Oral Vasopressin Modulates Neural Responses to Looming Visual Stimuli: An Eye-tracking Study

Overview

The main aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of orally administered vasopressin (AVP) on the perception of time-to-collision of threatening and non-threatening stimuli by combining a validated looming fear eye-tracking paradigm with a randomized between-subject placebo-controlled pharmacological trial design.

Animal models and initial findings in humans suggest a role of the AVP signaling system in socio-emotional processes. At the same time, the visual system's remarkable ability to perceive and interpret impending threats, notably through the "looming" phenomenon- a distinct pattern of optical expansion on the retina as objects approach, theoretically allows for precise estimation of the time-to-collision (TTC). It was recently demonstrated that the affective content of looming stimuli influences perceived TTC, with threatening objects judged as approaching sooner than non-threatening objects, hinting at a nuanced interaction between emotional valence and temporal perception. Within this context the present study aims to validate the effects of orally administered on the perception of time-to-collision of threatening and non-threatening stimuli. To this end, healthy individuals will undergo a double-blind, between-subjects, placebo-controlled pharmaco-eye-tracking experiment and receive a single oral dose of vasopressin (20 IU) or placebo before performing a looming visual stimuli task 45 minutes after administration. The task paradigm will encompass threatening (butterfly, rabbit) and non-threatening (spider, snake) stimuli

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Eligibility

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Outcomes

Central Contacts