Oxytocin Amplifies Negative Response to Ambiguity in Adolescent Females With and Without Eating Disorders.

Burmester V, Sheridan E, Julius NC, Elliott J, Thackeray O, Nicholls D

European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association30 Jan 2025Cited by 3 (Europe PMC)

PMID39887557PMCIDPMC12171685DOI10.1002/erv.3167PepBankPUB-39887557

Summary

ObjectiveEating disorders (ED) typically emerge in adolescence, a critical period for brain development and peer bonding. Interpersonal difficulties-particularly social anxiety-frequently co-occur with ED. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that modulates social cognition and linked to prosocial effects. To date, no study has investigated oxytocin's effects on negative interpretation bias toward ambiguous information in adolescents with ED.MethodsForty-eight female adolescents aged 16 to 17 years with and without EDs took part in a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomised, crossover trial investigating the effects of 24 IU intranasal oxytocin on negative interpretations of ambiguous scenarios. Participants and controls were tested twice, approximately one week apart.ResultsContrary to hypothesis, oxytocin increased negative interpretations overall (p = 0.019, large effect). Adolescent females with AN or BN made more negative interpretations than controls when presented with ambiguous information. There was no group effect for those who reached or did not reach threshold on an autism screen.ConclusionsThis study suggests adolescents with EDs interpret ambiguous information more negatively than controls and that oxytocin administration amplifies negative responses to ambiguity in adolescent females, including in controls. Research tools that effectively identify these biases would help to widen the scope of ED treatments for adolescents.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study1

1 result from studies that gave the peptide. 1 result from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In female adolescents aged 16 to 17 years with and without eating disorders, intranasal oxytocin increased negative interpretations of ambiguous scenarios overall versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn teenage girls with and without eating disorders, oxytocin nose spray made negative readings of unclear situations more common than placebo did.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseNegative interpretation of ambiguous scenarios
Study
n = 48
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Contrary to hypothesis, oxytocin increased negative interpretations overall (p = 0.019, large effect).
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This study suggests adolescents with EDs interpret ambiguous information more negatively than controls and that oxytocin administration amplifies negative responses to ambiguity in adolescent females, including in controls.
Summary · context
Forty-eight female adolescents aged 16 to 17 years with and without EDs took part in a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomised, crossover trial investigating the effects of 24 IU intranasal oxytocin on negative interpretations of ambiguous scenarios.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3988755701

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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, 02:47 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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