Irritability and emotional dysregulation are recognized as serious aspects of psychopathology seen in in pediatric psychiatric patients. While various behavioral as well as psychopharmacological interventions have shown some efficacy in improving irritability and emotional dysregulation, there are no data determining the neurobiological mechanism of effect at the neural level. Previous studies have demonstrated that heightened amygdala response to negative emotional stimuli is closely related to irritability and emotional dysregulation in children and adolescents. Also, there are studies showing administration of oxytocin can decrease the heightened amygdala response to negative emotional stimuli across various psychiatric diagnoses. This study is a double-blind randomized trial of oxytocin for irritability and emotional dysregulation in the pediatric population. Neuroimaging modalities of fMRI and MEG are employed to probe the neuro-circuitry changes occurring as a result of the oxytocin intervention, specifically including heightened amygdala response to negative emotional stimuli and dysfunctional fronto-amygdala connectivity. The investigators will also investigate the genetic sequence of the oxytocin receptor in the study participants and its relationship with symptom profile and neural activity changes. Children and adolescents (age 10-18) with a diagnosis of disruptive mood and/or behavior disorders (including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder \[ADHD\], Oppositional Defiant Disorder \[ODD\], Conduct Disorder \[CD\], and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder \[DMDD\]), and clinically significant levels of irritability and emotional dysregulation as measured by the Affective Reactivity Index Scale (score\>/= 4). 2 weeks randomized, double-blind treatment with intranasal oxytocin (24 IU daily, or 12 IU daily if the weight is \< 40kg) with assessment of diagnosis, symptom profiles (the Affective Reactivity Index \[ARI\], Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Trait \[ICU\], Behavior Assessment System for Children, second version \[BASC-2\], and Clinical Global Impression \[CGI\]) and pre- and post-oxytocin treatment neuroimaging (fMRI and MEG). The genetic sample will be obtained via buccal mucosa sampling. Participants may receive outpatient clinically indicated follow-up care in the UNMC department of psychiatry or other local community agency as appropriate.
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Change in Affective Reactivity Index - Youth (ARI-Y)
Timeframe: baseline and 21 days
Clinical Global Impression: Severity
Timeframe: 21 days (study endpoint)