in the facilitation of alertness and approach behavior.
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 20 men at rest with eyes open, intranasal oxytocin increased high-frequency heart rate variability in the 80-85 min window versus placebo, as an exploratory finding.

    In plain wordsIn men at rest, oxytocin nasal spray raised a heart-rate measure of calm-state activity in one time window, versus placebo (exploratory).

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseHigh-frequency heart rate variability (parasympathetic proxy)
    Study

    n = 20

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Analysis
    Exploratory
    Outcome group
    Autonomic function · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    an increased HF-HRV in the 80-85 min time window.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We aimed to describe the temporal profile of IN-OT at six 10-min time windows from 15- to 100-min post-administration in 20 male participants at rest while continuously recording their pupillary in an eyes-open condition and cardiac activity in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.
    Summary · context
    We used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design study where we extracted two proxies of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity: high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) and pupillary unrest index (PUI); and a proxy of sympathetic nervous system activity: sample entropy of the pupillary unrest.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In 20 men at rest with eyes open, intranasal oxytocin decreased the pupillary unrest index in time windows spanning 65-100 min after dosing versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men at rest, oxytocin nasal spray lowered a pupil measure of parasympathetic activity from 65 to 100 minutes after dosing, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreasePupillary unrest index (parasympathetic proxy)
    Study

    n = 20

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Autonomic function · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    decreased PUI in the three-time windows post-administration spanning 65-100 min, and as an exploratory finding, an increased HF-HRV in the 80-85 min time window.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We aimed to describe the temporal profile of IN-OT at six 10-min time windows from 15- to 100-min post-administration in 20 male participants at rest while continuously recording their pupillary in an eyes-open condition and cardiac activity in eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.
    Summary · context
    We used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design study where we extracted two proxies of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity: high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) and pupillary unrest index (PUI); and a proxy of sympathetic nervous system activity: sample entropy of the pupillary unrest.

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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