Effect of Oxytocin Nasal Inhalation on Empathy Analgesia

Peking University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Empathy; Social Familiarity; Analgesia; Pain; Oxytocin

Treatments: Behavioral: Stranger; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Oxytocin nasal spray; Behavioral: Acquaintance

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05823441

2022PHD012-001

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study recruited healthy volunteers and randomly divided them into four groups. They inhaled oxytocin or saline, and watched a pain test video with photos of acquaintances or strangers, respectively, to test whether their feelings of the same thermal pain stimulus had changed.

Enrollment: 120 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy volunteers

Exclusion criteria

• During pregnancy;
• Have participated in any research related to pain;
• Sleep disorders;
• Used alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, or other psychoactive substances within 24 hours before the test;
• Experienced intense pain requiring medical analgesia within three months prior to the trial;
• Taking any medication, including over the counter medication;
• Addiction to alcohol, tobacco, or drugs;
• A history of any respiratory, circulatory, neurological, musculoskeletal, and/or mental illness;
• Current symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. (See quantitative sensor testing for specific standards)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

---

120 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

OS group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Half an hour after the volunteers inhaled 24 units of oxytocin spray, they watched the pre recorded video (attached with pictures and introductions of strangers) and underwent a pain test.

Treatment:

Drug: Oxytocin nasal spray

Behavioral: Stranger

PS group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Half an hour after the volunteers inhaled the same amount of saline spray, they watched the pre recorded video (with pictures and introductions of strangers attached) and received a pain test.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Stranger

Drug: Placebo

OA group

Experimental group

Description:

Half an hour after the volunteers inhaled 24 units of oxytocin spray, they watched the pre recorded video (attached with pictures and introductions of acquaintances) and underwent a pain test.

Treatment:

Drug: Oxytocin nasal spray

Behavioral: Acquaintance

PA group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Half an hour after the volunteers received the same dose of saline, they watched the pre recorded video (attached with pictures and introductions of acquaintances) and received the pain test.

Treatment:

Drug: Placebo

Behavioral: Acquaintance