Oxytocin vs. placebo effects on intrusive memory consolidation using a trauma film paradigm: a randomized, controlled experimental study in healthy women.

Oxytocin administration during a trauma analogue has been shown to increase intrusive memories, which are a core symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is unknown whether oxytocin influences the acquisition or the consolidation of the trauma. The current study investigates the effect of the activation of the oxytocin system during the consolidation of an analogue trauma on the formation of intrusive memories over four consecutive days and whether this effect is influenced by individual neurobiological, genetic, or psychological factors. We conducted a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study in 217 healthy women. They received either a single dose of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) or placebo after exposure to a trauma film paradigm, which reliably induces intrusive memories. We used a general random forest to examine a potential heterogeneous treatment effect of oxytocin on the consolidation of intrusive memories. Furthermore, we used a poisson regression to examine whether salivary alpha amylase activity (sAA) as a marker of noradrenergic activity and cortisol response to the film, polygenic risk score (PRS) for psychiatric disorders, and psychological factors influence the number of intrusive memories. We found no significant effect of oxytocin on the formation of intrusive memories (F(2, 543.16) = 0.75, p = 0.51, ηp2 = 0.00) and identified no heterogeneous treatment effect. We replicated previous associations of the PRS for PTSD, sAA and the cortisol response on intrusive memories. We further found a positive association between high trait anxiety and intrusive memories, and a negative association between the emotion regulation strategy reappraisal and intrusive memories. Data of the present study suggest that the consolidation of intrusive memories in women is modulated by genetic, neurobiological and psychological factors, but is not influenced by oxytocin. Trial registration: NCT03875391.

[Physical and Psychological Consequences of Political Imprisonment in the Soviet Zone of Occupation and the German Democratic Republic]. / Gesundheitliche Folgen politischer Haft in der Sowjetischen Besatzungszone und der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik.

About 180 000 to 300 000 people were imprisoned for political reasons in the Soviet Zone of Occupation (SBZ) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Traumatic stress, like political imprisonment, can lead to long-term health impairments. Furthermore, research on political imprisonment suggests a transgenerational transfer of health impairments. The current article aims at providing an overview of physical and psychological consequences of political imprisonment in the SBZ and GDR and underlining the relevance of the study currently conducted at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Previous studies indicate increased prevalence rates for psychiatric syndromes and physical symptoms in the population of former political prisoners in the SBZ and GDR. There still is a need for a systematic assessment of possible health-related effects of political imprisonment in the SBZ/GDR on former prisoners and their offspring.