Oxytocin's role in social cognitive changes in ageing

Oxytocin — sometimes called the 'bonding hormone' — plays an important role in social behaviour, including recognising emotions and understanding what other people are thinking or feeling. As we age, these social cognitive abilities can change, and oxytocin levels in the body may shift too. This study is exploring whether a small dose of oxytocin given as a nasal spray affects how well people process social information, and whether ageing changes the baseline relationship between oxytocin and social cognition. Two groups will be recruited: young adults (18 to 30 years) and older adults (65 to 90 years). Each participant will receive a single dose of either oxytocin or a placebo nasal spray and then complete tests of emotion recognition and social understanding. Hormone levels will also be measured. You may be eligible if you are either aged 18 to 30 or 65 to 90, do not have any neurological or psychiatric conditions, are not currently taking antidepressants or antipsychotics, do not have heart disease, are not pregnant, and do not smoke. Older adults will also need to pass a brief telephone cognitive screening test.