New publication on reward-related brain function and oxytocin in autism

In a  multi-center trial, researchers from Lübeck, Marburg, Berlin, Jena, Leipzig, and Dresden conducted a randomised placebo-controlled fMRI study. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin on reward-related brain function in 37 men with ASD without intellectual impairment and 37 age- and IQ-matched control participants. Participants performed an incentive delay task in the fMRI scanner to examine neural activity associated with the anticipation and receipt of monetary and social rewards. Results did not support the hypothesis that intranasal oxytocin generally enhances activation of reward-related neural circuits in men with and without ASD.

The Journal Pre-proof was published in the Journal Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science.