Study of Wellness Behaviors as a Function of Oxytocin vs Placebo

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2014-09-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The specific aim of this study is to test whether oxytocin (OT) boosts the positive emotion yield of a new wellness behavior (Lovingkindness meditation or Mindfulness meditation) and thereby increases nonconscious motives that shape daily behavioral decisions to repeat it, which in turn foster positive emotions that further augment nonconscious motives in an upward spiral dynamic.

The proposed research targets three hypotheses: (1) Oxytocin manipulation magnifies (i.e., moderates) the positive emotion yield of Lovingkindness meditation; (2) The positive emotion yield of meditation, which varies by experimental condition, increases the nonconscious incentive salience of Wellness Behavior-related cues; and (3) Behavioral decisions predict positive emotions, sparking the relationships among OT manipulation, positive emotion yield, and nonconscious incentive salience of Wellness Behavior-related cues.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Collaborator: National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
• Treatments: Oxytocin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• between the ages of 35 and 64 years old.

• Fluent in written and spoken English

• Willingness or interest in learning to meditate

• Computer literate with access to internet (weekly)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

• Individuals on antihypertensive medication

• Individuals who have or have had a regular meditation practice

• Individuals who can read Chinese logographs