The Effect of Intranasal Oxytocin on Emphatic Abilities in Patients With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2013-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Oxytocin (OT) - a neurohormone and neuromodulator which is mainly synthesized in the
hypothalamus - is a key mediator of complex social and affective behaviors, including
emotional empathy. Recently, several theoretical studies suggested that PTSD patients have
abnormal functioning of the OT system. According to these theories, dysfunction in the
oxytocin system may modulate the interpersonal impairment that characterizes PTSD, and
therefore intranasal OT may potentially relieve these symptoms. The main goal of this study
is to examine the effects of administration of nasal OT on empathic abilities among PTSD
patients. Another goal of this study is to examine the relationship between empathic
abilities and the ability to retrieve autobiographical memories among PTSD patients.