Thank you for your interest in our research. We are currently recruiting for a study looking at oxytocin
among individuals with and without mental health concerns. Let us tell you more about the study and
how you can get involved!
This study examines how oxytocin (a naturally-occurring hormone in the body) may be related to social
and cognitive functioning. In this study, we will give you a nasal spray containing either oxytocin or
placebo, and then ask you to complete a social learning task that involves receiving mild electric shocks
while in an MRI scanner. Additionally, this study involves a diagnostic interview, and self-report
questionnaires. This study requires one visit at the University of Washington (UW) between Monday
through Friday from 9am-5pm that will last approximately 4-5 hours. You will be compensated $80-$100 for completing this study.
Since this study is looking at the effect of a hormone and involves an MRI scan, there are some sensitive
inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study. These include:
- Having regular menstrual cycles (if female)
- Not having certain other psychiatric, medical, or neurological conditions
- No current plans to harm self or others
- Not being pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to conceive
- Not taking certain medications, including hormonal contraception, psychotropic medication, and steroids
- Not currently seeing a therapist, or psychiatrist (past is okay)
- Not using illicit substances (a urine drug screen will be administered to participate in this study)
- Not having certain prior surgeries, implanted devices (i.e., copper IUD, cardiac pacemaker, screws), or other conditions that would make you ineligible for an MRI scan
If you are unsure about any of the above criteria, feel free to contact us via email or schedule for a phone screen. To participate, we will need to conduct a 20-30 min phone screen interview asking questions related to these criteria to determine if you meet preliminary eligibility. If you are still interested in participating, you can schedule a slot for the phone screen interview via this Calendly link: https://calendly.com/uwconnectlab/studyvisit
Thank you!