Oxytocin Shapes the Neural Circuitry of Trust and Trust Adaptation in Humans

Layperson Summary:

Intranasal oxytocin may some day be a useful therapy for autism.

This study was designed to see how the brain responded to breaking of trust when a person had been given a treatment of the hormone oxytocin. People who faced social risks and were given oxytocin were much more likely to trust again after their trust had been broken. Oxytocin had its biggest effect when it was given at the same time as the person was getting social feedback (broken trust). The authors suggest that oxytocin may decrease the fear of social betrayal. Oxytocin also seemed to decrease the symptoms of social anxiety and stress.

Scientific Abstract