Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Efficacy of Intranasal Oxytocin to Enhance Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy.

Flanagan JC, Nietert PJ, McCrady BS, Sellers S, Yates-Johnson A, Giff ST, Forkus SR

The Journal of clinical psychiatry12 May 2025Cited by 3 (Europe PMC)

PMID40392716PMCIDPMC12766540DOI10.4088/jcp.24m15627PepBankPUB-40392716

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 study5

5 results from studies that gave the peptide. 5 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In couples with alcohol use disorder receiving behavioral couple therapy, intranasal oxytocin did not change alcohol consumption at end of treatment compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn couples with alcohol use disorder in therapy, drinking fell in both groups, and nasal oxytocin made no difference compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeAlcohol consumption at end of treatment
Study
n = 96
Comparator
Placebo (saline)
Analysis
Primary
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
40 IU · intranasal · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
No group differences emerged in alcohol consumption, alcohol problem severity, or relationship functioning at end of treatment.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This study examined the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU), compared to matching placebo (saline), when combined with Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Summary · context
Participants were romantic couples (N = 96 dyads; n = 49 oxytocin, n = 47 placebo) consisting of an identified patient (IP) with current AUD per DSM-5 and their partner.
Report a problemFND-4039271601
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In couples with alcohol use disorder receiving behavioral couple therapy, intranasal oxytocin did not change relationship functioning at end of treatment compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn couples with alcohol use disorder in therapy, nasal oxytocin did not change how well the relationship worked compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeRelationship functioning at end of treatment
Study
n = 96
Comparator
Placebo (saline)
Analysis
Primary
Outcome group
Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
40 IU · intranasal · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
No group differences emerged in alcohol consumption, alcohol problem severity, or relationship functioning at end of treatment.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This study examined the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU), compared to matching placebo (saline), when combined with Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Summary · context
Participants were romantic couples (N = 96 dyads; n = 49 oxytocin, n = 47 placebo) consisting of an identified patient (IP) with current AUD per DSM-5 and their partner.
Report a problemFND-4039271603
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In couples with alcohol use disorder receiving behavioral couple therapy, intranasal oxytocin did not change alcohol problem severity at end of treatment compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn couples with alcohol use disorder in therapy, alcohol problem severity improved in both groups, and nasal oxytocin made no difference compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeAlcohol problem severity at end of treatment
Study
n = 96
Comparator
Placebo (saline)
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
40 IU · intranasal · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
No group differences emerged in alcohol consumption, alcohol problem severity, or relationship functioning at end of treatment.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This study examined the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU), compared to matching placebo (saline), when combined with Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Summary · context
Participants were romantic couples (N = 96 dyads; n = 49 oxytocin, n = 47 placebo) consisting of an identified patient (IP) with current AUD per DSM-5 and their partner.
Report a problemFND-4039271602
04HumanRandomized controlled trialSafety outcome
In couples with alcohol use disorder, adverse events did not differ between intranasal oxytocin and placebo.
In plain wordsIn couples with alcohol use disorder, nasal oxytocin caused no different number of side effects than placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeAdverse events
Study
n = 96
Comparator
Placebo (saline)
Outcome group
Adverse events · Whole body
Studied dose
40 IU · intranasal · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
There were no group differences in the number of medication doses administered or adverse events.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This study examined the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU), compared to matching placebo (saline), when combined with Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Summary · context
Participants were romantic couples (N = 96 dyads; n = 49 oxytocin, n = 47 placebo) consisting of an identified patient (IP) with current AUD per DSM-5 and their partner.
Report a problemFND-4039271604
05HumanRandomized controlled trialOther
In couples with alcohol use disorder, the number of medication doses administered did not differ between intranasal oxytocin and placebo.
In plain wordsIn couples with alcohol use disorder, people took about the same number of doses of oxytocin and placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeNumber of medication doses administered
Study
n = 96
Comparator
Placebo (saline)
Outcome group
Adverse events · Whole body
Studied dose
40 IU · intranasal · 12 weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
There were no group differences in the number of medication doses administered or adverse events.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
This study examined the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (40 IU), compared to matching placebo (saline), when combined with Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Summary · context
Participants were romantic couples (N = 96 dyads; n = 49 oxytocin, n = 47 placebo) consisting of an identified patient (IP) with current AUD per DSM-5 and their partner.
Report a problemFND-4039271605

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Registered trials1

Trials this study reports on, or that list this study as a reference. Registry data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

1 trial · 1 completed · 1 with posted results · source ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

CompletedPhase 2Results postedNCT03046836

Oxytocin, Alcohol Craving, and Intimate Partner Aggression

Medical University of South Carolinan = 2001 Jul 2017 to 11 Apr 2021

Alcohol Use

Trial page ClinicalTrials.govUpdated 9 May 2022

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.

Publication types

MeSH terms

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