Oxytocin and emotion recognition: Investigating the possible roles of facial synchrony and eye gaze

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been shown to influence social cognition, including better recognition of emotion in faces. One potential way in which OT improves emotion recognition is by increasing the correspondence between a perceiver's own facial activity and observed facial expressions. Here we investigate whether increased facial synchrony while viewing facial expressions increases emotion recognition, and whether this effect is moderated by OT. Change in visual attention as captured by eye-gaze is another way in which OT might improve emotion recognition. We also examine visual attention to observed expressions, and whether this is influenced by OT. One hundred and four male undergraduates took part in a double-blind, randomized, between-subjects study in which they self-administered either a placebo (PL) or 24 IU of OT before viewing dynamic facial expressions of emotion, during which their facial activity and eye-gaze were measured, before answering questions on emotion recognition and affiliation. It was hypothesized that participants in the OT condition would exhibit more facial synchrony than would those in the PL condition, and that OT would influence time spent looking at the eye region of target faces. Consistent with previous research, participants in the OT condition were marginally but significantly better at emotion recognition than those in the PL condition. However, participants in the OT condition displayed less facial synchrony for fearful expressions, and there was no effect of OT on measures of eye-gaze. These results suggest that OT does not improve emotion recognition through increased facial synchrony or changing visual attention

Oxytocin modulates third-party sanctioning of selfish and generous behavior within and between groups

Human groups function because members trust each other and reciprocate cooperative contributions, and reward others’ cooperation and punish their non-cooperation. Here we examined the possibility that such third-party punishment and reward of others’ trust and reciprocation is modulated by oxytocin, a neuropeptide generally involved in social bonding and in-group (but not out-group) serving behavior. Healthy males and females (N = 100) self-administered a placebo or 24 IU of oxytocin in a randomized, double-blind, between-subjects design. Participants were asked to indicate (incentivized, costly) their level of reward or punishment for in-group (outgroup) investors donating generously or fairly to in-group (outgroup) trustees, who back-transferred generously, fairly or selfishly. Punishment (reward) was higher for selfish (generous) investments and back-transfers when (i) investors were in-group rather than outgroup, and (ii) trustees were in-group rather than outgroup, especially when (iii) participants received oxytocin rather than placebo. It follows, first, that oxytocin leads individuals to ignore out-groups as long as out-group behavior is not relevant to the in-group and, second, that oxytocin contributes to creating and enforcing in-group norms of cooperation and trust

Salivary Oxytocin Concentrations in Males following Intranasal Administration of Oxytocin: A Double-Blind, Cross-Over Study.

The use of intranasal oxytocin (OT) in research has become increasingly important over the past decade. Although researchers have acknowledged a need for further investigation of the physiological effects of intranasal administration, few studies have actually done so. In the present double-blind cross-over study we investigated the longevity of a single 24 IU dose of intranasal OT measured in saliva in 40 healthy adult males. Salivary OT concentrations were significantly higher in the OT condition, compared to placebo. This significant difference lasted until the end of testing, approximately 108 minutes after administration, and peaked at 30 minutes. Results showed significant individual differences in response to intranasal OT administration. To our knowledge this is the largest and first all-male within-subjects design study to demonstrate the impact of intranasal OT on salivary OT concentrations. The results are consistent with previous research in suggesting that salivary OT is a valid matrix for OT measurement. The results also suggest that the post-administration 'wait-time' prior to starting experimental tasks could be reduced to 30 minutes, from the 45 minutes typically used, thereby enabling testing during peak OT concentrations. Further research is needed to ascertain whether OT concentrations after intranasal administration follow similar patterns in females, and different age groups

Oxytocin increases attention to the eyes and selectively enhances self-reported affective empathy for fear.

Oxytocin (OXT) has previously been implicated in a range of prosocial behaviors such as trust and emotion recognition. Nevertheless, recent studies have questioned the evidence for this link. In addition, there has been relatively little conclusive research on the effect of OXT on empathic ability and such studies as there are have not examined the mechanisms through which OXT might affect empathy, or whether OXT selectively facilitates empathy for specific emotions. In the current study, we used eye-tracking to assess attention to socially relevant information while participants viewed dynamic, empathy-inducing video clips, in which protagonists expressed sadness, happiness, pain or fear. In a double-blind, within-subjects, randomized control trial, 40 healthy male participants received 24 IU intranasal OXT or placebo in two identical experimental sessions, separated by a 2-week interval. OXT led to an increase in time spent fixating upon the eye-region of the protagonist's face across emotions. OXT also selectively enhanced self-reported affective empathy for fear, but did not affect cognitive or affective empathy for other emotions. Nevertheless, there was no positive relationship between eye-gaze patterns and affective empathy, suggesting that although OXT influences eye-gaze and may enhance affective empathy for fear, these two systems are independent. Future studies need to further examine the effect of OXT on eye-gaze to fully ascertain whether this can explain the improvements in emotional behavior

Oxytocin Reduces Face Processing Time but Leaves Recognition Accuracy and Eye-Gaze Unaffected.

Objectives: Previous studies have found that oxytocin (OXT) can improve the recognition of emotional facial expressions; it has been proposed that this effect is mediated by an increase in attention to the eye-region of faces. Nevertheless, evidence in support of this claim is inconsistent, and few studies have directly tested the effect of oxytocin on emotion recognition via altered eye-gaze Methods: In a double-blind, within-subjects, randomized control experiment, 40 healthy male participants received 24 IU intranasal OXT and placebo in two identical experimental sessions separated by a 2-week interval. Visual attention to the eye-region was assessed on both occasions while participants completed a static facial emotion recognition task using medium intensity facial expressions. Results: Although OXT had no effect on emotion recognition accuracy, recognition performance was improved because face processing was faster across emotions under the influence of OXT. This effect was marginally significant (p<.06). Consistent with a previous study using dynamic stimuli, OXT had no effect on eye-gaze patterns when viewing static emotional faces and this was not related to recognition accuracy or face processing time. Conclusions: These findings suggest that OXT-induced enhanced facial emotion recognition is not necessarily mediated by an increase in attention to the eye-region of faces, as previously assumed. We discuss several methodological issues which may explain discrepant findings and suggest the effect of OXT on visual attention may differ depending on task requirements. (JINS, 2016, 22, 1–11

SATRE: Standardised Architecture for Trusted Research Environments

The SATRE DARE UK-funded Driver Project was challenged to create a trusted research environment (TRE) architecture supporting the research community's need to have suitable data analytics and research environments for working with sensitive data. The project developed an inclusive and transparent way of working to ensure that what was created was representative of the TRE community in the UK. We have created, for the first time, an open specification for TRE operators by which to evaluate themselves against a set of capabilities. It is a thorough specification, perhaps definition, for TREs informed not only by the experience of the project team who have been running a TRE and supporting sensitive data projects for a combined 15 years but also the expansive knowledge of the wider UK research community. The public has also been involved throughout the development of the specification to ensure their voices are heard and reflected in the specification. The specification has been informed through one survey completed by 105 individuals representing approximately 60 organisations, 14 Collaboration Cafés with up to 75 participants, 26 individuals contributing directly, 44 issues raised and six public engagement sessions online and in-person. Despite the breadth and diversity of the individuals included, we have been able to create a single specification encompassing four architectural principles, four pillars, 29 capabilities and 160 statements. The 75 mandatory statements are what is considered the minimum required to be a SATRE-compliant TRE. Now, with a stable version 1.0 release, the specification is ready for use by the UK TRE community. We are and will continue to work with all organisations to evaluate themselves against the specification and also identify what works and what doesn't, which will be captured in future versions of the specification. The specification has been developed with the long-term in mind and can be a basis for a common understanding between operators, data controllers, accreditors, researchers, industry and government organisations for how TREs can federate and interoperate better.This work was funded by UK Research &amp; Innovation [Grant Number MC_PC_23008] as part of Phase 1 of the DARE UK (Data and Analytics Research Environments UK) programme, delivered in partnership with Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK)

Evaluation of variation in special educational needs provision and its impact on health and education using administrative records for England: umbrella protocol for a mixed-methods research programme

INTRODUCTION: One-third of children in England have special educational needs (SEN) provision recorded during their school career. The proportion of children with SEN provision varies between schools and demographic groups, which may reflect variation in need, inequitable provision and/or systemic factors. There is scant evidence on whether SEN provision improves health and education outcomes. METHODS: The Health Outcomes of young People in Education (HOPE) research programme uses administrative data from the Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data-ECHILD-which contains data from all state schools, and contacts with National Health Service hospitals in England, to explore variation in SEN provision and its impact on health and education outcomes. This umbrella protocol sets out analyses across four work packages (WP). WP1 defined a range of 'health phenotypes', that is health conditions expected to need SEN provision in primary school. Next, we describe health and education outcomes (WP1) and individual, school-level and area-level factors affecting variation in SEN provision across different phenotypes (WP2). WP3 assesses the impact of SEN provision on health and education outcomes for specific health phenotypes using a range of causal inference methods to account for confounding factors and possible selection bias. In WP4 we review local policies and synthesise findings from surveys, interviews and focus groups of service users and providers to understand factors associated with variation in and experiences of identification, assessment and provision for SEN. Triangulation of findings on outcomes, variation and impact of SEN provision for different health phenotypes in ECHILD, with experiences of SEN provision will inform interpretation of findings for policy, practice and families and methods for future evaluation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Research ethics committees have approved the use of the ECHILD database and, separately, the survey, interviews and focus groups of young people, parents and service providers. These stakeholders will contribute to the design, interpretation and communication of findings