scholarly journals Epigenetic dynamics in infancy and the impact of maternal engagement

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. eaay0680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Krol ◽  
Robert G. Moulder ◽  
Travis S. Lillard ◽  
Tobias Grossmann ◽  
Jessica J. Connelly
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
First Year ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Early Environment ◽  
Nature Versus Nurture ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Regulatory Sites

The contribution of nature versus nurture to the development of human behavior has been debated for centuries. Here, we offer a piece to this complex puzzle by identifying the human endogenous oxytocin system—known for its critical role in mammalian sociality—as a system sensitive to its early environment and subject to epigenetic change. Recent animal work suggests that early parental care is associated with changes in DNA methylation of conserved regulatory sites within the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm). Through dyadic modeling of behavior and OXTRm status across the first year and a half of life, we translated these findings to 101 human mother-infant dyads. We show that OXTRm is dynamic in infancy and its change is predicted by maternal engagement and reflective of behavioral temperament. We provide evidence for an early window of environmental epigenetic regulation of the oxytocin system, facilitating the emergence of individual differences in human behavior.

scholarly journals Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene influences the perception of anger and fear in the human brain

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 3308-3313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan H. Puglia ◽  
Travis S. Lillard ◽  
James P. Morris ◽  
Jessica J. Connelly
Keyword(s):  
Epigenetic Modification ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Emotional Behavior ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Emotional Face ◽  
The Impact

In humans, the neuropeptide oxytocin plays a critical role in social and emotional behavior. The actions of this molecule are dependent on a protein that acts as its receptor, which is encoded by the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). DNA methylation of OXTR, an epigenetic modification, directly influences gene transcription and is variable in humans. However, the impact of this variability on specific social behaviors is unknown. We hypothesized that variability in OXTR methylation impacts social perceptual processes often linked with oxytocin, such as perception of facial emotions. Using an imaging epigenetic approach, we established a relationship between OXTR methylation and neural activity in response to emotional face processing. Specifically, high levels of OXTR methylation were associated with greater amounts of activity in regions associated with face and emotion processing including amygdala, fusiform, and insula. Importantly, we found that these higher levels of OXTR methylation were also associated with decreased functional coupling of amygdala with regions involved in affect appraisal and emotion regulation. These data indicate that the human endogenous oxytocin system is involved in attenuation of the fear response, corroborating research implicating intranasal oxytocin in the same processes. Our findings highlight the importance of including epigenetic mechanisms in the description of the endogenous oxytocin system and further support a central role for oxytocin in social cognition. This approach linking epigenetic variability with neural endophenotypes may broadly explain individual differences in phenotype including susceptibility or resilience to disease.

scholarly journals Gene-environment interactions in face categorisation: experience with a nanny and oxytocin receptor genotype interact to reduce face categorization reaction times

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Jin Yee Neoh ◽  
Peipei Setoh ◽  
Andrea Bizzego ◽  
Moses Tandiono ◽  
Jia Nee Foo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Genetic Group ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Indirect Pathway ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Face Categorization ◽  
Gene Environment

AbstractHuman faces are relevant stimuli that capture attention, provide information about group belonging and elicit automatic prepared responses. While early experiences with other race faces plays a critical role in acquiring face expertise, the exact mechanism through which it exerts its influence is still to be elucidated. In particular, the influence of genetic factors and the role of a multi-ethnic context has not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate how caregiving experiences with nannies and oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) genotypes interact in regulating other-race categorisation mechanisms in adults. Information about single nucleotide polymorphisms of the OXTR (rs53576) and experiences with own- and other-race nannies was collected from 89 Singaporean adults, who completed a visual categorization task of face stimuli (Chinese or Javanese). Participants were grouped into A/A homozygotes and G-carriers and assigned a score to account for the type of nanny experience. A General Linear Model was used to estimate the effect of nanny experience, genetic group and their interaction on categorization reaction time. A significant main effect of the nanny experience (p<.001) and of the interaction between genetic group and experience (p=.008) was found. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between nanny experience and reaction time for A/A homozygotes (r=−0.52, p<.001) but no significant correlation for G-carriers. In summary, a significant gene-environment interaction on face categorization was found. This finding appears to represent an indirect pathway through which genes and experiences interact to shape mature social sensitivity in human adults.HighlightsEarly nanny experience interacts with oxytocin receptor genotype in affecting the speed of face categorisation.Individuals with other-race nanny experience show faster categorisation response times. Gene-environment interactions are present in face categorisation.

scholarly journals Methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene mediates the effect of adversity on negative schemas and depression

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 725-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald L. Simons ◽  
Man Kit Lei ◽  
Steven R. H. Beach ◽  
Carolyn E. Cutrona ◽  
Robert A. Philibert
Keyword(s):  
African American Women ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBuilding upon various lines of research, we posited that methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) would mediate the effect of adult adversity on increased commitment to negative schemas and in turn the development of depression. We tested our model using structural equation modeling and longitudinal data from a sample of 100 middle-aged, African American women. The results provided strong support for the model. Analysis of the 12 CpG sites available for the promoter region of the OXTR gene identified four factors. One of these factors was related to the study variables, whereas the others were not. This factor mediated the effect of adult adversity on schemas relating to pessimism and distrust, and these schemas, in turn, mediated the impact of OXTR methylation on depression. All indirect effects were statistically significant, and they remained significant after controlling for childhood trauma, age, romantic relationship status, individual differences in cell types, and average level of genome-wide methylation. These finding suggest that epigenetic regulation of the oxytocin system may be a mechanism whereby the negative cognitions central to depression become biologically embedded.

The Hormonal Underpinnings of Sexual Communication

2020 ◽  
pp. 234-260
Author(s):  
Amanda Denes ◽  
Anuraj Dhillon ◽  
Ambyre L. P. Ponivas ◽  
Kara L. Winkler
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Sexual Communication ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Broad Domain ◽  
Relational Outcomes

Sexual communication is a pivotal part of interpersonal relationships; recent research reveals associations between sexual communication and various relational outcomes. Within the broad domain of sexual communication, current scholarship specifically addresses the role of postsex communication in relationships and its links to physiological and genetic markers. Given these advancements, the present chapter offers an overview of research linking physiology, hormones, and genes to communication after sexual activity. The chapter first presents reviews of two key hormones in sexual communication research: testosterone (T) and oxytocin (O). The oxytocin receptor gene and its link to social behavior broadly, and sexual behavior specifically, is also explored. The chapter then offers a review of several theories relevant to understanding the hormonal underpinnings of sexual communication, as well as future directions for research exploring sexual communication and physiology.

Associations between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and affect, loneliness and intelligence in normal subjects

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 860-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Lucht ◽  
Sven Barnow ◽  
Christine Sonnenfeld ◽  
Albert Rosenberger ◽  
Hans Joergen Grabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene

scholarly journals Neural correlate of autistic-like traits and a common allele in the oxytocin receptor gene

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1443-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Saito ◽  
Motomu Suga ◽  
Mamoru Tochigi ◽  
Osamu Abe ◽  
Noriaki Yahata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Common Allele ◽  
Neural Correlate ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene
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