Combined Oxytocin and Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training for Social Function in People With Schizophrenia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

A significant proportion of people with schizophrenia are characterized by impaired ability to socially engage with others. The development of effective interventions for social functioning remains a central therapeutic challenge. Cognitive-behavioral social skills training (CBSST) has been found to improve social functioning in schizophrenia, but with only medium effect sizes. Intranasal oxytocin also has prosocial effects, but also only with modest effect sizes. This study assessed whether the addition of intranasal oxytocin to CBSST can strengthen their impact on social function.

METHODS:

Participants (N = 62) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder entered a 24-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial with a 3-month follow-up evaluation at 2 sites: Maryland and San Diego. Participants were randomized to either intranasal oxytocin 36 IU (3 sprays) twice a day (n = 31) or intranasal placebo-oxytocin (3 sprays) twice a day (n = 31). All participants received CBSST plus a social cognition skills training module (48 total sessions).

RESULTS:

There were no significant treatment group differences in social functioning, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, defeatist beliefs, or asocial beliefs. The interpretation of treatment effects was complicated by site effects, whereby participants in San Diego began the trial with greater severity of impairments and subsequently showed greater improvements compared with participants in Maryland.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results did not support the utility of add-on intranasal oxytocin to psychosocial rehabilitation interventions like CBSST for improvement in social function (ClinicalTrials.gov trial number: NCT01752712).

• Authors: Robert W Buchanan, Deanna L Kelly, Gregory P Strauss, James M Gold, Elaine Weiner, Jennifer Zaranski, Shuo Chen, Frank Blatt, Jason Holden, Eric Granholm
• Journal: Journal of clinical psychopharmacology (J Clin Psychopharmacol) 2021 May-Jun 01 Vol. 41 Issue 3 Pg. 236-243 ISSN: 1533-712X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33783399 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Oxytocin

Topics

• Administration, Intranasal
• Adult
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (methods)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oxytocin (administration & dosage)
• Psychotic Disorders (surgery, therapy)
• Schizophrenia (therapy)
• Social Skills
• Treatment Outcome