Oxytocin receptor genetic variation relates to empathy and stress reactivity in humans.
Oxytocin, a peptide that functions as both a hormone and neurotransmitter, has broad influences on social and emotional processing throughout the body and the brain. In this study, we tested how a polymorphism (rs53576) of the oxytocin receptor relates to two key social processes related to oxytocin: empathy and stress reactivity. Compared with individuals homozygous for the G allele of rs53576 (GG), individuals with one or two copies of the A allele (AG/AA) exhibited lower behavioral and dispositional empathy, as measured by the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test and an other-oriented empathy scale. Furthermore, AA/AG individuals displayed higher physiological and dispositional stress reactivity than GG individuals, as determined by heart rate response during a startle anticipation task and an affective reactivity scale. Our results provide evidence of how a naturally occurring genetic variation of the oxytocin receptor relates to both empathy and stress profiles.
Rodrigues
Sarina M
SM
Institute of Personality and Social Research, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. sarina.rodrigues@oregonstate.edu
Saslow
Laura R
LR
Garcia
Natalia
N
John
Oliver P
OP
Keltner
Dacher
D
D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics*; D012938:Social Perception; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin