The Influence and Regulatory Role of Exogenous and Endogenous Oxytocin on Top-down Attention in Humans

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how orally administered oxytocin, given as a lingual spray, affects human top-down attention through oxytocin receptors. The study explores whether these effects depend on the dose and the type of task performed. It also evaluates the role of atosiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist, in modifying attention processes. This early-phase trial aims to understand how oxytocin influences attention, pupil size, and anxiety in healthy adult males. Participants receive different treatments in a double-blind, placebo-controlled setup. These include placebo followed by low-dose oxytocin (24IU), placebo followed by high-dose oxytocin (48IU), placebo followed by atosiban (150ug), atosiban followed by low-dose oxytocin, or placebo followed by another placebo. Treatments are administered as sprays under and on the tongue with a 15-minute interval between doses. The design includes multiple blood and saliva samples taken before and after treatments to measure oxytocin levels. During the study, participants complete questionnaires on anxiety, depression, social anxiety, and autistic traits before treatment. After dosing, they undergo eye-tracking tests measuring error rates, response times, and pupil size while performing attention tasks. Anxiety levels are reassessed after the tasks. Researchers monitor these outcomes to assess treatment effects on attention and anxiety. The entire process includes blood and saliva collection, questionnaires, behavioral tasks, and observation over about 75 minutes of active testing.

The Effect of Oral Oxytocin and Atosiban on Top-down Attention ( OTAtosiban )