Oxytocin and brain activity in humans: a systematic review and coordinate-based meta-analysis of functional MRI studies
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide which has a critical role in human social behaviour and cognition. Research investigating the role of OXT on functional brain changes in humans has often used task paradigms that probe socioemotional processes. Preliminary evidence suggests a central role of the amygdala in the social cognitive effects of intranasal OXT (IN-OXT), however, inconsistencies in task-design and analysis methods have led to inconclusive findings regarding a cohesive model of the neural mechanisms underlying OXT's actions. The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically investigate these findings. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases was conducted for fMRI studies which compared IN-OXT to placebo in humans. First, we systematically reviewed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of IN-OXT, including studies of healthy humans, those with clinical disorders, and studies examining resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI). Second, we employed a coordinate-based meta-analysis for task-based neuroimaging literature using activation likelihood estimation (ALE), whereby, coordinates were extracted from clusters with significant differences in IN-OXT versus placebo in healthy adults. Data were included for 39 fMRI studies that reported a total of 374 distinct foci. The meta-analysis identified task-related IN-OXT increases in activity within a cluster of the left superior temporal gyrus during tasks of emotion processing. These findings are important as they implicate regions beyond the amygdala in the neural effects of IN-OXT. The outcomes from this meta-analysis can guide a priori predictions for future OXT research, and provide an avenue for targeted treatment interventions.
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Intranasal oxytocin increases the activity of regions involved in visual processing and reward, along with the amygdala.
“IN-OT also increases the activity of regions involved in visual processing and reward, along with the amygdala, a region responsible for assigning valence to social interactions [100].”
From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [100]
A meta-analysis of 82 studies including 3950 subjects confirms that the amygdala is the brain region most likely to be modulated by IN-OT followed by the insula, cingulate cortex, inferior frontal and orbitofrontal cortices, midbrain and basal ganglia, temporal gyrus, precuneus, and occipital cortex.
“A recent meta-analysis of 82 studies including 3950 subjects confirm that the amygdala is the brain region most likely to be modulated by IN-OT followed by the insula, cingulate cortex, inferior frontal and orbitofrontal cortices, midbrain and basal ganglia, temporal gyrus, precuneus, and occipital cortex [39].”
From Translational opportunities for circuit-based social neuroscience: advancing 21st century psychiatry (2021) · cites this paper as [39]
Results across IN-OT studies are highly heterogeneous and vary based on the population and context of the study.
“However, results across studies are highly heterogeneous and vary based on the population and context of the study.”
From Translational opportunities for circuit-based social neuroscience: advancing 21st century psychiatry (2021) · cites this paper as [39]
Divergent responses to IN-OT are associated with OXTR polymorphisms, gender, personality traits, attachment style, and underlying psychopathology.
“Divergent responses to IN-OT have been associated with OXTR polymorphisms, gender, personality traits, attachment style, and underlying psychopathology [39,40].”
From Translational opportunities for circuit-based social neuroscience: advancing 21st century psychiatry (2021) · cites this paper as [39]
In psychiatric cohorts including patients with ASD, borderline personality disorder, social anxiety disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia, IN-OT often exerts a "normalizing" effect on the amygdala, increasing or decreasing activity to align with that observed in healthy controls.
“In psychiatric cohorts including patients with ASD, borderline personality disorder, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia, IN-OT often exerts a “normalizing” effect on the amygdala, increasing or decreasing activity to align with that observed in healthy controls [39].”
From Translational opportunities for circuit-based social neuroscience: advancing 21st century psychiatry (2021) · cites this paper as [39]
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References 129 · Cited by 120
- Authors
- Grace, S. A., Rossell, S. L., Heinrichs, M., Kordsachia, C., & Labuschagne, I.
- Affiliations
- Swinburne University of Technology (AU)
- St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne (AU)
- University of Freiburg (DE)
- Australian Catholic University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Grace, Sally A.
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-10
- Volume
- 96
- Pages
- 6-24
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2803808353
- Semantic Scholar
- 2ea2d96cb85ac6f185384de30e0cde27bf967147
- Cited by
- 120
- References
- 129
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 2.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Cooperative Research Centres, Australian Government Department of Industry
- California Department of Fish and Game
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- oxytocin, intranasal oxytocin, brain activity, amygdala, superior temporal gyrus, emotional processing, social cognition, resting-state fMRI, activation likelihood estimation, social behavior
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Intranasal, Amygdala, Brain, Brain Mapping, Emotions, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neural Pathways, Oxytocin, Sex Factors, Social Behavior, Cluster Analysis
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