Intranasal oxytocin improves recall of autobiographical memories: a dose-response study

Rationale/statement of the problem : We previously found that the intranasal administration of oxytocin positively altered self-reported personality. Changes in self-perception may represent one mechanism by which oxytocin facilitates prosocial behavior. To follow up this finding, we explored the acute effects of two doses of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU or 48 IU) on autobiographical memory. We predicted that oxytocin would decrease participants’ recall of overgeneral autobiographical memories (non-specific memories of the past) in a dose-dependent fashion. Since depressed individuals recall more overgeneral memories for past events, we hypothesized that the relation between oxytocin and autobiographical memory would be moderated by depressive symptoms. Methods : Seventeen males self-administered a placebo or oxytocin on three separate occasions in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, and within-subjects experiment. Participants were administered the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) 110 min after drug administration. Results : Participants recalled fewer overgeneral memories following the administration of 24 IU, but not 48 IU, of intranasal oxytocin relative to placebo [pr 2=.23, b = − 0.824, t(15) = − 2.426, p=.026], and individuals with higher depressive symptoms exhibited this effect in greater magnitude [pr 2=.20, b = − 0.148, t(15) = − 2.285, p=0.037]. Conclusions : The findings suggest that a 24 IU dose of intranasal oxytocin alters the recall of personal past memories, which may be a mechanism by which oxytocin changes self-perceptions. This is one of the first dose-response studies on intranasal oxytocin, and our findings suggest lower doses of oxytocin may have greater beneficial effects in young adults presenting with high depressive symptoms