Oxytocin improves "mind-reading" in humans.
BACKGROUND
The ability to "read the mind" of other individuals, that is, to infer their mental state by interpreting subtle social cues, is indispensable in human social interaction. The neuropeptide oxytocin plays a central role in social approach behavior in nonhuman mammals.


METHODS
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject design, 30 healthy male volunteers were tested for their ability to infer the affective mental state of others using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) after intranasal administration of 24 IU oxytocin.


RESULTS
Oxytocin improved performance on the RMET compared with placebo. This effect was pronounced for difficult compared with easy items.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that oxytocin improves the ability to infer the mental state of others from social cues of the eye region. Oxytocin might play a role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder, which is characterized by severe social impairment.
Domes
Gregor
G
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Rostock University, Rostock, Germany. gregor.domes@med.uni-rostock.de
Heinrichs
Markus
M
Michel
Andre
A
Berger
Christoph
C
Herpertz
Sabine C
SC
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004645:Empathy; D005149:Facial Expression; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012938:Social Perception; D013688:Telepathy / Q000502:physiology*
D010121:Oxytocin