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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 58 · 2026

4 results

The effect of intranasal oxytocin on the neuropsychological substrates of intergroup categorization.

Wang Y, Tian X, Zhou Y, Zheng Z, Li X, Zhu R, Shi J, Gu R, Luo W, Feng C

Brain imaging and behavior4 Mar 2026

PMID41779290 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1007/s11682-026-01086-1 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-41779290
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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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 trialMechanism

    In healthy men with stronger in-group identification, intranasal oxytocin increased insula responses to out-group targets compared with in-group targets.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men with strong in-group identification, oxytocin raised insula brain activity for out-group faces compared with in-group faces.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseInsula response to out-group versus in-group targets
    Study

    n = 58

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Compared to in-group targets, oxytocin increased insula responses and reduced ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets in individuals with stronger in-group identification.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-eight healthy Chinese men were randomly assigned to receive a single 24 IU intranasal oxytocin dose (n = 29, mean ± SD = 22.86 ± 1.75 years) or placebo (n = 29, 23.00 ± 2.22 years).
    Summary · context
    Thirty-five minutes after administration, participants underwent fMRI while performing an intergroup face-matching task that required explicit categorization of in-group versus out-group faces, with a shape-matching condition serving as the baseline.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy men with stronger in-group identification, intranasal oxytocin reduced ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets compared with in-group targets.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men with strong in-group identification, oxytocin lowered activity in a prefrontal brain area for out-group faces compared with in-group faces.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseVentromedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets
    Study

    n = 58

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Compared to in-group targets, oxytocin increased insula responses and reduced ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets in individuals with stronger in-group identification.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-eight healthy Chinese men were randomly assigned to receive a single 24 IU intranasal oxytocin dose (n = 29, mean ± SD = 22.86 ± 1.75 years) or placebo (n = 29, 23.00 ± 2.22 years).
    Summary · context
    Thirty-five minutes after administration, participants underwent fMRI while performing an intergroup face-matching task that required explicit categorization of in-group versus out-group faces, with a shape-matching condition serving as the baseline.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy men, increasing exposure to out-group members under oxytocin decreased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets, whereas placebo produced the opposite pattern.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, more out-group exposure under oxytocin lowered activity in a prefrontal brain area; placebo gave the opposite pattern.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseDorsomedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets with increasing exposure
    Study

    n = 58

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    increasing exposure to out-group members under oxytocin decreased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets
    3 context sentences
    Summary · context
    whereas placebo produced the opposite pattern.
    Summary · context
    Fifty-eight healthy Chinese men were randomly assigned to receive a single 24 IU intranasal oxytocin dose (n = 29, mean ± SD = 22.86 ± 1.75 years) or placebo (n = 29, 23.00 ± 2.22 years).
    Summary · context
    Thirty-five minutes after administration, participants underwent fMRI while performing an intergroup face-matching task that required explicit categorization of in-group versus out-group faces, with a shape-matching condition serving as the baseline.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy men, increasing exposure to out-group members under oxytocin enhanced dorsomedial prefrontal connectivity with lateral prefrontal and occipital regions, whereas placebo produced the opposite pattern.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, more out-group exposure under oxytocin strengthened links between a prefrontal area and other brain regions; placebo gave the opposite.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseDorsomedial prefrontal connectivity with lateral prefrontal and occipital regions
    Study

    n = 58

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasal · single doseAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Moreover, Intergroup exposure interacted with drug treatment, such that increasing exposure to out-group members under oxytocin decreased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex activity to out-group targets while enhancing its connectivity with lateral prefrontal and occipital regions, whereas placebo produc…
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-eight healthy Chinese men were randomly assigned to receive a single 24 IU intranasal oxytocin dose (n = 29, mean ± SD = 22.86 ± 1.75 years) or placebo (n = 29, 23.00 ± 2.22 years).
    Summary · context
    Thirty-five minutes after administration, participants underwent fMRI while performing an intergroup face-matching task that required explicit categorization of in-group versus out-group faces, with a shape-matching condition serving as the baseline.

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, 02:47 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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