Cited by 402Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorFace Recognition and PerceptionOlfactory and Sensory Function Studies

Oxytocin Makes a Face in Memory Familiar

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Rimmele, Ulrike, Hediger, Karin, Heinrichs, Markus, Klaver, Peter·2009·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Social recognition is the basis of all social interactions. Here, we show that, in humans, the evolutionarily highly conserved neuropeptide oxytocin, after intranasal administration, specifically improves recognition memory for faces, but not for nonsocial stimuli. With increased oxytocin levels, previously presented faces were more correctly assessed as “known,” whereas the ability of recollecting faces was unchanged. This pattern speaks for an immediate and selective effect of the peptide strengthening neuronal systems of social memory.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.4260-08.2009

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  • Administering oxytocin enhances recognition of face identities, but not nonsocial stimuli.

    “Administering oxytocin enhances recognition of face identities, but not nonsocial stimuli (Rimmele et al. 2009)”
  • Other scholars reported that oxytocin increased generosity.

    “other scholars reported that OT increased generosity (5)”

    From Is there a Publication Bias in Behavioural Intranasal Oxytocin Research on Humans? Opening the File Drawer of One Laboratory (2016) · cites this paper as [5]

    The Introduction says oxytocin may facilitate prosocial behavior and cites increased trust, but it does not mention generosity. The Results and Discussion report improved face recognition, not giving behavior. A search of our copy for generosity, giving, and altruism found no passage addressing the claimed increase in generosity. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Intranasal OXT administration in healthy humans improves social and emotion recognition.

    “improving social and emotion recognition (Domes et al, 2007b;Guastella et al, 2008;Rimmele et al, 2009)”

    From Chronic and acute intranasal oxytocin produce divergent social effects in mice (2014) · cites this paper as Rimmele et al, 2009

  • IN-OT increases memory for faces.

    “Researchers found that IN-OT increases cooperation and social trust in others (Kosfeld et al. 2005), increases envy and schadenfreude in situations of loss (Shamay-Tsoory et al. 2009), enhances mind-reading capacities (Domes et al. 2007b), increases memory for faces (Rimmele et al. 2009), and improves emotion recognition (Schulze et al. 2011).”

    From A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials (2017) · cites this paper as Rimmele et al. 2009

  • Oxytocin administration has been shown to enhance memory for social but not non-social stimuli.

    “Furthermore, oxytocin administration has been shown to enhance memory for social but not non-social stimuli (Rimmele et al., 2009).”

    From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Rimmele et al., 2009

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Authors
Rimmele, U., Hediger, K., Heinrichs, M., & Klaver, P.
Affiliations
University of Zurich (CH)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2009-01-07
Volume
29
Issue
1
Pages
38-42
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2118287087
Cited by
402
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 52 · 2012: 35
FWCI
49.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
  • Open Research (University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
  • edoc (University of Basel) (submittedVersion)
  • Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
  • FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (114788, 118850)
  • Universität Zürich (PP001-114788)
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, face memory, social memory, intranasal administration, recollection, familiarity, neuropeptides, social cognition
MeSH terms
Affect, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Double-Blind Method, Face, Humans, Male, Oxytocin, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Sex Factors, Wakefulness, Recognition, Psychology, Young Adult

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