Oxytocin MEG Study



Status:Completed
Conditions:Cognitive Studies, Schizophrenia, Psychiatric
Therapuetic Areas:Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 40
Updated:10/21/2018
Start Date:February 2012
End Date:December 2016

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Effects of Oxytocin on Neural Activation Patterns During Social Cognitive Tasks in Patients With Schizophrenia

The specific aim of this proposal is to investigate the neurophysiological mechanisms of
oxytocin's (OT) prosocial effects in patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects using
magnetoencephalography.

Hypothesis A: When OT is administered to patients with schizophrenia, fear-related amygdala
hyperreactivity and fusiform gyrus (FG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) hypoactivity will
be normalized.

Hypothesis B: When OT is administered to patients with schizophrenia, the decreased
functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala, FG, and ACC will be normalized.

By elucidating the neurophysiological mechanisms of OT administration on emotional face
processing, investigators will bee able to:

1. understand the pathophysiology of the functionally debilitating social cognitive
deficits of schizophrenia,

2. test the efficacy of OT in normalizing the neural abnormalities underlying these social
deficits, and

3. develop and optimize novel treatments for these currently untreatable deficits.


Inclusion Criteria for Patients:

- 18-40 years of age

- Male

- Must comprehend English

- Meet DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizoaffective disorder

- None or only minor changes to medications in the past week

- Able to use nasal spray

- Must be capable of providing informed consent

- Clinically stable

Inclusion Criteria for Healthy Controls:

- 18-40 years of age

- Male

- Must comprehend English

- No diagnosis of mental disorder according to DSM-IV TR

- Able to use nasal spray

- Must be capable of providing informed consent

- Clinically stable

Exclusion Criteria:

- Female

- Active substance abuse or dependence as determined by a Urine Toxicology Drug
Screening

- DSM-IV diagnosis of any disorder other than schizophrenia

- Medical conditions (atrophic rhinitis, recurrent nose bleeds and cranial surgical
procedures (hypophysectomy), congestion or sinus problems that could interfere with
the study as per the opinion of the investigator

- Hearing deficits

- A pacemaker, extensive dental work, or any magnetic metal implants

- Any history of severe brain trauma
We found this trial at
1
site
San Francisco, California 94143
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from
San Francisco, CA
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