The main aim of the study is to investigate whether intranasal oxytocin modulates advantageous- and disadvantageous-inequity and whether oxytocin has similar effects on them or not.
The main aim of the study is to investigate whether intranasal oxytocin modulates advantageous- and disadvantageous-inequity and its underlying neural mechanisms and whether oxytocin has similar effects on them or not. A double-blinded, placebo-controled, between-subject design is employed in this study. In a randomized order, a total of 80 healthy males are instructed to self-administrated intranasal spray of oxytocin or placebo. A modified inequity decision-making task starts 45 minutes after treatment with behavioral (fairness rating, preference rating and the choice rate of unequal option) and fMRI data being collected during this task. Personality traits of subjects are assessed using validated Chinese version questionnaires including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ), Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), Behavioral Inhibition System and Behavioral Activation System Scale (BIS/BAS). Subjects are asked to complete Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) when they just arrive, before and after the task.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
80
Subject assigned to receive intranasal administration of oxytocin (24 IU).
Subjects assigned to receive intranasal administration of placebo (24 IU).
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Behavioral index: fairness rating scores
Participants are instructed to rate their perceived levels of fairness to the allocation using a 9-point Likert scale within 4 seconds (1 = very unfair, 9 = very fair).
Time frame: 45-75 minutes after treatment administration
Behavioral index: preference rating scores
Participants are instructed to rate their perceived levels of preference to the allocation using a 9-point Likert scale within 4 seconds (1 = not at all, 9 = very preferable).
Time frame: 45-75 minutes after treatment administration
Neural indices: fMRI-based measures of the outcome presentation stage
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is employed to assess participants' blood-oxygen-level dependent signals when they are confronted with monetary allocations (advantageous-inequity, disadvantageous-inequity, and fair).
Time frame: 45-75 minutes after treatment administration
Behavioral index: choice rate of unequal option
Participants are instructed to make a hypothetical choice between the actual allocation in the current trial and the other fair option if they were given another chance to re-choose.
Time frame: 45-75 minutes after treatment administration
Neural indices: fMRI-based measures of outcome and re-decision stages
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is employed to assess participants' blood-oxygen-level dependent signals when they are instructed to make a hypothetical choice between the actual allocation in the current trial and the other fair option if they were given another chance to re-choose.
Time frame: 45-75 minutes after treatment administration
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