Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 6, 2025

Novel Object Recognition and Object Location Behavioral Testing in Mice on a Budget
Published on: November 20, 2018
Most oxytocin administration studies are statistically underpowered to reliably detect (or reject) a wide range of
Daniel S Quintana1,2,3
1NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo, And Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract:
The neuropeptide oxytocin has attracted substantial research interest for its role in behaviour and cognition; however, the evidence for its effects have been mixed. Meta-analysis is viewed as the gold-standard for synthesizing evidence, but the evidential value of a meta-analysis is dependent on the evidential value of the studies it synthesizes, and the analytical approaches used to derive conclusions. To assess the evidential value of oxytocin administration meta-analyses, this study calculated the statistical power of 107 studies from 35 meta-analyses and assessed the statistical equivalence of reported results. The mean statistical power across all studies was 12.2% and there has been no noticeable improvement in power over an eight-year period. None of the 26 non-significant meta-analyses were statistically equivalent, assuming a smallest effect size of interest of 0.1. Altogether, most oxytocin treatment study designs are statistically underpowered to either detect or reject a wide range of worthwhile effect sizes.
More Related Videos
07:56Contractility Measurements of Human Uterine Smooth Muscle to Aid Drug Development
Published on: January 26, 2018
09:12Assessing Cellular Stress and Inflammation in Discrete Oxytocin-secreting Brain Nuclei in the Neonatal Rat Before and After First Colostrum Feeding
Published on: November 14, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Statistical Significance
Odds Ratio
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy
Significance Testing: Overview
Identifying Statistically Significant Differences: The F-Test