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Molecular Autism
Published in: Molecular Autism 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research

The effect of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo treatment on the autonomic responses to human sounds in autism: a single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design study

Authors: I-Fan Lin, Makio Kashino, Haruhisa Ohta, Takashi Yamada, Masayuki Tani, Hiromi Watanabe, Chieko Kanai, Taisei Ohno, Yuko Takayama, Akira Iwanami, Nobumasa Kato

Published in: Molecular Autism | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulty with verbal communication, which might be due to a lack of spontaneous orientation toward social auditory stimuli. Previous studies have shown that a single dose of oxytocin improves speech comprehension in autism. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether the orientation behaviors toward human sounds are different for neurotypical (NT) adults and adults with ASD and whether oxytocin has an effect on their orientation behaviors toward human sounds.

Methods

This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, within-subject, crossover design study of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo in 13 NT adults and 16 adults with ASD. Subjects were randomized to 24 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo on different days, and they were blind to the treatment. The participants then listened passively to human and non-human affective sounds while their skin conductance responses (SCRs) and the changes in peripheral blood vessel constriction were monitored as an indicator of spontaneous orientation. The monitored data were analyzed by a mixed-design ANOVA.

Results

Oxytocin enhanced the difference between the SCRs to human and non-human sounds in both the NT and ASD groups (F(1,56) = 6.046, p = 0.017). Further correlation coefficient analysis showed significant correlations between this SCR difference and the scores in the autism spectrum quotient ‘attention to detail’ and ‘social skill’ subscales and interpersonal reactivity index and social functioning scale in the ASD group. Oxytocin was well tolerated, and no serious adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

The difference in SCRs implies that oxytocin nasal spray may enhance orientation behaviors toward human sounds in the presence of other environmental sounds in both ASD and NT adults.

Trial registration

UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial, Unique trial number: UMIN000005809
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
The effect of intranasal oxytocin versus placebo treatment on the autonomic responses to human sounds in autism: a single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design study
Authors
I-Fan Lin
Makio Kashino
Haruhisa Ohta
Takashi Yamada
Masayuki Tani
Hiromi Watanabe
Chieko Kanai
Taisei Ohno
Yuko Takayama
Akira Iwanami
Nobumasa Kato
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Molecular Autism / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 2040-2392
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/2040-2392-5-20

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