HealthyNCT07162584
Oxytocin and Human Defensive Responses in a Dynamic Situation
A study testing Oxytocin nasal spray in people with Healthy, run by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
The presnet study is to investigate the effect of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) treatment on modulating how human responsd to threat in a dynamic situation. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy
- What is being tested?
- Oxytocin nasal spray
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 13 Sep 2025to 28 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders
Who cannot join
- History of head injury; pregnant, menstruating, taking oral contraceptives; medical or psychiatric illness,
- The presence of metal in the body or claustrophobia.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, Sichuan, 611731
About this study
Official title: The Modulatory Affect of Oxytocin on Human Defensive Responses During Dynamic Predator-prey Interactions
The presnet study is to investigate the effect of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) treatment on modulating how human responsd to threat in a dynamic situation.
Read the detailed description
Predator-prey interactions are inherently dynamic, requiring adaptive responses from prey to survive. Altough there is eviedence for oxytocin modulating anxiety and fear responses to threats, it remains unclear whether oxytocin (OT) would modulate how humans respond to threats along the predatory imminence continuum to facilitate escape during such interactions. Our study therefore focuses on this question by combining behavioralmeasures, skin conductance response, and fMRI in a dynamic predator-prey interaction paradigm. In this double-blind, between-subject, placebo-controlled study, participants are instructed to escape by evaluating the relative distance between themselves (i.e., the prey), the predator (slow, medium and high attacking speed) and the refuge. The MRI and Biopac electrophysiological acquisition systems are used in the study to collect subjects' brain activity and skin conductance response. Participants are also asked to rate their confidence and anxiety levels during performing the task. We will aslo examine the resulted patterns of flight initiation distance (FID) and distance to refuge (DTR) when the prey fled from different predators. Scores of questionnaires including Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ, Autism Spectrum Quotient, Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire, General Risk Propensity Scale are also collected before the experiment.
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Being tested
- Oxytocin nasal spray, Placebo
- Keywords
- oxytocin, fMRI, escape decisions, dynamic predator-prey interaction, defensive responses
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Oxytocin nasal sprayDrug
intranasal administration of oxytocin (24 IU)
PlaceboDrug
intranasal administration of placebo (24 IU)
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| oxytocin group | Experimental | male and female subjects with oxytocin treatment Receives: Drug: Oxytocin nasal spray |
| placebo group | Placebo comparator | male and female subjects with placebo treatment Receives: Drug: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Escape sucess rates when confronting different predators
Escape sucess rates in successfully entering the refuge when confronting the fast, medium and slow predators.
Measured: 1 hour
Flight initiation distance
It is the prey-predator distance when a prey flees from a threat, a key index quantifying escape decisions.
Measured: 1 hour
The distance to refuge
The distance to refuge when a prey flees from a threat.
Measured: 1 hour
Brain activity patterns in response to threats along the predatory imminence continuum
Brain activity patterns in response to different predators along the predatory imminence continuum. We will examine these brain response patterns via both the conventional univariate analysis and the machine learning-based multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) approaches. Based on previous studies, the medium predator is a priori used as an anchor for fast and slow predators for a more sensitive measure of brain activity differences and contrasts with the medium predator would be reported in the suplemental files for completeness (if there were significant effects).
Measured: 1 hour
Secondary outcomes (3)
Confidence rating scores
Participants are asked to rate their confidence levels in successfully escaping from the predator before each block.
Measured: 1 hour
Anxiety rating scores
Particioants are asked to rate how anxious they felt during the escape decision-making process.
Measured: 1 hour
SCR during task
Skin Conductance Response (SCR) data are recorded in the task during scanning.
Measured: 1 hour
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Sep 2025
- Study start13 Sep 2025
- Primary completion15 Jan 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion28 Jan 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HealthyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Shuxia Yao, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Investigators
- Shuxia Yao, Dr, Principal investigator, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07162584
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UESTC-neuSCAN-87
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 1 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Modulatory Affect of Oxytocin on Human Defensive Responses During Dynamic Predator-prey Interactions
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07162584
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UESTC-neuSCAN-87
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Keywords
- oxytocin, fMRI, escape decisions, dynamic predator-prey interaction, defensive responses
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jan 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 28 Jan 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The presnet study is to investigate the effect of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) treatment on modulating how human responsd to threat in a dynamic situation.
Detailed description
Predator-prey interactions are inherently dynamic, requiring adaptive responses from prey to survive. Altough there is eviedence for oxytocin modulating anxiety and fear responses to threats, it remains unclear whether oxytocin (OT) would modulate how humans respond to threats along the predatory imminence continuum to facilitate escape during such interactions. Our study therefore focuses on this question by combining behavioralmeasures, skin conductance response, and fMRI in a dynamic predator-prey interaction paradigm. In this double-blind, between-subject, placebo-controlled study, participants are instructed to escape by evaluating the relative distance between themselves (i.e., the prey), the predator (slow, medium and high attacking speed) and the refuge. The MRI and Biopac electrophysiological acquisition systems are used in the study to collect subjects' brain activity and skin conductance response. Participants are also asked to rate their confidence and anxiety levels during performing the task. We will aslo examine the resulted patterns of flight initiation distance (FID) and distance to refuge (DTR) when the prey fled from different predators. Scores of questionnaires including Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ, Autism Spectrum Quotient, Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire, General Risk Propensity Scale are also collected before the experiment.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| oxytocin group | Experimental | Drug: Oxytocin nasal spraymale and female subjects with oxytocin treatment |
| placebo group | Placebo comparator | Drug: Placebomale and female subjects with placebo treatment |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- History of head injury; pregnant, menstruating, taking oral contraceptives; medical or psychiatric illness,
- The presence of metal in the body or claustrophobia.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Oxytocin nasal sprayintranasal administration of oxytocin (24 IU) | Drug | oxytocin group |
| Placebointranasal administration of placebo (24 IU) | Drug | placebo group |
Primary outcome
Escape sucess rates when confronting different predators
Time frame: 1 hour
Escape sucess rates in successfully entering the refuge when confronting the fast, medium and slow predators.
Flight initiation distance
Time frame: 1 hour
It is the prey-predator distance when a prey flees from a threat, a key index quantifying escape decisions.
The distance to refuge
Time frame: 1 hour
The distance to refuge when a prey flees from a threat.
Brain activity patterns in response to threats along the predatory imminence continuum
Time frame: 1 hour
Brain activity patterns in response to different predators along the predatory imminence continuum. We will examine these brain response patterns via both the conventional univariate analysis and the machine learning-based multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) approaches. Based on previous studies, the medium predator is a priori used as an anchor for fast and slow predators for a more sensitive measure of brain activity differences and contrasts with the medium predator would be reported in the suplemental files for completeness (if there were significant effects).
3 secondary outcomes
Confidence rating scores
Time frame: 1 hour
Anxiety rating scores
Time frame: 1 hour
SCR during task
Time frame: 1 hour
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Oct 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Shuxia Yao, Dr principal investigator
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Oxytocin nasal spray in people with Healthy, run by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Keith M Kendrick, Dr (86-28-61830811, k.kendrick.uestc@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Escape sucess rates when confronting different predators (time frame: 1 hour). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Oct 2025.