Cited by 44Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeuroendocrine regulation and behaviorMemory and Neural Mechanisms

INTRANASAL OXYTOCIN ADMINISTRATION PRIOR TO EXPOSURE THERAPY FOR ARACHNOPHOBIA IMPEDES TREATMENT RESPONSE: Research Article: Intranasal Oxytocin Administration

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Acheson, Dean T., Feifel, David, Kamenski, Mary, Mckinney, Rebecca, Risbrough, Victoria B.·2015·Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recent years have seen the emergence of a new paradigm for treatment of anxiety disorders focusing on development of drugs that facilitate psychotherapies via targeted effects on neuroplasticity. One compound that has generated interest in this regard is oxytocin (OT), a mammalian neuropeptide that modulates activity of the neurocircuit mediating fear extinction and memory processes. Recent research in healthy humans has suggested that intranasal OT administered prior to fear extinction training enhances fear extinction performance, supporting its potential to augment exposure-based psychotherapy. Here, we tested the hypothesis that OT treatment would facilitate response to exposure therapy in patients with specific phobia. METHODS: We conducted a small proof-of-concept trial investigating the effect of pretreatment intranasal OT administration on a brief, single-session exposure treatment for arachnophobia (fear of spiders). The study was randomized, double-blind, and placebo controlled (n = 13 placebo, 11 females; n = 10 OT, 8 females) with 1-week and 1-month follow-up assessments. Dependent measures attended to arachnophobia symptoms (self-report), phobic behavior (behavioral avoidance of spider task), and treatment credibility/therapeutic alliance. RESULTS: Administration of OT prior to exposure therapy tended to impede treatment response as measured by self-report of symptoms at both follow-up periods. OT treatment did not significantly affect behavioral measures of fear. Immediately after OT administration but before therapy, the OT group trended toward less confidence in the treatment. The OT group also trended toward lower ratings of therapeutic alliance than placebo. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that OT administration effects on extinction may vary depending on conditions and population.

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  • Two small preliminary studies augmented a single-session exposure therapy for social anxiety (N=25) and arachnophobia (N=44) with only one low dose (24 IU) of oxytocin with null findings.

    “two small preliminary studies augmented a single-session exposure therapy for social anxiety (N=25) and arachnophobia (N=44) with only one low dose (24 IU) of oxytocin with null findings (Acheson et al., 2015; Guastella et al., 2009).”
  • Two small studies involving OXT augmentation for EBT in patients with SAD and arachnophobia had disappointing preliminary outcomes.

    “Two small studies involving OXT augmentation for EBT in patients with SAD (Guastella, Howard, Dadds, Mitchell, & Carson, 2009) and arachnophobia (Acheson, Feifel, Kamenski, McKinney, & Risbrough, 2015) had disappointing preliminary outcomes.”

    From Novel pharmacological targets in drug development for the treatment of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders (2019) · cites this paper as Acheson, Feifel, Kamenski, McKinney, & Risbrough, 2015

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Ressler KJ, Rothbaum BO, Tannenbaum L, et al. Cognitive enhancers as adjuncts to psychotherapy. Arch Gen Psychiat 2004;61:1136-1144.
  2. Lahoud N, Maroun M. Oxytocinergic manipulations in corticol- imbic circuit differentially affect fear acquisition and extinction. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013;38:2184-2195.

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Authors
Acheson, D. T., Feifel, D., Kamenski, M., Mckinney, R., & Risbrough, V. B.
Affiliations
University of California San Diego (US)
Corresponding author
Acheson, Dean T.
Venue
Depression and Anxiety
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-03-31
Volume
32
Issue
6
Pages
400-407
ISSN
1091-4269 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2142342538
Cited by
44
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3
FWCI
9.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Depression and Anxiety (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • UCSD Clinical and Translational Research Institute (CTRI)
  • Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD)
  • NIH (MH042228)
  • UCSD Clinical and Translational Research Institute
  • Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
oxytocin, intranasal administration, spider phobia, exposure therapy, specific phobia, fear extinction, treatment response, therapeutic relationship, treatment credibility, anxiety disorders, neuroplasticity
MeSH terms
Administration, Intranasal, Adult, Animals, Combined Modality Therapy, Double-Blind Method, Fear, Female, Humans, Implosive Therapy, Male, Mental Processes, Middle Aged, Oxytocin, Phobic Disorders, Premedication, Spiders, Treatment Outcome

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