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Oxytocin's impact on social face processing is stronger in homosexual than heterosexual men
Thienel, Matthias Heinrichs, Markus Fischer, Stefan Ott, Volker Born, Jan Hallschmid, Manfred
Thienel, Matthias
Heinrichs, Markus
Fischer, Stefan
Ott, Volker
Born, Jan
Hallschmid, Manfred
Abstract
Oxytocin is an evolutionarily highly preserved neuropeptide that contributes to the regulation of social interactions including the processing of facial stimuli. We hypothesized that its improving effect on social approach behavior depends on perceived sexual features and, consequently, on sexual orientation. In 19 homosexual and 18 heterosexual healthy young men, we investigated the acute effect of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) and placebo, respectively, on the processing of social stimuli as assessed by ratings of trustworthiness, attractiveness and approachability for male and female faces. Faces were each presented with a neutral, a happy, and an angry expression, respectively. In heterosexual subjects, the effect of oxytocin administration was restricted to a decrease in ratings of trustworthiness for angry female faces (p < 0.02). In contrast, in homosexual men oxytocin administration robustly increased ratings of attractiveness and approachability for male faces regardless of the facial expression (all p ≤ 0.05), as well as ratings of approachability for happy female faces (p < 0.01). Results indicate that homosexual in comparison to heterosexual men display higher sensitivity to oxytocin's enhancing impact on social approach tendencies, suggesting that differences in sexual orientation imply differential oxytocinergic signaling.
Keywords
oxytocin, sexual orientation, homosexuality, face perception, approach behavior, affiliation
Date
2014
Type
Journal article
Journal
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Book
Volume
39
Issue
1
Page Range
194-203
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled