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Study · Systematic review · 2026

3 results

Using EEG to Measure the Neural Effects of Oxytocin Administration: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Deilhaug E, Moerkerke M, Sartorius AI, Kang H, Meyer Bull E, Walle KM, Elvsåshagen T, Westlye LT, Nærland T, Andreassen OA, Quintana DS

Psychophysiology1 Jun 2026

PMID42268581 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1111/psyp.70334 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-42268581
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 study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    In a multilevel meta-analysis of randomised trials, oxytocin administration had a small, significant effect on EEG measures of social and cognitive processing versus placebo.

    In plain wordsAcross trials, oxytocin had a small effect on brain-wave measures linked to social and thinking tasks, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Not applicableEEG measures of social and cognitive processing
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Hedges' g
    0.14 g
    social and cognitive EEG measures

    Source sentences

    Summary
    These multilevel meta-analyses yielded statistically significant, small effect sizes of oxytocin administration across different EEG measures reflecting social and cognitive processes (Hedges' g = 0.14), and exploratory neural activity (Hedges' g = 0.28) with significant heterogeneity estimates (p <…
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Across both meta-analyses, we synthesized 161 effect sizes from 28 randomized controlled trials with a total of 1361 participants from different population groups.
  2. 02HumanSystematic reviewMechanism

    In a second multilevel meta-analysis, oxytocin administration had a small, significant effect on exploratory, less task-specific EEG activity measures versus placebo.

    In plain wordsAcross trials, oxytocin had a small effect on general brain-wave activity measures compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Not applicableExploratory EEG neural activity measures (e.g. microstates)
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Hedges' g
    0.28 g
    exploratory neural activity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    These multilevel meta-analyses yielded statistically significant, small effect sizes of oxytocin administration across different EEG measures reflecting social and cognitive processes (Hedges' g = 0.14), and exploratory neural activity (Hedges' g = 0.28) with significant heterogeneity estimates (p <…
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Across both meta-analyses, we synthesized 161 effect sizes from 28 randomized controlled trials with a total of 1361 participants from different population groups.
  3. 03HumanSystematic reviewOther

    The type of EEG measure and the proportion of female participants significantly moderated the effect of oxytocin administration on EEG activity.

    In plain wordsThe size of oxytocin's brain-wave effect depended on the type of EEG measure and on the share of women in the trial.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    Not applicableModeration of EEG effect by EEG measure type and proportion of female participants
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Moderator analyses revealed that the different EEG measurements of interest (e.g., event-related potentials) and the proportion of female participants were found to significantly moderate the effect of oxytocin on neural EEG activity.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Across both meta-analyses, we synthesized 161 effect sizes from 28 randomized controlled trials with a total of 1361 participants from different population groups.

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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