PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Ulrike Rimmele AU - Karin Hediger AU - Markus Heinrichs AU - Peter Klaver TI - Oxytocin Makes a Face in Memory Familiar AID - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4260-08.2009 DP - 2009 Jan 07 TA - The Journal of Neuroscience PG - 38--42 VI - 29 IP - 1 4099 - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/29/1/38.short 4100 - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/29/1/38.full SO - J. Neurosci.2009 Jan 07; 29 AB - Social recognition is the basis of all social interactions. Here, we show that, in humans, the evolutionarily highly conserved neuropeptide oxytocin, after intranasal administration, specifically improves recognition memory for faces, but not for nonsocial stimuli. With increased oxytocin levels, previously presented faces were more correctly assessed as “known,” whereas the ability of recollecting faces was unchanged. This pattern speaks for an immediate and selective effect of the peptide strengthening neuronal systems of social memory.