Cited by 151Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorOlfactory and Sensory Function StudiesNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 143 of the 143 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Do delivery routes of intranasally administered oxytocin account for observed effects on social cognition and behavior? A two-level model

Quintana, Daniel S., Alvares, Gail A., Hickie, Ian B., Guastella, Adam J.·2015·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

DOI 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.12.011

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Accumulating evidence demonstrates the important role of oxytocin (OT) in the modulation of social cognition and behavior. This has led many to suggest that the intranasal administration of OT may benefit psychiatric disorders characterized by social dysfunction, such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Here, we review nasal anatomy and OT pathways to central and peripheral destinations, along with the impact of OT delivery to these destinations on social behavior and cognition. The primary goal of this review is to describe how these identified pathways may contribute to mechanisms of OT action on social cognition and behavior (that is, modulation of social information processing, anxiolytic effects, increases in approach-behaviors). We propose a two-level model involving three pathways to account for responses observed in both social cognition and behavior after intranasal OT administration and suggest avenues for future research to advance this research field.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.12.011

Cites

143 of 143 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

1 retracted

Retracted: A meta‐analysis and theoretical critique of oxytocin and psychosis: Prospects for attachment and compassion in promoting recovery
Gumley, A. I., Braehler, C., & MacBeth, A. M. (2014) · British Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjc.12041 · Cited by 34
Retracted
Principles of neural science
(1982) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/0166-2236(82)90076-5 · Cited by 9,150
Heart rate variability: origins, methods, and interpretive caveats
BERNTSON, G. G., THOMAS BIGGER, J., ECKBERG, D. L., GROSSMAN, P., KAUFMANN, P. G., MALIK, M., NAGARAJA, H. N., PORGES, S. W., SAUL, J. P., STONE, P. H., et al. (1997) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1997.tb02140.x · Cited by 3,962
The oxytocin receptor system: structure, function, and regulation
Gimpl, G., & Fahrenholz, F. (2001) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.2001.81.2.629 · Cited by 3,089
Dopamine in motivational control: rewarding, aversive, and alerting
Bromberg-Martin, E. S., Matsumoto, M., & Hikosaka, O. (2010) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2010.11.022 · Cited by 2,396
Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress
Heinrichs, M., Baumgartner, T., Kirschbaum, C., & Ehlert, U. (2003) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(03)00465-7 · Cited by 2,091
Claude Bernard and the heart-brain connection: further elaboration of a model of neurovisceral integration
Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2009) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.08.004 · Cited by 2,040
Oxytocin Modulates Neural Circuitry for Social Cognition and Fear in Humans
Kirsch, P., Esslinger, C., Chen, Q., Mier, D., Lis, S., Siddhanti, S., Gruppe, H., Mattay, V. S., Gallhofer, B., & Meyer-Lindenberg, A. (2005) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3984-05.2005 · Cited by 1,639
Social effects of oxytocin in humans: context and person matter
Bartz, J. A., Zaki, J., Bolger, N., & Ochsner, K. N. (2011) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2011.05.002 · Cited by 1,581
Different projections of the central amygdaloid nucleus mediate autonomic and behavioral correlates of conditioned fear
LeDoux, J., Iwata, J., Cicchetti, P., & Reis, D. (1988) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.08-07-02517.1988 · Cited by 1,580

Flagged first, then by citations

Show all 143 references

Sorted by citations

Items 101–151 of 151

Nebulized vasopressin penetrates CSF and improves social cognition without inducing aggression in a rhesus monkey model of autism
Talbot, C. F., Oztan, O., Simmons, S. M. V., Trainor, C., Ceniceros, L. C., Nguyen, D. K. K., Rosso, L. A. D., Garner, J. P., Capitanio, J. P., & Parker, K. J. (2024) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2418635121 · Cited by 12
Oxytocin modulates mate-guarding behavior in marmoset monkeys
Cavanaugh, J., Mustoe, A. C., Womack, S. L., & French, J. A. (2018) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.10.009 · Cited by 13
Oxytocin Removes Estrous Female vs. Male Preference of Virgin Male Rats: Mediation of the Supraoptic Nucleus Via Olfactory Bulbs
Liu, X., Cui, D., Li, D., Jiao, R., Wang, X., Jia, S., Hou, D., Li, T., Liu, H., Wang, P., et al. (2017) · Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fncel.2017.00327 · Cited by 12
Oxytocin gene networks in the human brain: A gene expression and large-scale fMRI meta-analysis studyPreprint
Quintana, D. S. (2018) · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · Cited by 12
Self-citation
Effects of oxytocin administration and the dog–owner bond on dogs’ rescue behavior
Dzik, M. V., Carballo, F., Casanave, E. B., & Bentosela, M. (2021) · Animal Cognition · doi:10.1007/s10071-021-01512-5 · Cited by 11
-Phasic Model of xytocin (): A systematic conceptual review of oxytocin-related ERP research
Pehlivanoglu, D., Myers, E., & Ebner, N. C. (2020) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107917 · Cited by 11
The Influence of Reward on Facial Mimicry: No Evidence for a Significant Effect of Oxytocin
Trilla, I., Drimalla, H., Bajbouj, M., & Dziobek, I. (2020) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00088 · Cited by 10
An evaluation of central penetration from a peripherally administered oxytocin receptor selective antagonist in nonhuman primates
Smith, A. L., Walum, H., Connor‐Stroud, F., Freeman, S. M., Inoue, K., Parr, L. A., Goodman, M. M., & Young, L. J. (2016) · Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2016.10.035 · Cited by 9
A Hypothalamic Perspective of Human Socioemotional Behavior
Carìa, A. (2023) · The Neuroscientist · doi:10.1177/10738584221149647 · Cited by 10
Effects of intranasal oxytocin on tactile perception
Silva, J. U., Galhardoni, R., de Andrade, D. C., & Brito, I. (2018) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2018.12.032 · Cited by 10
Prenatal exposure to valproic acid and treatment with intranasal oxytocin have sex-specific effects on behavior in Long Evans rats
Harding, S. M., Masters, E. C., D’Agata, C. M., Rivera, A. C. A., & Smith, E. C. (2021) · Behavioural Pharmacology · doi:10.1097/fbp.0000000000000650 · Cited by 9
Cerebral and extracerebral distribution of radioactivity associated with oxytocin in rabbits after intranasal administration: Comparison of TTA-121, a newly developed oxytocin formulation, with Syntocinon
Ishii, D., Kageyama, M., & Umeda, S. (2021) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0261451 · Cited by 8
Oxytocin Effects on Brain Functioning in Humans
Herpertz, S. C., & Bertsch, K. (2016) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.02.004 · Cited by 9
Oxytocin effects on gazing at the human face in retriever dogs
Dzik, M. V., Cavalli, C. M., Barrera, G., & Bentosela, M. (2020) · Behavioural Processes · doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104160 · Cited by 7
Short communication: pharmacokinetics of oxytocin administered intranasally to beef cattle
Wagner, B. K., Relling, A. E., Kieffer, J. D., Moraes, L. E., & Parker, A. J. (2019) · Domestic Animal Endocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.domaniend.2019.106387 · Cited by 7
Salivary oxytocin after oxytocin administration: Examining the moderating role of childhood trauma
Fragkaki, I., Glennon, J. C., & Cima, M. (2020) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107903 · Cited by 7
Long‐range projections of oxytocin neurons in the marmoset brain
Lefèvre, A., Meza, J., & Miller, C. T. (2024) · Journal of Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1111/jne.13397 · Cited by 7
Does oxytocin lead to emotional interference during a working memory paradigm?
Tollenaar, M. S., Ruissen, M. I., Elzinga, B. M., & de Bruijn, E. R. A. (2017) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-017-4737-z · Cited by 4
The effects of Cognitive Bias Modification training and oxytocin administration on trust in maternal support: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Verhees, M. W. F. T., Ceulemans, E., Bakermans‐Kranenburg, M. J., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Winter, S. D., & Bosmans, G. (2017) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2077-2 · Cited by 4
Oxytocin administration versus emotion training in healthy males: considerations for future research
Daughters, K., Rees, A., Hunnikin, L. M., Wells, A. E., Hall, J., & van Goozen, S. H. M. (2022) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2021.0056 · Cited by 3
Oxytocin's Influence on Social Decision-Making
Lefèvre, A., & Sirigu, A. (2016) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805308-9.00031-2 · Cited by 3
Oxytocin: How Does This Neuropeptide Change Our Social Behavior?
Quintana, D. S., & Alvares, G. A. (2016) · Frontiers for Young Minds · doi:10.3389/frym.2016.00007 · Cited by 3
Self-citation
Effects of exogenous oxytocin administration on non-social executive function in humans: A preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis protocolPreprint
Kang, H., Glaser, B. D., Sartorius, A. M., Audunsdottir, K., Nærland, T., Andreassen, O. A., Westlye, L. T., & Quintana, D. S. (2022) · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31219/osf.io/8fzdy · Cited by 3
Self-citation
Nasal dominance potentiates intranasal oxytocin’s anxiolytic effects
Julius, N., Nicholls, D., Nowell, J., & Burmester, V. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-95148-x · Cited by 2
Comorbidity of autism spectrum disorders and anxiety disorders: Insights from neuronal circuitry studies
Webster, J. F., & Cousin, M. A. (2026) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106547 · Cited by 2
Oxytocin and autism – A precision medicine framework to unpack mechanisms and evidence
Boulton, K., & Guastella, A. J. (2026) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106746 · Cited by 2
Self-citation
Evidence for intranasal oxytocin delivery to the brain: recent advances and future perspectivesPreprint
Quintana, D. S., Smerud, K. T., Andreassen, O. A., & Djupesland, P. G. (2018) · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31219/osf.io/fnhx5 · Cited by 3
Self-citation
Oxytocin beyond social bonding: Advancing neuromodulation, synaptic plasticity, and epigenetic precision in CNS disorders
Paul, S., Verma, J., & Mehan, S. (2026) · Neuropeptides · doi:10.1016/j.npep.2026.102597 · Cited by 1
Conserved and differing functions of the endocrine system across different social systems – oxytocin as a case study
Sosnowski, M. J., & Brosnan, S. F. (2024) · Frontiers in Endocrinology · doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1418089 · Cited by 2
Role of oxytocin in social cognition in psychosis spectrum disorders
Benavides, C., Fred-Torres, S., Rutter, S., Larsen, E. M., Fastman, J., Bulbena‐Cabré, A., Lepow, L., Mahon, K., Russo, M., Ungar, A. K., et al. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-815315-4.00006-9 · Cited by 1
Estudo dos efeitos centrais da ocitocina sobre a percepção somatossensorial e a memória da dor em humanos
da Silva, J. U. (2017) · Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo) · doi:10.11606/d.47.2017.tde-25072017-172834
EVOLUTION OF METHODS OF INTRODUCTION OF PHARMACOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS
Заволко, М., Никифоров, А., Nikiforov, A., Токарев, А., Tokarev, A., Киреев, С., Наумов, А., Naumov, A., Елисеенков, О., Шелухина, Н., et al. (2018) · Clinical Medicine and Pharmacology · doi:10.12737/article_5a72e5f69abd12.30490466
Ansiedade e voz cantada: parâmetros clínicos e efeitos da administração aguda de ocitocina em homens
Rojas, G. V. E. (2018) · doi:10.11606/t.17.2018.tde-17042018-141754
The Importance of Experimental Investigation of the CNS Oxytocin System
Boulton, K., & Guastella, A. J. (2021) · Methods in molecular biology · doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-1759-5_4
Self-citation
Oxytocin - not only a "social" neuropeptide
Brodmann, K. (2016) · eDiss (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen) · doi:10.53846/goediss-5978
La importancia de la oxitocina en el vínculo entre perros y personas
Dzik, M. V., Barrera, G., & Bentosela, M. (2019) · Interdisciplinaria Revista de Psicología y Ciencias Afines · doi:10.16888/interd.2018.35.2.17
Estudo do comportamento cooperativo por Meio do dilema do prisioneiro
Correa, T. C. (2020) · Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo) · doi:10.11606/d.47.2020.tde-28052020-190146
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Intranasal Oxytocin in Phelan-McDermid SyndromePreprint
Fastman, J., Foss‐Feig, J. H., Frank, Y., Halpern, D. B., Harony‐Nicolas, H., Layton, C., Sandin, S., Siper, P. M., Tang, L., Trelles, M. P., et al. (2021) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-268151/v1
Study of Oxytocin in Biopolitics
Jung, S. (2022) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s2042-994020220000013009
Perspective: Focused-Ultrasound Guided Neuropeptide Delivery as a Novel Therapeutic Approach in Psychiatry
Karthikeyan, M., Shrivastava, A., & Neff, A. (2023) · Seeds of Science · doi:10.53975/ykha-lrmn
Estudo dos efeitos da ocitocina intranasal sobre o medo, a dor e a memória aversiva em humanos
da Silva, J. U. (2023) · Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo) · doi:10.11606/t.47.2023.tde-06092023-125617
Intranasal drug delivery: reality and prospects
Lavrenova, G. V., & Oganyan, K. A. (2025) · Russian Rhinology · doi:10.17116/rosrino202533021143
Additional file 1 of A randomized controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin in Phelan-McDermid syndrome
Fastman, J., Foss‐Feig, J. H., Frank, Y., Halpern, D., Harony‐Nicolas, H., Layton, C., Sandin, S., Siper, P. M., Tang, L., Trelles, P., et al. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.16714232
Additional file 2 of A randomized controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin in Phelan-McDermid syndrome
Fastman, J., Foss‐Feig, J. H., Frank, Y., Halpern, D., Harony‐Nicolas, H., Layton, C., Sandin, S., Siper, P. M., Tang, L., Trelles, P., et al. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.16714235
In Situ Gellable Hydrogels for Nasal Drug Delivery
Ourani-Pourdashti, S., Marashiyan, S. M., & Tabatabaei, S. N. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-95-6619-8_5
The oxytocinergic descending control of pain and its modulation by neonatal maternal separation
Melchior, M. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/368c73c0ze731z4b57zb52cz8f31049fb33c
Effects of intranasal oxytocin on fear, pain and aversive memory
Silva, J. U., & Brito, I. (2026) · Neuropeptides · doi:10.1016/j.npep.2026.102618
Using EEG to Measure the Neural Effects of Oxytocin Administration: A Meta‐Analysis and Systematic Review
Deilhaug, E., Moerkerke, M., Sartorius, A. M., Kang, H., Kildal, E. S.-M., Walle, K. M., Elvsåshagen, T., Westlye, L. T., Nærland, T., Andreassen, O. A., et al. (2026) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/psyp.70334
Self-citation
The Effect of Intranasal Oxytocin on Social Interaction in Adults and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Fang, G., Pan, W., Li, G., Ma, L., & Wei, J. (2026) · ALPHA PSYCHIATRY · doi:10.31083/ap45322
BindingDB Entry 50049064: An evaluation of central penetration from a peripherally administered oxytocin receptor selective antagonist in nonhuman primates.
BindingDB (2019) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q24t6mnc
BindingDB Entry 50002504: LIT-001, the First Nonpeptide Oxytocin Receptor Agonist that Improves Social Interaction in a Mouse Model of Autism.
BindingDB (2020) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q24j0hrf

Authors: Quintana, D. S., Alvares, G. A., Hickie, I. B., & Guastella, A. J.
Affiliations: The University of Sydney (AU)
Corresponding author: Quintana, Daniel S.
ORCID: Quintana, Daniel S.
Alvares, Gail A.
Hickie, Ian B.
Guastella, Adam J.
Venue: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2015-02
Volume: 49
Pages: 182-192
ISSN: 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.12.011
OpenAlex: W2051491987
Cited by: 149
References: 143
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 11
FWCI: 2.61
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Australian Research Council (LP110100513)
National Health and Medical Research Council (10436644, 1061922)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords: oxytocin, intranasal administration, delivery routes, social cognition, social behavior, nasal anatomy, social information processing, anxiolytic effects, approach behavior, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, two-level model
MeSH terms: Administration, Intranasal, Animals, Cognition, Humans, Models, Biological, Nose, Oxytocin, Psychotropic Drugs, Social Behavior

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Do delivery routes of intranasally administered oxytocin account for observed effects on social cognition and behavior? A two-level model

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks