Study of Wellness Behaviors as a Function of Oxytocin vs Placebo

Phase 1CompletedNCT01929161

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill239 enrolled

Overview

The specific aim of this study is to test whether oxytocin (OT) boosts the positive emotion yield of a new wellness behavior (Lovingkindness meditation or Mindfulness meditation) and thereby increases nonconscious motives that shape daily behavioral decisions to repeat it, which in turn foster positive emotions that further augment nonconscious motives in an upward spiral dynamic. The proposed research targets three hypotheses: (1) Oxytocin manipulation magnifies (i.e., moderates) the positive emotion yield of Lovingkindness meditation; (2) The positive emotion yield of meditation, which varies by experimental condition, increases the nonconscious incentive salience of Wellness Behavior-related cues; and (3) Behavioral decisions predict positive emotions, sparking the relationships among OT manipulation, positive emotion yield, and nonconscious incentive salience of Wellness Behavior-related cues.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

239

Conditions

Sustained Positive Emotions Sustained Positive Behavior Change

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 35 YearsMax age: 64 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * between the ages of 35 and 64 years old. * Fluent in written and spoken English * Willingness or interest in learning to meditate * Computer literate with access to internet (weekly) Exclusion Criteria: * Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding * Individuals on antihypertensive medication * Individuals who have or have had a regular meditation practice * Individuals who can read Chinese logographs

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in positive emotions (as measured by the Modified Daily Emotions Scale)

Modified Daily Emotions Scale (mDES) - This measure of explicit positive affect has been successfully used by the PI in multiple studies to detect changes in positive emotion. Previous work by the PI found that Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the mDES positive emotion composite variable was 0.93 in sample of mid-life community adults similar to those anticipated for this study.

Time frame: Baseline and Weeks 1, 2, and 3

Change in nonconscious incentive salience (as measured by the Affect Misattribution Procedure).

Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) - This measure of nonconscious incentive salience has acceptable internal consistency for an indirect measure of affect (.69 - .90) and has been found to predict judgments and behavioral outcomes above and beyond self-report measures.

Time frame: Baseline and Weeks 1, 2, and 3

Changes in meditation time

Self-reported meditation time recorded daily and weekly. In addition, meditation track play times will be recorded from the iPod.

Time frame: Weeks 1, 2, and 3

Secondary Outcomes

Cardiac Vagal Tone

This measure of parasympathetic control over the heart has been positively associated with both emotional and social functioning. Previous work by the PI's team has found that baseline vagal tone predicts increased positive response to lovingkindness meditation (LKM), and that LKM in turn increases vagal tone. Previous research by other labs has also found that OT administration increases vagal reactivity.

Time frame: Baseline