Evaluating the Benefits of Intranasal Oxytocin Administration on Human Performance and Metabolism under Extreme Conditions
Abstract
Evaluating Potential Benefits of Intranasal Oxytocin on Undersea Operator Training and PerformanceNaval Special Warfare (NSW) operators are exposed to a variety of extreme environmental conditions and intense physical demands. In addition to breathing high pressure gases at depth, prolonged cold water immersion and inadequate recovery from sustained physical exertion negativeual and team performance. Biotechnologies that could mitigate the effects of cold as well as support physical recovery represent a significant unmet need for the NSW operational community.Oxytocin (OT) has a wide range of actions both locally in the brain and peripherally in the body including skeletal muscle. These peripheral effects can be mediated by classic ligand-receptor activation given the abundant expression of the oxytocin receptor in peripheral tissues, along with local expression of OT in peripheral tissues where it is likely to act in an autocrine manner. Exogenous OT via intranasal administration is FDA Investigational New Drug (IND)-apripheral tissues.IHMC proposes two projects to study the benefit of OT:1. Hyperoxic Swim-Induced Oxidative Stress and InflammationDue to the pleiotropic effects of OT on whole body metabolism including thermogenesis, pain, mood, inflammation, appetite, glycemic control, skeletal homeostasis, and skeletal muscle repair and regeneration, there is increasing interest in the administration of exogenous OT for benefits to human health, performance and resilience. However, the biological mechanisms by which OT exerts effects on skeletal muscle remain poorly understood, particularly in humans. Our central hypothesis is that intranasally administered OT attenuates systemic and skeletal muscle oxidative stress and inflammation induced by the combined stressor of resistance swim exercise and hyperoxia. If efficacy is demonstrated, the deliverable is an easily administered, adjunctive biological therapy to improve recovery, performance, and resilience of warfighters. The planned project will extend current IHMC research developing biotechnologies to enhance human performance and resilience. Our central hypothesis will be tested via two specific aims using a rigorous, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial leveraging a wash-in design, enrolling N=40 18-39 y/o men.2. Cold Water Task Performance and RecoveryCold water operators undergo an extensive and unique set of physical, physiological, and psychological stressors during a mission. In-water transit may exceed 6 hours submerged in cold water, on rebreathers, and in a confined space. During this lengthy transit, operators must maintain vigilance over navigation, vehicle, and life support controls while exposed to the risks of mixed gas or oxygen rebreather diving, alongside hypothermia, dehydration, undernutrition, and other factors that can significantly degrade operator performance. Once the team has reached target, they must be at peak cognitive and physical readiness as they carry out their mission objective. Given the potential thermogenic and recovery effects of intranasal OT, we hypothesize that prophylactic OT administration, compared to placebo, will mitigate deficits in mission-relevant performance during and after cold water exposure. For this project we will utilize a Cold Water Performance Task Battery. The task battery has been validated with the operator community for its ability to induce changes in core and peripheral body temperature, manual dexterity, cognitive performance, and physical performance following cold water exposure. Our hypothesis will test one specific aim using a rigorous, double-blind, placebo-con
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 06, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112201
Entities
People
- Tim Broderick
Organizations
- Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy