Oxytocin, Emotions and Mirror Neurons

Early Phase 1CompletedNCT02228031

University of Maryland, Baltimore44 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this project is to investigate the possible effect of intranasally administered Oxytocin (OT) on specific mirror neuron areas in human brain. The mirror neuron system (MNS) is thought to be involved in action perception and understanding, and may also underlie more complex cognitive processes such as imitation. We will use electroencephalographic (EEG) investigations to examine brain activity while participants complete two different tasks, consisting of the observation and imitation of emotional facial expressions (video presented) and the observation and execution of simple grasping actions (live presented), respectively. In addition, before the beginning of the EEG recording session, subjects will be randomly assigned to two different groups (Oxytocin or Placebo group) and will receive a dose of either intranasal Oxytocin or Placebo solution. Oxytocin is a polypeptide hormone that plays a critical role in social behavior. We will identify mu and beta rhythm from the ongoing EEG and examine suppression as a function of emotion and goal directed action perception and imitation/execution.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Social Cognition Expressed Emotion

Interventions

OxytocinDRUG

The experimental oxytocin group will receive 24 international units (IU) of oxytocin using an intranasal administration (self-administered nasal spray) one time before the experimental session

PlaceboOTHER

The placebo comparator group will receive sterile saline through intranasal administration, consisting of the same salt solution in which the hormone will be dissolved , but lacking the hormone itself.

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 30 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Right-hand dominant * Sufficient spoken English so as to be able to complete testing validly and give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Currently taking any psychotropic or cognition enhancing medication * History of schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder, including Bipolar Disorder * Family history of psychosis * Neurological disease or clinically significant head injury * Physical disability that substantially impairs motor function * Current diagnosis of polydypsic-induced hyponatremia * Substance dependence or abuse in the past 6 months

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

EEG mu rhythm suppression

The EEG mu rhythm suppression is an index of the human mirror neuron system (alpha and lower beta band activity (8-13 and \~20Hz) recorded over the sensorimotor cortex. EEG will be recorded during the performance of an emotion imitation task (Carr et al., 2003) in which participants will be asked to imitate and internally generate facial emotions seen on a computer screen, or to simply observe, as well as performing a simple grasping action task. Changes in the mu suppression while the performance of these tasks, before and after oxytocin/placebo administration, will be the primary outcome measure.

Time frame: Before oxytocin/placebo administration and 45 minutes after