Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior
Oxytocin has been suggested as a treatment to promote positive social interactions in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, it is difficult to test this effect outside of the laboratory in realistic social situations. One way to resolve this issue is to study behavioral changes in cl...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Animal Behavior and Cognition
2016-08-01
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| Series: | Animal Behavior and Cognition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/12/04.Aug2016-Proctor%20et%20al_final.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818920684788645888 |
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| author | Darby Proctor Sarah E. Calcutt Kimberly Burke Frans B. M. de Waal |
| author_facet | Darby Proctor Sarah E. Calcutt Kimberly Burke Frans B. M. de Waal |
| author_sort | Darby Proctor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Oxytocin has been suggested as a treatment to promote positive social interactions in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, it is difficult to test this effect outside of the laboratory in realistic social situations. One way to resolve this issue is to study behavioral changes in closely related species with complex social relationships, such as chimpanzees. Here, we use captive, socially housed chimpanzees to evaluate the effects of oxytocin in a socially complex environment. After administering intranasal oxytocin or a placebo to an individual chimpanzee (total n = 8), she was returned to her social group. An experimenter blind to the condition measured the subject’s social behavior. We failed to find a behavioral difference between conditions. As one of the goals for oxytocin administration as a treatment for ASD is increasing prosocial behaviors during ‘real world’ encounters, it is problematic that we failed to detect behavioral changes in our closest living relatives. However, our null findings may be related to methodological challenges such as determining an effective dose of oxytocin for chimpanzees and how long oxytocin takes to cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus, more research on intranasal oxytocin dosing and uptake are needed to continue exploring whether oxytocin changes social behavior in naturalistic settings and as a treatment for ASD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:25:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6789697b31b4bd6a31941a5f592942d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2372-5052 2372-4323 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:25:40Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | Animal Behavior and Cognition |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Behavior and Cognition |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6789697b31b4bd6a31941a5f592942d2022-12-21T19:58:15ZengAnimal Behavior and CognitionAnimal Behavior and Cognition2372-50522372-43232016-08-013315015810.12966/abc.04.08.2016Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social BehaviorDarby ProctorSarah E. CalcuttKimberly BurkeFrans B. M. de WaalOxytocin has been suggested as a treatment to promote positive social interactions in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, it is difficult to test this effect outside of the laboratory in realistic social situations. One way to resolve this issue is to study behavioral changes in closely related species with complex social relationships, such as chimpanzees. Here, we use captive, socially housed chimpanzees to evaluate the effects of oxytocin in a socially complex environment. After administering intranasal oxytocin or a placebo to an individual chimpanzee (total n = 8), she was returned to her social group. An experimenter blind to the condition measured the subject’s social behavior. We failed to find a behavioral difference between conditions. As one of the goals for oxytocin administration as a treatment for ASD is increasing prosocial behaviors during ‘real world’ encounters, it is problematic that we failed to detect behavioral changes in our closest living relatives. However, our null findings may be related to methodological challenges such as determining an effective dose of oxytocin for chimpanzees and how long oxytocin takes to cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus, more research on intranasal oxytocin dosing and uptake are needed to continue exploring whether oxytocin changes social behavior in naturalistic settings and as a treatment for ASD.http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/12/04.Aug2016-Proctor%20et%20al_final.pdfIntranasal oxytocinChimpanzeeSocial behaviorAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) |
| spellingShingle | Darby Proctor Sarah E. Calcutt Kimberly Burke Frans B. M. de Waal Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior Animal Behavior and Cognition Intranasal oxytocin Chimpanzee Social behavior Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) |
| title | Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior |
| title_full | Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior |
| title_fullStr | Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior |
| title_short | Intranasal Oxytocin Failed to Affect Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Social Behavior |
| title_sort | intranasal oxytocin failed to affect chimpanzee pan troglodytes social behavior |
| topic | Intranasal oxytocin Chimpanzee Social behavior Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) |
| url | http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/12/04.Aug2016-Proctor%20et%20al_final.pdf |
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