Assessment of Reward-Related Brain Function After a Single Dose of Oxytocin in Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Annalina V. Mayer - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Katrin Preckel - , Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Author)
  • Kristin Ihle - , Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Author)
  • Fabian A. Piecha - , Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Author)
  • Klaus Junghanns - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Stefan Reiche - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Lena Rademacher - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Laura Müller-Pinzler - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • David S. Stolz - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Inge Kamp-Becker - , University of Marburg (Author)
  • Sanna Stroth - , University of Marburg (Author)
  • Stefan Roepke - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Charlotte Küpper - , Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Veronika Engert - , Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Tania Singer - , Social Neuroscience Lab (Author)
  • Philipp Kanske - , Chair of Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Author)
  • Frieder M. Paulus - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Sören Krach - , University of Lübeck (Author)

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by difficulties in social communication and interaction, which have been related to atypical neural processing of rewards, especially in the social domain. As intranasal oxytocin has been shown to modulate activation of the brain's reward circuit, oxytocin might ameliorate the processing of social rewards in ASD and thus improve social difficulties. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we examined effects of a 24-IU dose of intranasal oxytocin on reward-related brain function in 37 men with ASD without intellectual impairment and 37 age- and IQ-matched control participants. Participants performed an incentive delay task that allows the investigation of neural activity associated with the anticipation and receipt of monetary and social rewards. Results: Nonsignificant tests suggested that oxytocin did not influence neural processes related to the anticipation of social or monetary rewards in either group. Complementary Bayesian analyses indicated moderate evidence for a null model, relative to an alternative model. Our results were inconclusive regarding possible oxytocin effects on amygdala responsiveness to social rewards during reward consumption. There were no significant differences in reward-related brain function between the two groups under placebo. Conclusions: Our results do not support the hypothesis that intranasal oxytocin generally enhances activation of reward-related neural circuits in men with and without ASD.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)136-146
Number of pages11
JournalBiological Psychiatry Global Open Science
Volume2
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Amygdala, Autism spectrum disorders, Oxytocin, Reward, Social motivation, Ventral striatum