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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
62
nasal oxytocin - 24 IU, 3 inhalations of 4IU to each nostril (45 sec waiting between the inhalations)
nasal placebo - 24 IU, 3 inhalations of 4IU to each nostril (45 sec waiting between the inhalations)
Rambam health care campus
Haifa, Israel
Rambam Medical Center
Haifa, Israel
Computer tasks that assess empathy, Another goal of this study is to examine the relationship between empathic abilities and the ability to retrieve autobiographical memories among PTSD patients.
The computer tasks will assess emotional empathy(e.g. task that assess the ability to recognizes emotional facial expressions ('face morphing'), and task that assess the ability to recognizes emotions depicted in a biological motion ('biological motion')), And cognitive empathy ( task that assess the ability to judge mental states based on verbal and eye gaze cues (ToM task)).
Time frame: 1 hour after the inhalation the OT
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