About the project
There is currently no effective and generalisable method for remediating ASD’s social skill deficits. Growing evidence demonstrates the critical contribution of the neuropeptide oxytocin in the development and maintenance of ASD, due to its role in social behaviour and learning processes. While preliminary findings have been promising, a complete understanding of the effects of long-term oxytocin administration in ASD remains elusive, as participant numbers in oxytocin administration studies in ASD have been small, most studies exclusively recruit males, and reproducibility has been inconsistent.
Objectives
To address this critical knowledge gap, this project will include a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled crossover trial of a six-week intranasal oxytocin treatment in 128 male and female youth with ASD aged 12-18 over three years, with social and repetitive behaviors as primary outcome measures. We predict that intranasal oxytocin treatments will improve social behavior and reduce repetitive behaviors using caregiver-reported measures.
Along with the investigation of oxytocin’s long-term effects, we will also assess the impact of a single dose of oxytocin on precise computer-based laboratory tasks that can precisely measure how participants process social cues and disengage with repetitive behaviours. In addition, an eye-tracker will be used to examine how participants process faces (as oxytocin is expected to increase gaze to the eye region) and an electrocardiogram will track predicted changes in the cardiac system that facilitate improved social behaviors.
Outcomes
ASD has one of the highest societal costs per individual across mental disorders, which are due to several factors including its effects on quality of life, interpersonal relationships, and education opportunities. Altogether, this project has the potential to reduce the improve the day-to-day lives of autistic individuals by improving their core symptoms via a cost-effective treatment
Financing
Kavli Trust 2021 - 2025
