scholarly journals Randomized clinical trial shows no substantial modulation of empathy-related neural activation by intranasal oxytocin in autism

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalina V. Mayer ◽  
Anne-Kathrin Wermter ◽  
Sanna Stroth ◽  
Peter Alter ◽  
Michael Haberhausen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Heterogeneous Effects ◽  
Social Difficulties

AbstractEvidence suggests that intranasal application of oxytocin facilitates empathy and modulates its underlying neural processes, which are often impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Oxytocin has therefore been considered a promising candidate for the treatment of social difficulties in ASD. However, evidence linking oxytocin treatment to social behavior and brain function in ASD is limited and heterogeneous effects might depend on variations in the oxytocin-receptor gene (OXTR). We examined 25 male ASD patients without intellectual disability in a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled fMRI-protocol, in which a single dose of oxytocin or placebo was applied intranasally. Patients performed three experiments in the MRI examining empathy for other’s physical pain, basic emotions, and social pain. All participants were genotyped for the rs53576 single-nucleotide polymorphism of the OXTR. Oxytocin increased bilateral amygdala responsiveness during the physical pain task for both painful and neutral stimuli. Other than that, there were no effects of oxytocin treatment. OXTR genotype did not significantly interact with oxytocin treatment. Our results contribute to the growing body of empirical literature suggesting heterogenous effects of oxytocin administration in ASD. To draw clinically relevant conclusions regarding the usefulness of oxytocin treatment, however, empirical studies need to consider methods of delivery, dose, and moderating individual factors more carefully in larger samples.

scholarly journals Oxytocin promotes lying for personal gain in a genotype-dependent manner

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Sindermann ◽  
Ruixue Luo ◽  
Benjamin Becker ◽  
Keith M Kendrick ◽  
Christian Montag
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
The Third ◽  
Group Members

AbstractSociety values honesty, since it fosters trust in others. Although we have a strong moral aversion to lying, particularly when it is self-serving, we nevertheless lie quite frequently and the biological basis for this is poorly understood. The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin has been implicated in a number of anti-social as well as pro-social behaviours, including lying to benefit in-group members or in competitive situations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of oxytocin administration on self-serving lying behaviour and possible moderating effects of genetic underpinnings of the oxytocin receptor. A total of 161 adult men participated in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled between-subject intranasal oxytocin administration (24 International Units) study where self-serving lying was assessed using the die-in-a-cup paradigm. Additionally, contributions of polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene were investigated using a haplotype approach. Results showed that while placebo-treated subjects behaved honestly across three successive rounds, oxytocin administration promoted self-serving lying, particularly in the third / last round and only to a certain degree (not to the maximum). Moreover, this effect of oxytocin was strongest in carriers of the GCG individual haplotype (rs237887-rs2268491-rs2254298) and non-carriers of the GT individual haplotype (rs53576-rs2268498) on the oxytocin receptor gene. Overall our findings demonstrate that oxytocin administration can promote self-serving lying when subjects are given repeated opportunities to lie and that these effects are moderated by genetic underpinnings of the oxytocin receptor.

Polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene are associated with the development of psychopathy

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R. Dadds ◽  
Caroline Moul ◽  
Avril Cauchi ◽  
Carol Dobson-Stone ◽  
David J. Hawes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Child Conduct Problems ◽  
Distinct Subgroup ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Two Samples

AbstractThe co-occurrence of child conduct problems (CPs) and callous–unemotional (CU) traits confers risk for psychopathy. The oxytocin (OXT) system is a likely candidate for involvement in the development of psychopathy. We tested variations in the OXT receptor gene (OXTR) in CP children and adolescents with varying levels of CU traits. Two samples of Caucasian children, aged 4–16 years, who met DSM criteria for disruptive behavior problems and had no features of autism spectrum disorder, were stratified into low versus high CU traits. Measures were the frequencies of nine candidate OXTR polymorphisms (single nucleotide polymorphisms). In Sample 1, high CU traits were associated with single nucleotide polymorphism rs1042778 in the 3′ untranslated region of OXTR and the CGCT haplotype of rs2268490, rs2254298, rs237889, and rs13316193. The association of rs1042778 was replicated in the second rural sample and held across gender and child versus adolescent age groups. We conclude that polymorphic variation of the OXTR characterizes children with high levels of CU traits and CPs. The results are consistent with a hypothesized role of OXT in the developmental antecedents of psychopathy, particularly the differential amygdala activation model of psychopathic traits, and add genetic evidence that high CU traits specify a distinct subgroup within CP children.

scholarly journals Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene isassociated with emotion processing in the infant brain

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Marie Krol ◽  
Meghan Puglia ◽  
James P. Morris ◽  
Jessica J. Connelly ◽  
Tobias Grossmann
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Epigenetic Modification ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Emotion Processing ◽  
Neural Response ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Epigenetic Mark ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene

The neural capacity to discriminate between emotions emerges early in development, though little is known about specific factors that contribute to variability in this vital skill during infancy. In adults, DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) is an epigenetic modification that is variable, predictive of gene expression, and has been linked to autism spectrum disorder and the neural response to social cues. It is unknown whether OXTRm is variable in infants, and whether it is predictive of early social function. Implementing a developmental-neuroimaging-epigenetics approach in a large sample of infants (N = 98), we examined whether OXTRm is associated with neural responses to emotional expressions. OXTRm was assessed at 5 months of age. At 7 months of age, infants viewed happy, angry, and fearful faces while functional near-infrared spectroscopy was recorded. We observed that OXTRm shows considerable variability among infants. Critically, infants with higher OXTRm show enhanced responses to anger and fear and attenuated responses to happiness in right inferior frontal cortex, a region implicated in emotion processing through action-perception coupling. Findings support models emphasizing oxytocin’s role in modulating neural response to emotion and identify OXTRm as an epigenetic mark contributing to early brain function.

Meta-analysis and association of two common polymorphisms of the human oxytocin receptor gene in autism spectrum disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1036-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten M. Kranz ◽  
Marnie Kopp ◽  
Regina Waltes ◽  
Michael Sachse ◽  
Eftichia Duketis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene

scholarly journals Association of oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms with autism spectrum disorder in Bengali of Bangladesh population

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-186
Author(s):  
Mahadia Kumkum ◽  
Lolo Wal Marzan ◽  
Shahin Akter ◽  
Soma Chowdhury Biswas ◽  
Mahmood Ahmed Chowdhury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Signaling System ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Pcr Rflp ◽  
Receptor Gene Polymorphisms

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by core deficits in social interaction, communication and behaviors. Several lines of evidence indicate that oxytocin signaling through its receptor (OXTR), is vital in a wide range of social behaviors and role of OXTR polymorphism in ASD development has also been established in several populations. Therefore, an attempt was taken to determine whether genetic variations in the oxytocin signaling system contribute to ASD susceptibility in a part of Bangladeshi (BEB) population. We have investigated the role of OXTR polymorphisms (rs53576, rs2254298, rs2228485 and rs237911) in ASD development through PCR-RFLP method, based on case studies. A significant frequency (p = 0.027) for OXTR ‘rs53576AA’ risk genotype was found to be associated with ASD which is consistent with the previous study in Chinese but Caucasian and Japanese population. Besides, no significant association has been found for other OXTR variants (rs2254298, rs2228485 and rs237911) in this study. Understanding of these significant association with ASD development could be open a new clue aimed at clinical marker development for ASD diagnosis and treatment in future. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2020, 6(2): 176-186

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