Oral Vasopressin Modulates Neural Responses to Looming Visual Stimuli: An Eye-tracking Study

Vasopressin Modulates Neural Responses to Looming Visual Stimuli: An Eye-tracking Study

The main aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of orally administered vasopressin (AVP) on the perception of time-to-collision of threatening and non-threatening stimuli by combining a validated looming fear eye-tracking paradigm with a randomized between-subject placebo-controlled pharmacological trial design.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Vasopressin; Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

Animal models and initial findings in humans suggest a role of the AVP signaling system in socio-emotional processes. At the same time, the visual system's remarkable ability to perceive and interpret impending threats, notably through the "looming" phenomenon- a distinct pattern of optical expansion on the retina as objects approach, theoretically allows for precise estimation of the time-to-collision (TTC). It was recently demonstrated that the affective content of looming stimuli influences perceived TTC, with threatening objects judged as approaching sooner than non-threatening objects, hinting at a nuanced interaction between emotional valence and temporal perception. Within this context the present study aims to validate the effects of orally administered on the perception of time-to-collision of threatening and non-threatening stimuli. To this end, healthy individuals will undergo a double-blind, between-subjects, placebo-controlled pharmaco-eye-tracking experiment and receive a single oral dose of vasopressin (20 IU) or placebo before performing a looming visual stimuli task 45 minutes after administration. The task paradigm will encompass threatening (butterfly, rabbit) and non-threatening (spider, snake) stimuli

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Weihua Zhao, Dr; Phone Number: 86-28-61830811; Email: zarazhao.uestc@outlook.com

Study Locations

• China
  • Sichuan
    • Chendu, Sichuan, China
      • Recruiting
      • University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
      • Contact: Weihua Zhao, Dr; Phone Number: 86-28-61830811; Email: zarazhao.uestc@outlook.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy subjects who volunteer to participate and are able to fully understand and agree with this study by written informed consent.
• Normal or corrected-normal version

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of neuropsychiatric diseases.
• History of cardiac disease, including arrhythmias, aortic stenosis, or congestive heart failure; history of syncope or unexplained loss of consciousness.
• History of hepatic diseases, including cholestasis, biliary obstructive disease, or severe liver dysfunction.
• History of renal diseases, including renal stones or renal failure.
• History of hyponatremia(Serum sodium <135mmol/L) or hyperkalemia (Serum potassium>5.5mmol/L); history of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus
• Known hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to any medication or hormone; strong allergic reaction to food.
• Infections such as COVID-19 or influenza, or unexplained fever.
• Subjects with hypertension (BP ≥130/80mmHg) or hypotension (BP ≤ 90/60mmHg).
• History of alcohol or drug abuse; smoker (≥ 10 cigarettes or ≥ 3 cigars or ≥ 3 pipes/day); smoker using e-cigarettes.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo group; Drug: Placebo	Drug: Placebo; Administration of placebo (oral spray); Other Names: Placebo treatment
Experimental: Vasopressin group; Drug: Vasopressin (20IU)	Drug: Vasopressin; Administration of vasopressin (20 IU) (oral spray); Other Names: Antidiuretic Hormone

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ratio of judged-time-to-collision to actual-time-to-collision for threatening versus non-threatening stimuli after oral vasopressin administration	Comparison of the ratio between the judged time to collision and the actual time to collision between the treatment groups for threatening (spider, snake) and non-threatening (rabbit, butterfly) stimuli.	75 minutes - 105 minutes after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
First saccade latency(ms) for threatening versus non-threatening stimuli after oral vasopressin administration	Comparison of first saccade latencies between treatment groups for threatening (spider, snake) and non-threatening (rabbit, butterfly) stimuli.	75 minutes - 105 minutes after treatment
Fixation duration(ms) for threatening versus non-threatening stimuli after oral vasopressin administration	Comparison of mean fixation durations between treatment groups for threatening (spider, snake) and non-threatening (rabbit, butterfly) stimuli.	75 minutes - 105 minutes after treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Benjamin Becker, Dr, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 5, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 15, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 15, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 11, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: vasopressin; Eye-tracking; looming fear
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Natriuretic Agents; Hemostatics; Coagulants; Vasoconstrictor Agents; Antidiuretic Agents; Vasopressins; Arginine Vasopressin
• Other Study ID Numbers: BAM_lab_eyetracking_03

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No