NCT01325168

The Effect of Intranasal Oxytocin on Emphatic Abilities in Patients With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The Effect of Intranasal Oxytocin on Emphatic Abilities in Patients With PTSD

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 62 (actual)
• Sponsor: Rambam Health Care Campus · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Oxytocin (OT) - a neurohormone and neuromodulator which is mainly synthesized in the hypothalamus - is a key mediator of complex social and affective behaviors, including emotional empathy. Recently, several theoretical studies suggested that PTSD patients have abnormal functioning of the OT system. According to these theories, dysfunction in the oxytocin system may modulate the interpersonal impairment that characterizes PTSD, and therefore intranasal OT may potentially relieve these symptoms. The main goal of this study is to examine the effects of administration of nasal OT on empathic abilities among PTSD patients. Another goal of this study is to examine the relationship between empathic abilities and the ability to retrieve autobiographical memories among PTSD patients.

Conditions

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	syntocinon nasal spray	nasal oxytocin - 24 IU, 3 inhalations of 4IU to each nostril (45 sec waiting between the inhalations)
DRUG	placebo nasal spray	nasal placebo - 24 IU, 3 inhalations of 4IU to each nostril (45 sec waiting between the inhalations)

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-08-01
• Primary completion: 2012-08-01
• Completion: 2013-04-01
• First posted: 2011-03-29
• Last updated: 2015-05-07

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Israel