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Objective

Intranasal oxytocin has been shown to affect human social and emotional processing, but its potential to affect pain remains elusive. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception and processing of noxious experimental heat in 36 healthy male volunteers.

Methods

Thermal thresholds were determined according to the Quantitative Sensory Testing protocol. A functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment including intensity and unpleasantness ratings of tonic heat was used to investigate the effects of oxytocin within the brain.

Results

Thirty men (aged 18–50 years) were included in the study. Intranasal oxytocin had no significant effect on thermal thresholds, but significantly (t=− 2.06, p=. 046) reduced heat intensity ratings during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The effect on intensity ratings was small (− 3.46 …