Intranasal oxytocin effects on social cognition: A critique

Abstract

The last decade has seen a large number of published findings supporting the hypothesis that intranasally delivered oxytocin (OT) can enhance the processing of social stimuli and regulate social emotion-related behaviors such as trust, memory, fidelity, and anxiety. The use of nasal spray for administering OT in behavioral research has become a standard method, but many questions still exist regarding its action. OT is a peptide that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, and it has yet to be shown that it does indeed reach the brain when delivered intranasally. Given the evidence, it seems highly likely that OT does affect behavior when delivered as a nasal spray. These effects may be driven by at least three possible mechanisms. First, the intranasally delivered OT may diffuse directly into the CNS where it directly engages OT receptors. Second, the intranasally delivered OT may trigger increased central release via an indirect peripheral mechanism. And third, the indirect peripheral effects may directly lead to behavioral effects via some mechanism other than increased central release. Although intranasally delivered OT likely affects behavior, there are conflicting reports as to the exact nature of those behavioral changes: some studies suggest that OT effects are not always “pro-social” and others suggest effects on social behaviors are due to a more general anxiolytic effect. In this critique, we draw from work in healthy human populations and the animal literature to review the mechanistic aspects of intranasal OT delivery, and to discuss intranasal OT effects on social cognition and behavior. We conclude that future work should control carefully for anxiolytic and gender effects, which could underlie inconsistencies in the existing literature.

Attachment Style Moderates the Effects of Oxytocin on Social Behaviors and Cognitions During Social Rejection

“…Instead, we included these ratings as secondary measures and subjective correlates of participants’ behaviors, as indexed by the number of times participants tossed the ball. Another issue involves the considerable controversy with regard to actual mechanisms of intranasal oxytocin delivery (for a review, see Evans et al, 2013). Notwithstanding these limitations, this study illustrates how neurobiological tests can inform empirically-based classification strategies by adopting an RDoC framework.…”

“…Second, a neurobiological correlate of attachment is oxytocin, which is also implicated in social behaviors and cognitions (Meyer-Lindenberg et al, 2011). For example, it has been shown that individuals with high levels of social anxiety exhibit prominent deficits in social cognitions and behaviors (i.e., maladaptive attentional biases and social avoidance behaviors), which are in part regulated by oxytocin (Ellenbogen et al, 2012; Evans, Monte, Noble, & Averbeck, 2013; Heimrichs et al, 2003). Third, social behaviors and cognitions associated with social anxiety can be reliably measured and quantified in the laboratory.…”

Oxytocin enhances the expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rats

“…effects of systemic administration of oxytocin might trigger increased central oxytocin release via an indirect peripheral mechanism or the indirect peripheral effects might activate central mechanisms that are independent of central oxytocin release (Evans et al, 2014). Hence, it is not surprising that conflicting results arise from the use of systemic administration of oxytocin.…”

Potential of Oxytocin in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

“…The effects of IN OT on social cognition in healthy subjects are reviewed in Evans et al [78]. In these studies, a single administration of IN OT consistently enhanced the processing of social stimuli.…”