Faces: Choices Study

• Status: Withdrawn
• Trial end date: 2019-08-30
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: Male

Summary

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT), originally known for its role in inducing uterine contractions has been shown to be involved in many of the social capacities that seem to change with age, such as emotion detection and identification, enhanced social memory, empathy, and trust. Thus, age-related changes in the OXT system may underlie differences between young and older adults in socioemotional functioning. Research on the effects of oxytocin in aging is very scarce; therefore, the purpose of this research project is to determine the effects of oxytocin on socioemotional aging. The aim of this research is to examine the behavioral and neural effects of OXT on decisions of trust in social interactions, perceptions of facial trustworthiness, the ability to read faces, and levels of empathy with other people in samples of young and older adults.

• Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Florida
• Treatments: Oxytocin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between the ages of 18-33 (for the younger adults) and 60-85 (for the older adults)

• Male

• Caucasian

• English fluency

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe claustrophobia

• Currently on vasoconstrictors, pseudoephedrine or antidiuretic medication

• Surgery on the brain or any prior serious brain damage or disease

• Dementia or severe cognitive disorders

• History of hyponatremia, Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone, psychogenic polydipsia, or motion disorder