title: A Spatiotemporal Profile of In Vivo Cerebral Blood Flow Changes Following Intranasal Oxytocin in Humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal and human studies highlight the role of oxytocin in social cognition and behavior and the potential of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) to treat social impairment in individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism. However, extensive efforts to evaluate the central actions and therapeutic efficacy of IN-OT may be marred by the absence of data regarding its temporal dynamics and sites of action in the living human brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a placebo-controlled study, we used arterial spin labeling to measure IN-OT-induced changes in resting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 32 healthy men. Volunteers were blinded regarding the nature of the compound they received. The rCBF data were acquired 15 min before and up to 78 min after onset of treatment onset (40 IU of IN-OT or placebo). The data were analyzed using mass univariate and multivariate pattern recognition techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained robust evidence delineating an oxytocinergic network comprising regions expected to express oxytocin receptors, based on histologic evidence, and including core regions of the brain circuitry underpinning social cognition and emotion processing. Pattern recognition on rCBF maps indicated that IN-OT-induced changes were sustained over the entire posttreatment observation interval (25-78 min) and consistent with a pharmacodynamic profile showing a peak response at 39-51 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides the first visualization and quantification of IN-OT-induced changes in rCBF in the living human brain unaffected by cognitive, affective, or social manipulations. Our findings can inform theoretical and mechanistic models regarding IN-OT effects on typical and atypical social behavior and guide future experiments (e.g., regarding the timing of experimental manipulations).
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London. Electronic address: Yannis.Paloyelis@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Paloyelis
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London.
authors.forename: Orla M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London.
authors.forename: Fernando O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Zelaya
authors.affiliation: Departments of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London.
authors.forename: Stefanos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maltezos
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London.
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fotopoulou
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D012146:Rest; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Arterial spin labeling; Cerebral blood flow; Intranasal; Oxytocin; Pharmacodynamics; Resting state