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(https://www.psypost.org/could-oxytocin-nasal-spray-help-children-with-autism-by-making-faces-less-overwhelming/) Could oxytocin nasal spray help children with autism by making faces less overwhelming?
Mar 31st 2025, 10:00

A new study in (https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-024-00635-z) Molecular Autism has found that a four-week course of oxytocin nasal spray in children with autism spectrum disorder was associated with decreased activity in brain regions responsible for processing faces. This reduction in brain activity suggests that oxytocin might make faces less attention-grabbing for these children, potentially easing social anxiety. These findings could support the idea that oxytocin’s benefits come from reducing social stress, rather than simply making social cues more appealing.
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition that often includes difficulties with social interaction and communication. One of the challenges individuals with autism may face is understanding social cues from faces, which can be important for navigating social situations. Currently, there are no medications specifically designed to target these social communication difficulties in autism.
Oxytocin has been of interest because it plays a role in social behaviors and can be easily administered as a nasal spray. Previous studies exploring how oxytocin impacts face processing have yielded mixed results. Some research has indicated that oxytocin might increase brain activity in areas related to face processing, suggesting it enhances attention to social information.
Other studies, however, have pointed to the opposite effect, with oxytocin reducing brain activity, potentially by lessening social stress. The researchers hypothesized that these differing results could be due to whether oxytocin was given as a single dose or over a longer period. To clarify this, their current study focused on the effects of repeated doses of oxytocin over several weeks on how children with autism process faces.
“Autism is a complex condition, especially in terms of social difficulties,” said study author (https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthijs-moerkerke/) Matthijs Moerkerke, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Developmental Psychiatry at KU Leuven. “Oxytocin, known as the ‘cuddle hormone,’ has been studied for its potential to enhance social cues (like faces) or reduce social anxiety in autism. While acute oxytocin effects have been explored, its long-term impact on the brain in autistic children remains unknown. Therefore, my interest in this topic, to examine how chronic oxytocin administration affects brain activity during facial expression processing in autism.”
To conduct their study, the researchers recruited school-aged children diagnosed with autism and a comparison group of children without autism. The children with autism were randomly assigned to receive either oxytocin or a placebo nasal spray twice daily for four weeks. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving oxytocin and who was receiving the placebo, a method called a double-blind study. The children in the comparison group, who did not have autism, did not receive any nasal spray.
All children participated in functional magnetic resonance imaging, a brain scanning technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow. The children with autism underwent brain scans both before starting the four-week treatment and after completing it. The comparison group was scanned only once, at the beginning of the study. During the brain scan, children were shown images of faces displaying either neutral or fearful expressions, as well as scrambled images that served as a control. These images were presented in blocks, alternating between different types of faces and a fixation cross, which was a simple visual cue to focus on.
To ensure the children were paying attention to the images, they were given a simple task to perform during the scan. They were instructed to press a button whenever the gender of the face changed or when a scrambled image briefly changed to a simple face outline. This task was designed to keep them focused on the screen without specifically requiring them to process the emotions on the faces.
The researchers analyzed the brain scan data to compare brain activity between the groups and to see how brain activity changed after oxytocin treatment. Initially, they compared the brain activity of children with and without autism at the start of the study. Surprisingly, they found no significant differences in brain activity related to face processing between the two groups at the beginning.
However, when they examined the effects of the four-week oxytocin treatment in children with autism, they observed some interesting changes. Compared to the placebo group, children who received oxytocin showed reduced brain activity in the left superior temporal sulcus and the left inferior frontal region after the treatment period.
Looking more closely at the oxytocin group alone, the researchers found that brain activity in several key face processing regions decreased significantly from before to after the four-week treatment. These regions included not only the superior temporal sulcus and inferior frontal region, but also the inferior occipital region and posterior fusiform region, as well as the amygdala. These reductions in brain activity were not observed in the placebo group.
“We expected oxytocin to increase brain activity related to facial expression processing, making social cues more noticeable,” Moerkerke told PsyPost. “Instead, we saw a slight reduction in neural activity, suggesting a stress-reducing effect. This could mean oxytocin, administered over a longer period (4 weeks), helps autistic children feel more at ease in social situations rather than enhancing facial expression processing. By lowering social stress, oxytocin may support more comfortable and natural social interactions.”
Looking ahead, the researchers emphasized the need for future studies to further explore the differences between single-dose and long-term oxytocin administration.
“Single doses are often paired with tasks like facial recognition, where oxytocin improves performance, while chronic use showed more stress-reducing effects,” Moerkerke said. “Future research should combine chronic oxytocin use with (positive) social tasks or behavioral therapy to evaluate its effects. This is something our lab is currently working on.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-024-00635-z) Impact of chronic intranasal oxytocin administration on face expression processing in autistic children: a randomized controlled trial using fMRI,” was authored by Matthijs Moerkerke, Nicky Daniels, Stephanie Van der Donck, Tiffany Tang, Jellina Prinsen, Elahe’ Yargholi, Jean Steyaert, Kaat Alaerts, and Bart Boets.

(https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-antisocial-behavior-in-teens-to-increased-substance-use-by-age-17/) New study links antisocial behavior in teens to increased substance use by age 17
Mar 31st 2025, 08:00

A longitudinal study of adolescents in Sweden found that individuals prone to antisocial behavior at age 15 were more likely to use drugs or alcohol by age 17. In contrast, those who exhibited more prosocial behaviors were less likely to develop these habits. The findings were published in (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108308) Addictive Behaviors Addictive Behaviors.
Antisocial behaviors are actions that violate societal norms and can negatively impact others or society as a whole. These behaviors range from relatively minor acts, such as lying and cheating, to more serious offenses like theft, violence, and other criminal activities. Antisocial behaviors are generally viewed as disruptive and harmful, often resulting in social and legal consequences for the individual.
Prosocial behaviors, on the other hand, include actions intended to benefit others—such as helping, sharing, donating, volunteering, and cooperating. These behaviors are typically motivated by empathy, concern for others, and a desire to contribute positively to society. Because of their role in promoting social cohesion and harmony, prosocial behaviors are widely encouraged.
Study author Simon Jangard and his colleagues aimed to investigate the relationship between substance use—specifically alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs—and both antisocial and prosocial behaviors. They focused on two types of antisocial behavior: conduct problems and criminal behavior. For prosocial behavior, they examined three categories: global prosociality, general trust, and institutional trust.
Conduct problems refer to behavioral issues marked by aggression or antisocial tendencies that violate societal norms and negatively affect both the individual and those around them. Global prosociality reflects a person’s overall tendency to behave in ways that benefit others across various situations. General trust captures a person’s general belief in the reliability and goodwill of others. Institutional trust refers to the confidence individuals have in societal institutions such as the government, legal system, media, and educational systems.
The researchers analyzed data from Futura01, a nationwide longitudinal study that tracked 3,817 Swedish adolescents over two years—from age 15 to 17. The first wave of data collection occurred in 2017, when participants were in 9th grade, and involved a paper-and-pencil questionnaire completed during school hours. The second wave was conducted in 2019 via a postal or online survey.
The initial questionnaire assessed conduct problems (e.g., “I am often accused of lying or cheating,” “I get very angry and often lose my temper”), criminal behavior (e.g., how many times in the past 12 months they engaged in behaviors such as shoplifting, vandalism, or carrying a weapon), global prosocial behavior (e.g., “I try to be nice to other people; I care about their feelings”), general trust (e.g., “You can trust most people,” “Most people are honest”), and institutional trust (e.g., how much the participant trusts the justice system, teachers, news, and government).
The follow-up survey assessed participants’ use of alcohol, symptoms of alcohol use disorder, cigarette use, and illicit drug use.
Results showed that participants who reported higher levels of antisocial behavior at age 15 were more likely to report using alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes at age 17. They were also more likely to exhibit symptoms of alcohol use disorder.
Adolescents with higher levels of global prosociality at age 15 were less likely to report symptoms of alcohol use disorder or to use cigarettes and illicit drugs at age 17. However, global prosociality was not associated with the likelihood of alcohol use or hazardous drinking. Participants with higher levels of general and institutional trust were less likely to use alcohol and cigarettes. Those with greater institutional trust at age 15 were also less likely to use illicit drugs or snus (a type of moist powdered tobacco commonly used in Sweden) at age 17.
“The study demonstrates that social behavioral subtypes of conduct problems, criminal behavior, and deficits in institutional trust are of unique importance in predicting later substance use, including clinical outcomes of hazardous alcohol use and AUD [alcohol use disorder],” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the links between behavior and substance use. However, it should be noted that the study completely relied on self-reports leaving room for reporting bias to affect the results.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108308) Antisocial and prosocial behaviors as predictors of subsequent substance use in adolescence,” was authored by Simon Jangard, Andreas Olsson, Yasmina Molero, Nitya Jayaram-Lindström, and Jonas Raninen.

(https://www.psypost.org/scientists-find-genetic-basis-for-how-much-people-enjoy-music/) Scientists find genetic basis for how much people enjoy music
Mar 31st 2025, 06:00

A new twin study published in (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58123-8) Nature Communications provides evidence that how much people enjoy music is partly influenced by genetic factors. Researchers found that over half the variation in people’s sensitivity to musical pleasure can be traced back to genetic differences. These genetic influences appear to be mostly unique to musical enjoyment, rather than being shared with broader reward sensitivity or basic musical skills like pitch or rhythm perception. The findings add weight to the idea that music enjoyment is not simply a byproduct of general brain function, but may instead have distinct biological roots.
The study was led by an international team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and other institutions, who set out to answer a longstanding question: Why do people find music so rewarding? Music is a universal human behavior and plays an important role in emotion, culture, and social bonding. Yet, the reasons why people enjoy it — and why some people enjoy it more than others — have remained elusive. By looking at genetic similarities between thousands of twins, the researchers aimed to determine how much of our response to music is shaped by biology versus environment.
To explore the biological basis of music enjoyment, the researchers used data from the Swedish Twin Registry, a large database that includes thousands of adult twins. Specifically, they analyzed responses from over 9,000 individuals who had completed the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ), a survey designed to measure how much pleasure people experience from music. The questionnaire assesses five key areas: emotional reactions to music, using music to regulate mood, seeking out new music, enjoying movement related to music (like dancing), and the pleasure of social bonding through music.
In addition to measuring musical enjoyment, the researchers also gathered data on participants’ basic music perception abilities (such as pitch and rhythm discrimination) and their general sensitivity to rewarding experiences, using a standard psychological questionnaire. This allowed them to test whether musical enjoyment is simply a reflection of how well people hear music or how much they enjoy pleasurable experiences in general, or whether it is a distinct trait with its own biological roots.
To determine the influence of genetics, the team applied statistical models that compared similarities between identical twins (who share nearly all their genes) and fraternal twins (who share about half). They found that identical twins were significantly more similar to each other in how much they enjoyed music than fraternal twins were. This pattern suggests a genetic influence. Specifically, the researchers estimated that about 54% of the variation in music enjoyment could be attributed to genetic factors, with the remaining 46% explained by individual experiences and other non-genetic influences.
Importantly, the researchers found that this genetic influence on musical enjoyment was largely distinct from the genetic influence on music perception abilities or general reward sensitivity. Even after accounting for genes related to basic music skills or general pleasure-seeking behavior, nearly 40% of the variation in music enjoyment could still be traced to genetic factors unique to music enjoyment itself. This supports the idea that music enjoyment is not just a side effect of other brain functions, but a distinct capacity with its own biological foundation.
The study also revealed that the genetic contributions to music enjoyment are not uniform. Each of the five facets of musical enjoyment — emotional response, mood regulation, music seeking, sensory-motor pleasure, and social bonding — had partly overlapping, but also partly distinct, genetic influences. For example, the researchers found that the pleasure people get from the social aspects of music (such as bonding with others at concerts or singing in a group) was more strongly related to genes involved in basic music perception than other facets were. This could reflect the social bonding function of music in human evolution, an idea that has been proposed by several scholars.
Interestingly, the study did not find evidence for a single overarching genetic factor that influences all facets of music enjoyment equally. Instead, each facet had its own combination of genetic influences, suggesting that the ability to enjoy music is built from several interrelated but distinct components. This adds to a growing body of evidence that musicality is not a single trait, but a complex set of abilities and experiences, each with its own developmental and biological influences.
The researchers also looked at environmental influences on music enjoyment. They found that environmental effects, like personal life experiences, contributed to individual differences in music enjoyment but did not show a shared pattern across the five facets. In other words, the environmental influences on one person’s emotional response to music were largely independent from those affecting their enjoyment of music’s social aspects or their tendency to seek out new songs.
As with all twin studies, the findings are based on certain assumptions, such as the idea that identical and fraternal twins experience similar environments. While the researchers took care to address these assumptions and limitations, the results should be interpreted within this context. Additionally, the study was conducted with Swedish twins, most of whom were born between the 1960s and 1980s. This raises questions about whether the findings generalize to other populations, ages, or cultures.
Despite these limitations, the study offers important new insights into the biology of music enjoyment. It provides strong evidence that the pleasure we feel from music is not solely shaped by culture, learning, or personal experience, but is also influenced by our genes — and that different aspects of musical enjoyment may be shaped by different genetic pathways.
The findings could have broader implications for understanding how people respond to music, and even for investigating conditions like musical anhedonia — the inability to derive pleasure from music. They may also inform future research into the evolution of music and why it plays such a central role in human life.
“These findings suggest a complex picture in which partly distinct DNA differences contribute to different aspects of music enjoyment,” said Giacomo Bignardi, the study’s lead author and a doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute. “Future research looking at which part of the genome contributes the most to the human ability to enjoy music has the potential to shed light on the human faculty that baffled Darwin the most, and which still baffles us today.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58123-8) Twin modelling reveals partly distinct genetic pathways to music enjoyment,” was authored by Giacomo Bignardi, Laura W. Wesseldijk, Ernest Mas-Herrero, Robert J. Zatorre, Fredrik Ullén, Simon E. Fisher, and Miriam A. Mosing.

(https://www.psypost.org/people-with-more-geographically-diverse-social-networks-are-less-likely-to-use-antidepressants/) People with more geographically diverse social networks are less likely to use antidepressants
Mar 30th 2025, 12:00

An analysis linking data on antidepressant use by nearly 300,000 small-town residents in Hungary with data on their nationwide social networks found that individuals with friends and acquaintances in distant places were less likely to use antidepressants. This pattern was particularly visible among younger individuals. The research was published in (https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr0302) Science Advances.
Social capital refers to the networks of relationships among people in a society, enabling that society to function effectively. It encompasses levels of trust, mutual understanding, and shared values and behaviors that foster cooperation. High social capital typically means strong community ties and a sense of solidarity. It can offer both emotional and practical support to individuals.
Previous research has shown that social capital is strongly linked to mental health. Communities with higher social capital tend to have lower rates of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. This protective effect is thought to stem from increased social support: people in such communities have more opportunities for meaningful engagement and are more likely to have someone to turn to during times of stress or crisis. Moreover, the sense of belonging and inclusion associated with social capital can buffer against psychological distress and enhance individuals’ self-worth and resilience.
Study author Balázs Lengyel and his colleagues aimed to investigate these associations further. They linked a nationwide dataset on antidepressant use by 277,344 small-town residents in Hungary to data on those individuals’ online social networks. Using this combined dataset, the researchers explored how certain structural features of social networks relate to mental health. Because depression is one of the most common mental health conditions, the use of antidepressant medication was treated as a proxy for mental health status (i.e., individuals with better mental health are less likely to be using antidepressants).
The data on antidepressant use came from the Hungarian National Healthcare Service Center and covered prescriptions filled through pharmacies between 2011 and 2015. (Data on antidepressant use during hospital care was not included.) Individuals who were not recorded as purchasing antidepressants were considered not to have used them. The analysis was limited to residents of settlements with populations between 5,000 and 20,000.
The social network data came from publicly available profiles on the iWiW website. iWiW was a popular Hungarian social networking platform in the mid to late 2000s. Launched in 2002 as WiW (“Who is Who”), the site allowed users to create profiles, connect with friends, share photos, and send messages. By 2006, it had become the dominant social network in Hungary, peaking at around 4.5 million registered users—significant in a country with fewer than 10 million residents. However, with the rise of global platforms like Facebook, iWiW’s user base declined, and the service was officially shut down in 2014. For their analysis, the researchers included user profiles with more than zero but fewer than 5,000 connections, excluding accounts that were never accessed after registration.
The results showed that individuals with more cohesive local social networks were less likely to use antidepressants. Cohesion was calculated based on how interconnected a person’s friends were within their hometown, compared to what would be expected in a randomly generated network of the same size. In essence, individuals embedded in tightly knit local groups—likely to offer strong emotional support—had lower rates of antidepressant use.
The researchers also found that individuals who had social ties to people in distant towns were less likely to use antidepressants. These geographically diverse connections were associated with greater reductions in antidepressant dosage over the following years.
“We find that, besides the cohesion of social networks around home, the diversity of connections to distant places is negatively correlated with the probability of antidepressant use. Spatial diversity of social networks is also associated with decreasing dosage in subsequent years. This relationship is independent from the local access to antidepressants and is more prevalent for young individuals. Structural features of spatial social networks are prospectively associated with depression treatment,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the links between characteristics of one’s social networks and the use of antidepressants. However, it is important to note that the study is correlational—it cannot determine whether diverse social networks cause better mental health or vice versa. It’s also based on data from small-town residents in Hungary, so the findings may not generalize to people in large cities or to individuals from other cultural contexts.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr0302) Antidepressant use in spatial social networks,” was authored by Balázs Lengyel, Gergő Tóth, Nicholas A. Christakis, and Anikó Bíró.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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