Oxytocin enhances orienting to social information in a selective group of high-functioning male adults with autism spectrum disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The study investigated the effects of nasally administered oxytocin on neurophysiological orienting to empathy-evoking pictures in normally intelligent male adults with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It further investigated whether these effects might be moderated by the individual's approach and avoidance tendencies.


METHODS
All subjects participated in a randomised double-blind placebo controlled crossover trial where either oxytocin (OXT) or placebo was administered preceding the viewing of affective pictures.The pictures, selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), represented a systematic variation of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral scenes with and without humans. Both cardiac (ECR) and cortical (LPP) evoked orienting responses were measured and both were enhanced for the pictures with humans, in particular for the unpleasant ones.


RESULTS
No significant group differences were found, nor were there any treatment effects. Moderator analysis, however, demonstrated that OXT did enhance orienting to affective pictures with humansin male adults with ASD who are easily distressed when seeing others in stressful situations and in healthy males who are highly sensitive to anticipated punishment and criticism or have a low drive for goal achievement.


CONCLUSIONS
Individual differences in stress-related avoidance tendencies should be taken into account when considering OXT as a treatment of social deficiencies in autism.
Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.althaus@accare.nl.
M
M
Althaus
Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands.
Y
Y
Groen
Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands.
A A
AA
Wijers
Autism Team of the North of the Netherlands (ATN), Laan Corpus den Hoorn 102-2, 9728 JR Groningen, The Netherlands.
H
H
Noltes
Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands.
O
O
Tucha
Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
P J
PJ
Hoekstra
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010551:Personality; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
D010121:Oxytocin
Affective empathy; Autism spectrum disorder; Effect moderators; Neurophysiological orienting; Oxytocin