title: Effects of intranasal oxytocin on neural processing within a socially relevant neural circuit.
abstract: Dysregulation of the Mirror Neuron System (MNS) in schizophrenia (SCZ) may underlie the cognitive and behavioral manifestations of social dysfunction associated with that disorder. In healthy subjects intranasal (IN) oxytocin (OT) improves neural processing in the MNS and is associated with improved social cognition. OT's brain effects can be measured through its modulation of the MNS by suppressing EEG mu-band electrical activity (8-13Hz) in response to motion perception. Although IN OT's effects on social cognition have been tested in SCZ, OT's impact on the MNS has not been evaluated to date. Therefore, we designed a study to investigate the effects of two different OT doses on biological motion-induced mu suppression in SCZ and healthy subjects. EEG recordings were taken after each subject received a single IN administration of placebo, OT-24IU and OT-48IU in randomized order in a double-blind crossover design. The results provide support for OT's regulation of the MNS in both healthy and SCZ subjects, with the optimal dose dependent on diagnostic group and sex of subject. A statistically significant response was seen in SCZ males only, indicating a heightened sensitivity to those effects, although sex hormone related effects cannot be ruled out. In general, OT appears to have positive effects on neural circuitry that supports social cognition and socially adaptive behaviors.
authors.affiliation: San Diego Veterans' Administration Healthcare System (SDVAHS), USA; Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), USA. Electronic address: fsingh@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Fiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), USA.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nunag
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), USA.
authors.forename: Glennis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muldoon
authors.affiliation: San Diego Veterans' Administration Healthcare System (SDVAHS), USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), USA.
authors.forename: Kristin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cadenhead
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Science, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), USA.
authors.forename: Jaime A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pineda
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feifel
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D066191:Sensorimotor Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: EEG; Mirror Neuron System; Mu suppression; Oxytocin; Schizophrenia