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Study · Randomized controlled trial · 2023

4 results

Four-week intranasal oxytocin administration reduces attachment avoidance in older women.

Wright KA, Polk R, Lin T, Feifel D, Ebner NC

Hormones and behavior31 Aug 2023Cited by 6 (Europe PMC)

PMID37659357 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC10961710 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105413 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-37659357
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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 study4

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

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In generally healthy older adults, there was no significant overall pre- to post-treatment change in attachment avoidance with four weeks of intranasal oxytocin or placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy older adults, attachment avoidance did not change significantly overall over four weeks of nasal oxytocin or placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeAttachment avoidance, pre- to post-treatment change overall
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    24 international units twice daily · intranasal · four weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was no significant pre- to post-treatment change in attachment avoidance overall
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    The present study determined the effects of chronic intranasal OT administration on adult attachment in generally healthy older women and men (aged 55-95 years).
    Summary · context
    Embedded in a larger project, participants were randomly assigned to self-administer 24 international units of either OT or a placebo (P) intranasally twice daily for four weeks.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In older women, four weeks of intranasal oxytocin reduced reported attachment avoidance compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn older women, four weeks of nasal oxytocin lowered reported attachment avoidance more than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseAttachment avoidance in women
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    24 international units twice daily · intranasal · four weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was no significant pre- to post-treatment change in attachment avoidance overall, but the treatment x timepoint x sex interaction was significant, in that women (but not men) in the OT (vs. P) group reported decreased attachment avoidance.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    The present study determined the effects of chronic intranasal OT administration on adult attachment in generally healthy older women and men (aged 55-95 years).
    Summary · context
    Embedded in a larger project, participants were randomly assigned to self-administer 24 international units of either OT or a placebo (P) intranasally twice daily for four weeks.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In older men, four weeks of intranasal oxytocin did not reduce reported attachment avoidance compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn older men, four weeks of nasal oxytocin did not lower reported attachment avoidance compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeAttachment avoidance in men
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    24 international units twice daily · intranasal · four weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was no significant pre- to post-treatment change in attachment avoidance overall, but the treatment x timepoint x sex interaction was significant, in that women (but not men) in the OT (vs. P) group reported decreased attachment avoidance.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    The present study determined the effects of chronic intranasal OT administration on adult attachment in generally healthy older women and men (aged 55-95 years).
    Summary · context
    Embedded in a larger project, participants were randomly assigned to self-administer 24 international units of either OT or a placebo (P) intranasally twice daily for four weeks.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In older adults, four weeks of intranasal oxytocin had no comparable effect on attachment anxiety.

    In plain wordsIn older adults, four weeks of nasal oxytocin had no comparable effect on attachment anxiety.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeAttachment anxiety
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    24 international units twice daily · intranasal · four weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    No comparable effects were observed for attachment anxiety.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    The present study determined the effects of chronic intranasal OT administration on adult attachment in generally healthy older women and men (aged 55-95 years).
    Summary · context
    Embedded in a larger project, participants were randomly assigned to self-administer 24 international units of either OT or a placebo (P) intranasally twice daily for four weeks.

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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