NCT02652195

Deciphering the Role of Oxytocin in Motivation: an fMRI Study. Part II

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 88 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Utah · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The proposed study will investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on neural activity associated with social and non-social motivation.

Detailed description

Oxytocin is a well-known social and reproductive hormone demonstrated to have a variety of prosocial effects in humans including enhancing trust and generosity, improving positive communication, increasing eye gaze, and reducing anxiety. Oxytocin is hypothesized to facilitate social behaviors via its modulation of motivational networks. With this study, the investigators will characterize oxytocin's effects on the neural processing of salient stimuli. The investigators will utilize a noninvasive brain imaging technique, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to assess brain activity while participants perform tests designed to engage neural circuits associated with the processing of social and non-social stimuli. Ongoing clinical trials are examining the use of intranasal oxytocin for the treatment of multiple psychiatric disorders including substance dependence, depression, and schizophrenia; disorders which reward system dysfunction appears to play a significant role. As such, it is important that we obtain a better understanding of the neurobiological effects this drug may have on reward circuitry functioning. To this end, in this study, we will examine healthy control participants and participants diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).

Conditions

• Healthy Controls
• Alcohol Use Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Placebo	Placebo intranasal administration, 3 puffs per nostril, delivered prior to scanning session.
DRUG	Oxytocin	Oxytocin intranasal administration, 24 IU, 3 puffs per nostril at 4 IU per puff, delivered prior to scanning session.

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-11-01
• Primary completion: 2022-06-01
• Completion: 2024-06-01
• First posted: 2016-01-11
• Last updated: 2023-09-26

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study