The Effect of Intranasal Oxytocin on Pain Sensitivity and Threshold

NCT02550093 | Completed Phase 4 Results

• 1 other identifier: STU86297
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Oxytocin is neurohypophysial peptide that acts mainly as a neuromodulator in the brain.The vast majority of basic science studies suggested a large effect of oxytocin in minimizing acute pain.Few studies have demonstrated an association between plasma levels of oxytocin and pain in humans. Since addictive properties of oxytocin have not been described, the drug may have important application in the management of acute and chronic pain. No studies have examined the effect of intranasal oxytocin on pain sensitivity and threshold.

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Volunteers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (12)

• Hot and Cold Thermal Sensory Threshold for Pain at Baseline in Degrees Celsius.

  Thermal Sensory Threshold for Pain at baseline prior to study drug administration. Evaluation of subjects baseline responses of perception of hot and cold stimuli utilizing the Medoc Pathway Pain \&Sensory Evaluation System (Medoc Ltd, Israel). The baseline response variable was estimated by averaging the subjects response over three trials, with an interval of 30 seconds. A thermode was attached to the subjects hand and the subject was asked to press a mouse button when they perceive the sensation of heat pain or cold pain. The temperature range was 51C to 0C.

  Baseline

• Hot and Cold Thermal Sensory Threshold for Pain at 45 Minutes in Degrees Celsius.

  Thermal Sensory Threshold for Pain at 45 minutes after study drug administration. Evaluation of subjects responses of perception of hot and cold stimuli utilizing the Medoc Pathway Pain \&Sensory Evaluation System (Medoc Ltd, Israel). The response variable was estimated by averaging the subjects response over three trials, with an interval of 30 seconds. A thermode was attached to the subjects hand and the subject was asked to press a mouse button when they perceive the sensation of heat pain or cold pain. The temperature range was 51C to 0C.

  45 minutes

• Hot and Cold Thermal Sensory Threshold for Pain at 90 Minutes in Degrees Celsius.

  Thermal Sensory Threshold for Pain at 90 minutes after study drug administration. Evaluation of subjects responses of perception of hot and cold stimuli utilizing the Medoc Pathway Pain \&Sensory Evaluation System (Medoc Ltd, Israel). The response variable was estimated by averaging the subjects response over three trials, with an interval of 30 seconds. A thermode was attached to the subjects hand and the subject was asked to press a mouse button when they perceive the sensation of heat pain or cold pain. The temperature range was 51C to 0C.

  90 minutes

• Mechanical Pain Threshold for Pain at Baseline in Grams.

  Mechanical pain threshold for pain at baseline utilizing a digital electrovonfrey anesthesiometer (IITC model Alemo 2290-4; Woodland Hills, CA, USA). The subjects response to painful stimulus was recorded in grams. Each variable was estimated by averaging a participant's responses over 3 trials, with an intertrial interval of 30 s. The lower amount in grams the more sensitive you are to pain.

  Baseline

• Mechanical Pain Threshold for Pain at 45 Minutes in Grams.

  Mechanical pain threshold for pain at 45 minutes utilizing a digital electrovonfrey anesthesiometer (IITC model Alemo 2290-4; Woodland Hills, CA, USA). The subjects response to painful stimulus was recorded in grams. Each variable was estimated by averaging a participant's responses over 3 trials, with an intertrial interval of 30 s. The lower amount in grams the more sensitive you are to pain.

  45 minutes

• Mechanical Pain Threshold for Pain at 90 Minutes in Grams.

  Mechanical pain threshold for pain at 90 minutes utilizing a digital electrovonfrey anesthesiometer (IITC model Alemo 2290-4; Woodland Hills, CA, USA). The subjects response to painful stimulus was recorded in grams. Each variable was estimated by averaging a participant's responses over 3 trials, with an intertrial interval of 30 s. The lower amount in grams the more sensitive you are to pain.

  90 minutes

• Suprathreshold Magnitude for Pain at Baseline Measured in Visual Analog Pain Scores.

  Supra-threshold magnitude for pain was assessed utilizing the Medoc Pathway System with contact heat evoked potential simulator at 49 degrees Celsius. Visual analog pain score ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

  Baseline

• Suprathreshold Magnitude for Pain at 45 Minutes Measured in Visual Analog Pain Scores.

  Supra-threshold magnitude for pain was assessed utilizing the Medoc Pathway System with contact heat evoked potential simulator at 49 degrees Celsius. Visual analog pain score ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

  45 minutes

• Suprathreshold Magnitude for Pain at 90 Minutes Measured in Visual Analog Pain Scores.

  Supra-threshold magnitude for pain was assessed utilizing the Medoc Pathway System with contact heat evoked potential simulator at 49 degrees Celsius. Visual analog pain score ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

  90 minutes

• Thermal Wind-up Pain Assessment at Baseline

  Using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) subjects will be asked to rate the painfulness of the stimulus for thermal wind-up pain utilizing the medoc pathway system. Each VAS score was recorded over 10 trials, with an interval of 3s. The average VAS score was reported. Visual analog scale ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

  Baseline

• Thermal Wind-up Pain at 45 Minutes

  Using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) subjects will be asked to rate the painfulness of the stimulus for thermal wind-up pain utilizing the medoc pathway system. Each VAS score was recorded over 10 trials, with an interval of 3s. The average VAS score was reported. Visual analog scale ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

  45 minutes

• Thermal Wind-up Pain at 90 Minutes

  Using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) subjects will be asked to rate the painfulness of the stimulus for thermal wind-up pain utilizing the medoc pathway system. Each VAS score was recorded over 10 trials, with an interval of 3s. The average VAS score was reported. Visual analog scale ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

  90 minutes

Study Arms (2)

Oxytocin, then Normal Saline

EXPERIMENTAL

Each subject will receive nasal spray(s) into each nostril of 4 Units up to 32 units of Oxytocin prior to Thermal Evaluation System Testing on intervention 1 (day 1). Following a wash-out period of 13 days the same subject will then receive a nasal spray(s) into each nostril of 4 Units up to 32 units of Normal Saline prior to Thermal Evaluation System Testing on intervention 2 (day 14).

Procedure: Intervention 1; Behavioral: Washout Period; Procedure: Intervention 2

Normal Saline, then Oxytocin

EXPERIMENTAL

Each subject will receive nasal spray(s) into each nostril of 4 Units up to 32 units of Normal Saline prior to Thermal Evaluation System Testing on intervention 1 (day 1). Following a wash-out period of 14 to 15 days the same subject will then receive nasal spray(s) into each nostril of 4 Units up to 32 units of Oxytocin prior to Thermal Evaluation System Testing on intervention 2 (day 14).

Procedure: Intervention 1; Behavioral: Washout Period; Procedure: Intervention 2

Interventions

Intervention 1 PROCEDURE

Each subject will receive nasal spray(s) into each nostril of 4 Units up to 32 units of study drug prior to Thermal Evaluation System Testing on intervention 1 (Day 1).

Also known as: Day 1

Normal Saline, then Oxytocin; Oxytocin, then Normal Saline

Washout Period BEHAVIORAL

The wash-out period will be between intervention 1 and intervention 2. 13 days in length.

Normal Saline, then Oxytocin; Oxytocin, then Normal Saline

Intervention 2 PROCEDURE

Each subject will receive nasal spray(s) into each nostril of 4 Units up to 32 units of study drug prior to Thermal Evaluation System Testing on intervention 2 (Day 14).

Also known as: Day 14

Normal Saline, then Oxytocin; Oxytocin, then Normal Saline

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy males and females volunteers, English speaking

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy, lactation, allergy to preservatives, mental disease, any chronic pain and any current use of analgesics, anxiety or depression.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Northwestern University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Yamasue H, Yee JR, Hurlemann R, Rilling JK, Chen FS, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H. Integrative approaches utilizing oxytocin to enhance prosocial behavior: from animal and human social behavior to autistic social dysfunction. J Neurosci. 2012 Oct 10;32(41):14109-17. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3327-12.2012.

  PMID: 23055480 BACKGROUND

• Fewtrell MS, Loh KL, Blake A, Ridout DA, Hawdon J. Randomised, double blind trial of oxytocin nasal spray in mothers expressing breast milk for preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2006 May;91(3):F169-74. doi: 10.1136/adc.2005.081265. Epub 2005 Oct 13.

  PMID: 16223754 BACKGROUND

• MacDonald E, Dadds MR, Brennan JL, Williams K, Levy F, Cauchi AJ. A review of safety, side-effects and subjective reactions to intranasal oxytocin in human research. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2011 Sep;36(8):1114-26. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.02.015. Epub 2011 Mar 23.

  PMID: 21429671 BACKGROUND

• Rash JA, Aguirre-Camacho A, Campbell TS. Oxytocin and pain: a systematic review and synthesis of findings. Clin J Pain. 2014 May;30(5):453-62. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31829f57df.

  PMID: 23887343 BACKGROUND

• Wang YL, Yuan Y, Yang J, Wang CH, Pan YJ, Lu L, Wu YQ, Wang DX, Lv LX, Li RR, Xue L, Wang XH, Bi JW, Liu XF, Qian YN, Deng ZK, Zhang ZJ, Zhai XH, Zhou XJ, Wang GL, Zhai JX, Liu WY. The interaction between the oxytocin and pain modulation in headache patients. Neuropeptides. 2013 Apr;47(2):93-7. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2012.12.003. Epub 2013 Jan 30.

  PMID: 23375440 BACKGROUND

• Singer T, Snozzi R, Bird G, Petrovic P, Silani G, Heinrichs M, Dolan RJ. Effects of oxytocin and prosocial behavior on brain responses to direct and vicariously experienced pain. Emotion. 2008 Dec;8(6):781-91. doi: 10.1037/a0014195.

  PMID: 19102589 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

tioconazole

Limitations and Caveats

Though we used the same method of intranasal administration as preceding studies, it is possible that the oxytocin did not reach peak levels at the time of the testing or was not absorbed. We did not assess plasma levels of oxytocin to assess whether absorption occurred and was consistent among all participants.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: David Walega, MD
• Organization: Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine

d-walega@northwestern.edu

312-695-2500

Study Officials

• David R Walega, MD

  Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 4
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor, Chief, Division of Pain Medicine

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 16, 2015
• First Posted: September 15, 2015
• Study Start: April 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2015
• Study Completion: November 1, 2016
• Last Updated: May 16, 2022
• Results First Posted: May 16, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)