Sex/Gender Differences in Risk and Resilience to PTSD; Implication of Oxytocin

Summary

The purpose of the study is to use fMRI to investigate amygdala response to fearful faces in men and women with and without PTSD who have experienced childhood trauma. The study will also compare the effects of oxytocin and placebo on amygdala response, and explore the interaction of oxytocin plasma levels and amygdala response in men and women with and without PTSD who have experienced childhood trauma. Hypothesis 1: Amygdala responding will be greater in subjects with PTSD as compared to resilient subjects, and no sex differences in the magnitude of the response will be found. Hypothesis 2A: In response to OT, women will exhibit a greater reduction in amygdala responding than men. Hypothesis 2B: In response to OT, women with PTSD will exhibit a greater reduction in amygdala responding compared to women without PTSD. Hypothesis 3A: Women with PTSD will have lower levels of plasma OT as compared to men with PTSD, and women and men without PTSD. Hypothesis 3B: Plasma OT levels will be inversely correlated with amygdala responding to fearful faces in women but not in men.

Timeline

Start

2013-04

Primary completion

2015-01

Completion

2015-01

Publications

• Sippel LM, Flanagan JC, Holtzheimer PE, Moran-Santa-Maria MM, Brady KT, Joseph JE. Effects of intranasal oxytocin on threat- and reward-related functional connectivity in men and women with and without childhood abuse-related PTSD. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2021 Nov 30;317:111368. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111368. Epub 2021 Aug 20.

Drugs

Indications