Preventing PTSD with oxytocin Effects of oxytocin administration on fear neurocircuitry and PTSD symptom development in recently trauma-exposed individuals

The overall aim of the current PhD-thesis was to investigate the potential of intranasal oxytocin administration as early preventive intervention for PTSD, by assessing the effects of intranasal oxytocin early after trauma on functioning of the fear neurocircuitry and on PTSD symptom development in recently trauma-exposed individuals. To this end, we performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to assess the acute effects of a single administration of oxytocin on the functional fear neurocircuitry – consisting of the amygdala and (pre)frontal brain regions associated with fear extinction and emotion regulation – in recently trauma-exposed emergency department patients. In addition, we performed a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of repeated intranasal oxytocin administration early after trauma for preventing the development of PTSD symptom. Furthermore, we investigated neurobiological correlates of PTSD and acute PTSD symptoms.