title: Effects of oxytocin on attention to emotional faces in healthy volunteers and highly socially anxious males.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence suggests that individuals with social anxiety demonstrate vigilance to social threat, whilst the peptide hormone oxytocin is widely accepted as supporting affiliative behaviour in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated whether oxytocin can affect attentional bias in social anxiety. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, within-group study design, 26 healthy and 16 highly socially anxious (HSA) male volunteers (within the HSA group, 10 were diagnosed with generalized social anxiety disorder) were administered 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo to investigate attentional processing in social anxiety. Attentional bias was assessed using the dot-probe paradigm with angry, fearful, happy and neutral face stimuli.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the baseline placebo condition, the HSA group showed greater attentional bias for emotional faces than healthy individuals. Oxytocin reduced the difference between HSA and non-socially anxious individuals in attentional bias for emotional faces. Moreover, it appeared to normalize attentional bias in HSA individuals to levels seen in the healthy population in the baseline condition. The biological mechanisms by which oxytocin may be exerting these effects are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results, coupled with previous research, could indicate a potential therapeutic use of this hormone in treatment for social anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian). rjc84@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clark-Elford
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Pradeep J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nathan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Auyeung
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mogg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Brendan P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Akeem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sule
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Dudas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Sahakian
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Mrs Clark Elford, Professors Nathan, Mogg, Bradley, Sahakian,and Baron-Cohen, and Drs Auyeung, Sule, Muller, and Dudas ); Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Cambridge, UK (Dr Nathan); School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia (Dr Nathan); Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK (Drs Auyeung and Baron-Cohen); Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK (Dr Auyeung); South Essex NHS Partnership Trust, UK (Dr Sule); Psychology, University of Southampton, UK (Drs Mogg and Bradley); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), UK (Drs Müller, Dudas, and Baron-Cohen); MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge (Dr Sahakian).
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baron-Cohen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects*; D005145:Face; D005149:Facial Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: attention; attentional bias; emotion; facial expression; oxytocin; social anxiety