Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39827218›Full record

SynthesisMolecular psychiatry2025

Effects of oxytocin administration on non-social executive functions in humans: a preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis.

Heemin Kang, Bernt D Glaser, Alina I Sartorius, Kristin Audunsdottir, Emilie Smith-Meyer Kildal, Terje Nærland, Ole A Andreassen, Lars T Westlye, Daniel S Quintana

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Molecular psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Heemin KangDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Bernt D GlaserDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Alina I SartoriusDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Kristin AudunsdottirDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Emilie Smith-Meyer KildalK.G. Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Terje NærlandK.G. Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Ole A AndreassenK.G. Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-4461-3568
Lars T WestlyeDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-8644-956X
Daniel S QuintanaDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. daniel.quintana@psykologi.uio.no.ORCID 0000-0003-2876-0004

Funding

Norges Forskningsråd (Research Council of Norway) 324783
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOxytocin has received considerable research attention for its role in affiliative behaviors, particularly regarding its pro-social effects. More recent evidence has pointed to a broader role of oxytocin signaling, which includes non-social cognitive processes. However, meta-analytic data on oxytocin's effects on non-social cognition is currently limited.

methodsWe registered plans for a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of oxytocin administration on non-social executive functions prior to data collection via a time-stamped protocol. We performed searches in PubMed, Europe PubMed Central, and the Bielefeld Academic Search Engine. We conducted a meta-analysis of 20 effect estimates from 13 eligible studies. Subgroup meta-analyses and a test for publication bias were also performed.

resultsWe found no overall significant effect of oxytocin administration on non-social executive functions (p = 0.30; Hedges' g = 0.07). However, effect sizes across sub-categories of executive function varied, where the effect of oxytocin administration was the largest for cognitive flexibility (p = 0.02; Hedges' g = 0.2). Publication bias was assessed using Robust Bayesian Meta-Analysis, which yielded moderate support for the absence of publication bias (BF

conclusionOur analysis suggests that oxytocin's effects may extend beyond social cognitive processing as data synthesis provided evidence supporting a role in non-social cognitive flexibility. The data and analysis output from this meta-analysis can be viewed in a point-and-click web application.

Indexed as

Executive FunctionOxytocinBayes TheoremCognitionHumansSocial BehaviorOxytocin

Identifiers

PMID39827218

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.