The Effect of Intranasal Administration of Oxytocin on Empathic Abilities.

• Status: Unknown status
• Trial end date: 2010-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Empathy constitutes one prominent ability of social cognition, which represents the human capability of understanding mental state of the other, and responding in sympathetic way. Two sets of theoretical mechanisms were designed in order to explain how empathy is possible. Theory of Mind (ToM)and Simulation.People who suffer from schizophrenia frequently exhibit social dysfunction, preventing them of a normal integration in healthy human environments. Recently it had been discovered that impairment in empathy and a specific impairment in effective TOM are mostly associated with the social malfunctioning of people who suffer from schizophrenia. One of the biological substances most connected to social cognition is the neuromodulator Oxytocin. Among its known involvement in uterine contractions and lactating females, numerous recent studies have found an indispensable role for Oxytocin in various complex prosocial behaviors such as maternal behavior, attachment, partner preference and trust. In the proposed study, we plan to examine the influence of a single dose of intranasal Oxytocin on the two primary mechanisms of empathy, namely mentalizing (Theory of Mind) and Simulation, both in healthy people and in people who suffer from schizophrenia.

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

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Shalvata Mental Health Center
• Collaborator: University of Haifa
• Treatments: Oxytocin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria (for schizophrenic patients):

1. Range of age between 18 and 45 years.

2. The patient is diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia by 2 independent psychiatrists, according to DSM-IV criteria.

3. The participant is able to commit to 2 trials with 7 days interval.

4. The participant has been informed orally and in writing and has given his/her written consent.

5. When necessary, a psychiatrist has determined the patient's ability to agree, orally and in writing.

Inclusion Criteria (for healthy patients):

1. Range of age between 18 and 45 years.

2. The participant is able to commit to 2 trials with 7 days interval.

3. The participant has been informed orally and in writing and Has given his/her written consent.

Exclusion Criteria (for schizophrenic patients):

1. The participant is suffering from other acute, unstable, significant or untreated medical Illness, including arrhythmia and head injury.

2. The participant is suffers from an axis II disorder of DSM-IV.

3. The participant has history of alcohol or drug abuse.

4. The participant is pregnant or breast-feeding.

5. The participant suffers from mental retardation (IQ less than 75).

6. The participant has any disturbance in visuomotor coordination.

7. The participant has smoked a cigarette in the day of the trial.

8. High suicidal risk, as determined by the treating physician.

Exclusion Criteria (for healthy patients):

1. The participant is suffering from acute, unstable, significant or untreated medical Illness, including arrhythmia and head injury.

2. The participant has history of alcohol or drug abuse.

3. The participant is pregnant or breast-feeding.

4. The participant suffers from mental retardation (IQ less than 75).

5. The participant has any disturbance in visuomotor coordination.

6. The participant has smoked a cigarette in the day of the trial.