title: Oxytocin blurs the self-other distinction during trait judgments and reduces medial prefrontal cortex responses.
abstract: The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) may act either to increase or blur the distinction between self and other and thereby promote either more selfish or altruistic behaviors. To attempt to distinguish between these two possibilities we performed a double-blind, between-subject, placebo-controlled design study to investigate the effect of intranasal OXT on self and other (mother, classmate, or stranger) trait judgments in conjunction with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results showed that OXT reduced response times for making both self and other judgments, but also reduced the accuracy of their subsequent recall, thereby abolishing the normal self-bias observed in this task. OXT also abolished the positive correlation between response and self-esteem scale scores seen in the PLC group, suggesting that its effects were strongest in individuals with higher levels of self-esteem. A whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis revealed that OXT also reduced responses during both self and other trait judgments in the dorsal (dmPFC) and ventral (vmPFC) medial prefrontal cortex. A subsequent region of interest analysis revealed that behavioral performance and self-esteem scale scores were associated with dmPFC activation and its functional connectivity with the anterior cingulate and between the vmPFC and posterior cingulate. Thus overall, while OXT may improve speed of decision making in self -vs. other trait judgments it also blunts the normal bias towards remembering self-attributes and reduces mPFC responses and connectivity with other cortical midline regions involved in self-processing. This is consistent with the view that OXT can reduce self-centered behavior. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2512-2527, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuxia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yayuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaole
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lizhu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Keith M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kendrick
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: cortical midline structures; medial prefrontal cortex; oxytocin; self- vs. other processing; self-esteem; self-referential effect