This study aims to investigate oxytocin's effect on attentional bias training. Healthy participants will undergo a dot-probe task-based training to direct their attention away from negative stimuli (as compared to neutral). Effects of the training will be assessed using an eye-tracking anti-saccade task.

In this study, a dot-probe task will be used to examine if subjects show an attentional bias towards negative stimuli and whether the bias can be modified using a subsequent attentional bias training. During this training participants learn to direct their attention away from threatening stimuli. In a between-subject placebo controlled design participants will receive either intranasal oxytocin or placebo before the training to examine whether oxytocin could facilitate the effects of the attention training. Effects of the training and of oxytocin on the training will be assessed by means of an eye-tracking anti-saccade task. Based on previous studies showing the strongest effects of threat-attentional bias training in high anxious subjects, the study will recruit participants with an elevated trait anxiety.

Inclusion Criteria:

• male participants with elevated trait anxiety (> 45 scores as assessed with the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, Spielberger, 1983)
• without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

• history of head injury
• medical or psychiatric illness
• smoking or drinking 24 hours before the experiment