The effect of MDMA administration on oxytocin concentration levels: systematic review and a multilevel meta-analysis in humans.
Anna Vaslavski, Anna Harwood Gross, Salomon Israel, Leehe Peled-Avron
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106324 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human participants in studies of MDMA administration |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Meta-analysis Oxytocin Psychopharmacology Sex differences Social cognition Time-dependent effects |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | MDMA transiently elevates oxytocin levels in a time-dependent manner, peaking between 150 and 200 minutes, with dose not significantly predicting changes and a trend for smaller increases in samples with more female participants. |
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxmethamphetamine (MDMA) has been shown to enhance social cognition, partly through its effects on oxytocin, a neuropeptide involved in social cognition. Despite growing evidence linking MDMA to increased oxytocin levels, no study has systematically examined this relationship across different doses, times, and participant characteristics. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effects of MDMA administration on peripheral oxytocin levels in humans. A systematic search identified ten studies, comprising 39 effect size estimates. Multilevel meta-analyses were conducted using Hedge's g as the primary outcome, with dose, time of measurement, and sex as moderators. Results revealed that oxytocin levels increased over time, peaking between 150 and 200 min, before declining. The dose did not significantly predict oxytocin changes, and a trend suggested that samples with a higher proportion of female participants exhibited smaller increases in oxytocin levels. These findings suggest that MDMA transiently elevates oxytocin levels in a time-dependent manner, potentially contributing to its prosocial effects. Importantly, these findings may guide oxytocin-informed timing of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy sessions. Standardization of methods and larger sample sizes are needed to clarify these effects and optimize the therapeutic benefits of MDMA.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A review of the acute subjective effects of MDMA/ecstasy | 2006 | Systematic review | |
| Adverse events in clinical treatments with serotonergic psychedelics and MDMA: A mixed-methods systematic review Patients in clinical trials with MDMA or serotonergic psychedelics | 2022 | Systematic review | n = 598 |
| Treating posttraumatic stress disorder with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: A preliminary meta-analysis and comparison to prolonged exposure therapy Patients with PTSD | 2016 | Meta-analysis | |
| The neuropsychology of ecstasy (MDMA) use: a quantitative review MDMA users | 2007 | Meta-analysis | |
| Drug-drug interactions between psychiatric medications and MDMA or psilocybin: a systematic review | 2022 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 31
- Gender differences in the subjective effects of MDMA Psychopharmacology March 5, 2001
- MDMA enhances emotional empathy and prosocial behavior Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience October 4, 2013
- Oxytocin-dependent reopening of a social reward learning critical period with MDMA Nature April 3, 2019
- Psychedelics reopen the social reward learning critical period Nature June 14, 2023
- Distinct acute effects of LSD, MDMA, and d-amphetamine in healthy subjects Neuropsychopharmacology November 16, 2019
and 26 more in the library