Pain modulation by intranasal oxytocin and emotional picture viewing - a randomized double-blind fMRI study.

The hormone oxytocin has been hypothesized to influence the emotional dimension of pain. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study explored whether intranasal oxytocin and emotional context can affect heat pain perception in 30 healthy male volunteers. After receiving 36 IU oxytocin or placebo, participants underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during which noxious and non-noxious thermode heat stimuli were applied.

Effects of intranasal oxytocin on thermal pain in healthy men: a randomized functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

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.