Cited by 350Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAutism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Intranasal oxytocin versus placebo in the treatment of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A randomized controlled trial

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Anagnostou, Evdokia, Soorya, Latha, Chaplin, William, Bartz, Jennifer, Halpern, Danielle, Wasserman, Stacey, Wang, A Ting, Pepa, Lauren +3 more·2012·Molecular Autism

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There are no effective medications for the treatment of social cognition/function deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and adult intervention literature in this area is sparse. Emerging data from animal models and genetic association studies as well as early, single-dose intervention studies suggest that the oxytocin system may be a potential therapeutic target for social cognition/function deficits in ASD. The primary aim of this study was to examine the safety/therapeutic effects of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo in adults with ASD, with respect to the two core symptom domains of social cognition/functioning and repetitive behaviors. METHODS: This was a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design trial of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo in 19 adults with ASD (16 males; 33.20 ± 13.29 years). Subjects were randomized to 24 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo in the morning and afternoon for 6 weeks. Measures of social function/cognition (the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy) and repetitive behaviors (Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised) were administered. Secondary measures included the Social Responsiveness Scale, Reading-the-Mind-in-the-Eyes Test and the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale - compulsion subscale and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire - emotional/social subscales). Full-information maximum-likelihood parameter estimates were obtained and tested using mixed-effects regression analyses. RESULTS: Although no significant changes were detected in the primary outcome measures after correcting for baseline differences, results suggested improvements after 6 weeks in measures of social cognition (Reading-the-Mind-in-the-Eyes Test, p = 0.002, d = 1.2), and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire - emotion, p = 0.031, d = 0.84), both secondary measures. Oxytocin was well tolerated and no serious adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that there is therapeutic potential to daily administration of intranasal oxytocin in adults with ASD and that larger and longer studies are warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00490802.

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  • Small randomized controlled trials of intranasal oxytocin administered for 4 to 24 weeks in persons with autism spectrum disorder have had equivocal results regarding improvements in social functioning, social cognition, or social attention.

    “Small, randomized, controlled trials of intranasal oxytocin administered for 4 to 24 weeks in persons with autism spectrum disorder have had equivocal results with regard to oxytocin-associated improvements in social functioning, social cognition, or social attention.18–21”
  • Multiple lines of evidence suggest an involvement of dysregulated neurotransmitter systems (serotonergic, oxytocinergic, and dopaminergic) in autism.

    “Multiple lines of evidence suggest an involvement of dysregulated neurotransmitter systems (serotonergic, oxytocinergic and dopaminergic systems) in autism.”

    From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [181]

  • These neurotransmitter systems play key roles in neurotransmission, brain maturation, cortical organisation, and behaviours including social and repetitive behaviour.

    “These systems play key roles in neurotransmission, brain maturation, cortical organisation and behaviours (including social behaviour and repetitive behaviour) [180,181,182,183,184].”

    From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [181]

  • Clinical trials of oxytocin in autistic patients are ongoing, yet several studies have produced inconclusive results.

    “Clinical trials of OT in autistic patients are ongoing, yet several studies have produced inconclusive results (4–8)”
  • The intranasal route of administration has been validated for both oxytocin and naloxone in previous human studies.

    “This route of administration has been validated for both OT (6, 71) and NAL (72–74) in previous human studies”

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Authors
Anagnostou, E., Soorya, L., Chaplin, W., Bartz, J., Halpern, D., Wasserman, S., Wang, A. T., Pepa, L., Tanel, N., Kushki, A., & Hollander, E.
Affiliations
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • Rush University (US)
  • St. John's University (US)
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
  • Albert Einstein College of Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Anagnostou, Evdokia
Venue
Molecular Autism
Published
2012
Volume
3
Issue
1
Pages
16
ISSN
2040-2392 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2134806674
Cited by
350
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 1
FWCI
44.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Molecular Autism (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • TSpace (University of Toronto) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • Ontario Brain Institute
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Keywords
intranasal oxytocin, autism spectrum disorder, autistic adults, social cognition, social functioning, repetitive behavior, quality of life, Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, drug safety

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