Oxytocin improves emotion recognition for older males
Abstract
Older adults (≥60 years) perform worse than young adults (18-30 years) when recognizing facial expressions of emotion. The hypothesized cause of these changes might be declines in neurotransmitters that could affect information processing within the brain. In the present study, we examined the neuropeptide oxytocin that functions to increase neurotransmission. Research suggests that oxytocin benefits the emotion recognition of less socially able individuals. Men tend to have lower levels of oxytocin and older men tend to have worse emotion recognition than older women; therefore, there is reason to think that older men will be particularly likely to benefit from oxytocin. We examined this idea using a double-blind design, testing 68 older and 68 young adults randomly allocated to receive oxytocin nasal spray (20 international units) or placebo. Forty-five minutes afterward they completed an emotion recognition task assessing labeling accuracy for angry, disgusted, fearful, happy, neutral, and sad faces. Older males receiving oxytocin showed improved emotion recognition relative to those taking placebo. No differences were found for older females or young adults. We hypothesize that oxytocin facilitates emotion recognition by improving neurotransmission in the group with the worst emotion recognition.
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Growing evidence suggests developmental change and aging effects on the OT system.
“There is a growing body of evidence suggesting developmental change and effects of aging on the OT system (Arsenijevic, Dreifuss, Vallet, Marguerat, & Tribollet, 1995; Barraza et al., 2013; Campbell, Ruffman, Murray, & Glue, 2014; Ebner et al., 2013, 2015, 2016; Keck et al., 2000; Melis, Mauri, & Argiolas, 1995; Parker, Hoffman, Hyde, Cummings, & Maestripieri, 2010).”
From Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood (2019) · cites this paper as Campbell et al., 2014
There is growing evidence that the oxytocin system is affected by age.
“This present examination of age-differential associations is particularly relevant, given growing evidence of age effects on the OT system (Campbell et al., 2014; Ebner et al., 2015, 2016).”
From Associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation, plasma oxytocin, and attachment across adulthood (2019) · cites this paper as Campbell et al., 2014
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- Authors
- Campbell, A., Ruffman, T., Murray, J. E., & Glue, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Otago (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Campbell, Anna
- Venue
- Neurobiology of Aging
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-10
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 2246-2248
- ISSN
- 0197-4580 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2083913872
- Cited by
- 63
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 9.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neurobiology of Aging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Keywords
- oxytocin, emotion recognition, emotional facial expressions, older adults, aging, sex differences, neurotransmission, social cognition, placebo effect
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Intranasal, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aging, Double-Blind Method, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Synaptic Transmission, Oxytocin, Sex Characteristics, Stimulation, Chemical, Recognition, Psychology, Young Adult
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