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Study · Systematic review · 2026

4 results

A systematic review and meta-analysis of oxytocin modulation of amygdala responses to emotional stimuli and implications for anxiolytic effects.

Guo X, Zhang L, Zhang Q, Kendrick KM, Yao S

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews5 Apr 2026

PMID41946420 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106679 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-41946420
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. 01HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    In a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies, oxytocin significantly inhibited amygdala activity in males.

    In plain wordsIn a review of brain imaging studies, oxytocin lowered amygdala activity in males.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseAmygdala activity in males
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    While OT showed a significant effect on inhibiting amygdala activity in males, an enhancement effect was found in females.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    To obtain a comprehensive overview and a more reliable assessment of the extent to which OT's anxiolytic effects are convergent, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses in 55 neuroimaging studies (3337 participants) examining OT's effects on brain responses to negative or stressful emotional stimuli.
  2. 02HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    In a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies, oxytocin enhanced amygdala activity in females.

    In plain wordsIn a review of brain imaging studies, oxytocin raised amygdala activity in females.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseAmygdala activity in females
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    an enhancement effect was found in females.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    To obtain a comprehensive overview and a more reliable assessment of the extent to which OT's anxiolytic effects are convergent, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses in 55 neuroimaging studies (3337 participants) examining OT's effects on brain responses to negative or stressful emotional stimuli.
  3. 03HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    In an activation likelihood estimation analysis, oxytocin reduced activity in the centromedial subregion of the amygdala.

    In plain wordsIn a review of brain imaging studies, oxytocin lowered activity in one part of the amygdala, the centromedial region.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseCentromedial amygdala subregion activity
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    An activation likelihood estimation analysis further revealed that OT reduced amygdala activity in the centromedial subregion
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    To obtain a comprehensive overview and a more reliable assessment of the extent to which OT's anxiolytic effects are convergent, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses in 55 neuroimaging studies (3337 participants) examining OT's effects on brain responses to negative or stressful emotional stimuli.
  4. 04HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    In an activation likelihood estimation analysis, oxytocin could either decrease or increase activity in the basolateral subregion of the amygdala.

    In plain wordsIn a review of brain imaging studies, oxytocin either lowered or raised activity in the basolateral part of the amygdala.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    MixedBasolateral amygdala subregion activity
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    and could either decrease or increase activity in the basolateral subregion.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    To obtain a comprehensive overview and a more reliable assessment of the extent to which OT's anxiolytic effects are convergent, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses in 55 neuroimaging studies (3337 participants) examining OT's effects on brain responses to negative or stressful emotional stimuli.

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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