Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Predicts Brain Region–Specific Expression and Social Attachment

King, Lanikea B.; Walum, Hasse; Inoue, Kiyoshi; Eyrich, Nicholas W.; Young, Larry J.

doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.12.008

Cited by 155 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…Moreover, a highly relevant study in rodents recently showed that a polymorphism in the Oxtr gene explains a large proportion of variance in accumbal OTR expression, which is known to be functionally relevant for attachment formation and parenting (King et al, 2015). A recent human study by Dannlowski et al (2015) identified an ELS-associated reduction in bilateral gray matter volume of the ventral striatum.…”

Section: Methodological Challenges Future Directions and Translatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin pathways in the intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress

Toepfer

Heim

Entringer

et al. 2017

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

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Severe stress in early life, such as childhood abuse and neglect, constitutes a major risk factor in the etiology of psychiatric disorders and somatic diseases. Importantly, these long-term effects may impact the next generation. The intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress (ELS) may occur via pre-and postnatal pathways, such as alterations in maternal-fetal-placental stress physiology, maternal depression during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as impaired mother-offspring interactions. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has gained considerable attention for its role in modulating all of these assumed transmission pathways. Moreover, central and peripheral OT signaling pathways are highly sensitive to environmental exposures and may be compromised by ELS with implications for these putative transmission mechanisms. Together, these data suggest that OT pathways play an important role in the intergenerational transmission of maternal ELS in humans. By integrating recent studies on gene-environment interactions and epigenetic modifications in OT pathway genes, the present review aims to develop a conceptual framework of intergenerational transmission of maternal ELS that emphasizes the role of OT.

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Section: Methodological Challenges Future Directions and Translatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin pathways in the intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress

Toepfer

Heim

Entringer

et al. 2017

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

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“…For example, recent research showed that genetic variations in the OT-receptor gene (OXTR) of prairie voles are related to social attachment and partner preference (King et al, 2015), and that knock-down of the OT receptor inhibited social attachment and parental care (Keebaugh et al, 2015). Also in human infants, polymorphisms in the OXTR gene have been associated with variations in attachment security (Chen et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term oxytocin administration enhances the experience of attachment

Bernaerts

Prinsen

Berra

et al. 2017

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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Oxytocin and attachment -Bernaerts et al. 2 Highlights We examined effects of multiple-dose intranasal oxytocin (OT) on attachment  State and Trait attachment were assessed before and after two-week OT administration  OT treatment decreased attachment avoidance and increased attachment toward peers  Participants with less secure peer attachment showed most pronounced OT effects  OT treatment was also associated with changes in mood ABSTRACTThe neuropeptide 'oxytocin' (OT) is known to play a pivotal role in a variety of complex social behaviors by promoting a prosocial attitude and interpersonal bonding. Previous studies showed that a single-dose of exogenously administered OT can affect trust and feelings of attachment insecurity. With the present study, we explored the effects of two weeks of daily OT administration on measures of state and trait attachment using a double-blind betweensubjects randomized placebo-controlled design. In 40 healthy young adult men state and trait attachment were assessed before and after two weeks of daily intranasal OT (24 IU) or placebo using the State Adult Attachment Scale and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment.Mood, social responsiveness and quality of life were additionally assessed as secondary outcome measures. Reductions in attachment avoidance and increases in reports of attachment toward peers were reported after two weeks of OT treatment. Further, treatmentinduced changes were most pronounced for participants with less secure attachment towards their peers. indicating that normal variance at baseline modulated treatment response. OT treatment was additionally associated with changes in mood, indicating decreases in feelings of tension and (tentatively) anger in the OT group, not in the placebo group. Further, at the end of the two-week trial, both treatment groups (OT, placebo) reported to experience an increase in social responsiveness and quality of life, but the effects were only specific to the OTtreatment in terms of reports on 'social motivation'. In summary, the observed improvements on state and trait dimensions of attachment after a multiple-dose treatment with OT provide further evidence in support of a pivotal role of OT in promoting the experience of attachment. KEYWORDSOxytocin, State attachment, Trait attachment, Mood, Social responsiveness, Quality of life Oxytocin and attachment -Bernaerts et al.3

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“…A burgeoning body of evidence highlights the role of several key genes within the oxytocin signaling pathway linked to sociability, including the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), CD38, and the structural gene for oxytocin (OXT) (4). Although mounting data strongly support the role of OXTR in the phenotypic expression of sociability in humans (5,6) and animals (7), the roles of other oxytocin pathway genes has received relatively little attention. As such, the role that OXT plays in the expression of sociability in humans is currently unknown.…”

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confidence: 99%

Epigenetic modification ofOXTand human sociability

Haas

Filkowski

Cochran

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Across many mammalian species there exist genetic and biological systems that facilitate the tendency to be social. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide involved in social-approach behaviors in humans and others mammals. Although there exists a large, mounting body of evidence showing that oxytocin signaling genes are associated with human sociability, very little is currently known regarding the way the structural gene for oxytocin (OXT) confers individual differences in human sociability. In this study, we undertook a comprehensive approach to investigate the association between epigenetic modification of OXT via DNA methylation, and overt measures of social processing, including self-report, behavior, and brain function and structure. Genetic data were collected via saliva samples and analyzed to target and quantify DNA methylation across the promoter region of OXT. We observed a consistent pattern of results across sociability measures. People that exhibit lower OXT DNA methylation (presumably linked to higher OXT expression) display more secure attachment styles, improved ability to recognize emotional facial expressions, greater superior temporal sulcus activity during two social-cognitive functional MRI tasks, and larger fusiform gyrus gray matter volume than people that exhibit higher OXT DNA methylation. These findings provide empirical evidence that epigenetic modification of OXT is linked to several overt measures of sociability in humans and serve to advance progress in translational social neuroscience research toward a better understanding of the evolutionary and genetic basis of normal and abnormal human sociability.ociability is a central feature of the human species. Through one perspective, the complex array of human social-cognition and behavior serves to differentiate humans from other animals. However, there exist several core elemental components of the human sociobiological system that are present across many animal species, which may have remained relatively conserved throughout recent evolutionary history (1). Elucidating the genetic and biological substrates of social behavior serves to advance the way basic human nature is understood and improves the way genetic and biological markers can be used to prevent, diagnose, and treat people with impairments in social cognition and behavior.Oxytocin is a neurohypophysial peptide synthesized in the hypothalamus in the brain, linked to a wide range of social behaviors in humans and other mammals. Administration of oxytocin in humans is associated with changes in social-approach behaviors, such as trust (2) and personal proximity (3). This evidence has motivated the search for genes within the oxytocin system that confer individual differences in social behavior and cognition. A burgeoning body of evidence highlights the role of several key genes within the oxytocin signaling pathway linked to sociability, including the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), CD38, and the structural gene for oxytocin (OXT) (4). Although mounting data strongly support the role of ...

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Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Predicts Brain Region–Specific Expression and Social Attachment

Cited by 155 publications

References 85 publications

Oxytocin pathways in the intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress

Oxytocin pathways in the intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress

Long-term oxytocin administration enhances the experience of attachment

Epigenetic modification ofOXTand human sociability

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